Grade the Bears Draft

[Da Bears 88]

Discuss.

[jason]

I don't really think that a RB was needed that high. I hate the TE pick. I'm lukewarm on the DB pick and the DT pick when I felt there were better players available at positions of need. And I can't believe OG wasn't addressed until the 7th, which is basically a warm body for training camp.

 

Gotta go with a solid C. If OG had been addressed earlier, I could have easily given a B- or a B.

 

I love the Vandy combo the Bears got, and think the LSU Safety is going to be a nice addition. I also think that the Monk pick could be a huge steal.

[dawhizz]

I've been a defender generally, but it's hard to give them more than a C.

 

Williams - We needed a LT. We got a LT. We know he can play LT. Maybe he isn't a great run-blocker, but I'd venture it's easier to get stronger and meaner than it is to teach pass-blocking technique to someone who doesn't have great feet.

 

Forte - I like what I've seen. Seems above average at everything and I think he'll be the back this year.

 

Bennett - Another good pick. We have speed guys in Hester and Bradley (theoretically at least). Booker a good big target. I like Bennett as a 3rd or 4th to start the season and make the tough catches over the middle, for first downs, etc. Hard not to like the Hines Ward comparisons.

 

Harrison - This was where you get a QB. Upgrade DT sometime, fine. But when you have two QBs on the roster and no real plan for the future, you HAVE to get a functional QB in the draft, not take injury-prone character risks. Maybe he'll be a fine player.

 

Steltz - A guy I took in every mock draft I ran for the Bears. Good fit in the system & can play on special teams. Don't let the door hit your a$$ on the way out, Arch.

 

Bowman - If he's healthy, he's got all the talent in the world. I'm actually OK with this pick. I don't think Ricky Manning Jr's long for this team, which leaves you with only 4 CBs on the roster. Probably worth the risk as much as Jake Ikuguonu was for the Iggles.

 

Davis - The Bears did have a need for a 3rd TE in the draft somewhere, though I would have preferred a better pure blocker. He certainly has the size to block and speed to burn, so he's got the skill set you want.

 

Baldwin - I didn't know anything about him, but I don't know why. He's got legit DE size (6'2" 270) and was really productive last year with 18 1/2 TFL and 8 sacks. Seems like he'd be worth a pick to me, though it's hard for me to see how he makes the team with Ogun, Brown, Anderson, Bazuin, and Idonije.

 

Adams - Too late to start addressing the O-line, particularly since none of the other players the Bears have drafted this late on O-line have done anything. To me, that says you need to make it more of a priority, and the Bears didn't. Maybe we're in the market to trade a DE for an OG.

 

LaRocque - Should step right in if Urlacher sits out

 

Barton - Injured, but probably worth the risk here. 4-year starter at a top program. He may be your back-up RT at the moment.

 

Monk - At least he brings a size dimension the Bears don't really have. He wouldn't have to try hard to be as good as Justin Gage, but hope they actually give Mike Hass a shot this year.

 

So, I actually liked most of the picks. But the inability to recognize the glaring need at QB and OG are pretty inexcusable. Methinks the Bears are banking on signing whoever doesn't make the Bucs (Gradkowski probably).

[sulster]

some are on some serious kool aid if they are happy with the draft. I think the 1st and last picks were the only ones that made any sense

[SoxFan1]

I give it a B. Would have given it an A if we could have gotten a QB somewhere. I like the Williams pick in the 1st. We absolutely needed a LT, and this guy can step in and start right away. It's an upgrade at 2 positions really, because now we can move Tait to RT where he is better suited.

 

While the Forte pick might have been a reach, I like the guy overall. He has great college numbers and his videos show some incredible ability to hit the hole with some steam. He looks to me like a mesh between Thomas Jones and Deuce McAllister.

 

I loooove the Bennett pick. He's one of those sleeper WR after the Thomas/Sweed/Jackson of the world. He and Monk should compete for some spots with our weak WR core. Bennett is a great route runner and apparently is pretty reliable with his hands.

 

Harrison fills a depth need at DT. Dvoracek has been injured both seasons, Scott left, Tommie is an uncertainty, and it looks like Idonije is moving to DE. He's a good value pick.

 

Steltz...I freakin love the guy. Nuff said.

 

Bowman is a questionable pick. Coming off 2 knee surgeries and with the depth we already have at CB, it was a bit confusing. Same thing with Davis. Though he has some kind of potential. He's a depth pick. We needed a good 3rd TE, we got one.

 

The rest of the guys pretty much just fill needs/depth. I've read that both Barton and Adams can play both G/T, so thats good as well.

 

Baldwin is a questionable pick, but we didn't really need Mark Anderson, and that worked out well. LaRocque? Purely special teams in my book.

[azbearsfan]

Most of the grade from the experts that I've seen are B.

 

Looks like a typical JA draft to me.

 

After researching the picks, I give it a B.

 

A quarterback would have made it an A, but really if they weren't crazy about anybody I dont really want them taking players to appease the fans. We got the quarterback they brought in and liked in FA so I can respect that.

[Zod]

I thought it was a solid draft, but the only big disappointment was the lack of QB's taken.

[Mongo3451]

I loved the Williams and Forte picks.(I had them both on my day 1 wish list) My only prayer on day one was that JA would package a couple of picks to get another 2nd rounder and pick Chad Henne. I just think he is a guy that would take over NEXT year and be our QB for the next 12-15 years. I looks again that JA is drafting red-shirt candadates with promise. My only true critique is that we didn't use one of the 3rd's or a 4th on an OG. Overall, I like the draft. B+. If JA picks a quality cap cut at OL, this draft will be an A-.

[adam]

I said "B", I wrote my analysis here: http://www.talkbears.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2316

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

Ask me in a year or 2.

[Controlled Chaos]

Handing out draft grades for NFC teams

by John Czarnecki Fox Sports

 

Chicago

The Bears may have been tempted to replace departed receiver Bernard Berrian in the first round, but instead may have found their slot receiver in Vanderbilt's Earl Bennett in the third round. Bennett is the first SEC receiver to have 75 receptions for three straight seasons. Top pick Chris Williams has the ability and feet to be a starting left tackle — he allowed only two sacks over a two-year period and almost 1,600 plays. The Bears allowed 43 sacks last season. Williams dominated most drills at the Senior Bowl. Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison was a need, and he played last season on a tender knee that had surgery in the spring. Harrison has first-round talent, but seventh-round character. LSU safety Craig Steltz will remind older Bears fans of Gary Fencik with his tremendous run support. Tulane RB Matt Forte was a need, considering the injury history of Cedric Benson.

Grade: A

[dawhizz]

Other "expert" grades:

 

Pete Prisco, Sportsline:

 

Best pick: Third-round pick Marcus Harrison will become a force in the middle of their defense. Some off-field issues prevented him from being a higher selection.

 

Questionable move: Taking tackle Chris Williams with the 14th pick in the first round came after several teams took him off their boards for medical reasons (back). Chicago better hope that doesn't become a problem.

 

Second-day gem: I love tight end Kellen Davis, whom the Bears selected in the fifth round. He's a strong, athletic player.

 

Overall grade: B+. Aside from the questions about Williams, they did a nice job. Harrison will make this draft.

 

Mel Kiper:

Chicago Bears: GRADE: B

Chris Williams is the left tackle the Bears need from a pass-protection standpoint, and he'll start as a rookie. Matt Forte is a hard-nosed running back. He's not flashy, but he's elusive. I like what the Bears did on Day 2, starting with Vanderbilt WR Earl Bennett, who reminds me of Hines Ward. Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison lasted until the third round because of some off-field concerns, and Nebraska's Zack Bowman is a big corner who was once projected as a first-round pick, before he suffered injuries to both knees. LSU safety Craig Steltz -- who reminds me of former Bear Doug Plank -- will be a solid special teams player and could push for a starting job. With his height, Arkansas WR Marcus Monk could be a red zone threat and he qualifies as a very good seventh-round pick. He looked like a second-rounder after his junior year, and ran a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash, which is excellent for a 6-foot-4, 220-pound receiver. Tight end Kellen Davis has tremendous athletic ability but he needs to be more consistent.

 

Clifton Brown, Sporting News:

Bears. No, they didn't get a quarterback, but they got three players -- Chris Williams, Matt Forte and Earl Bennett -- who can help an anemic offense, plus a defensive tackle (Marcus Harrison) who has first-round skills. (B-)

[ostrogoth]

Solid B in my opinion there were not many good QB'S to waste a pick on so I'm happy they stayed away from that area. Here's what Bears beat Writer has to say.

 

Two character risks taken Sunday, defensive tackle Marcus Harrison of Arkansas and tight end Kellen Davis of Michigan State, also could cause some roster shuffling. But sketchy pasts that the Bears rationalized make any projections about those two murky.

 

Uncharacteristic injury gambles on five of the 10 players taken on Day 2 tempered enthusiasm about their futures and added pressure on top picks Chris Williams and Matt Forte to make this the stellar draft class it could be.

 

Of Sunday's batch of new Bears, Bennett, Steltz and Bowman represent the best bets to make a quick impact.

 

Wide receiver Bennett, the Southeastern Conference career receptions leader from Vanderbilt, will force newcomer Lloyd to wow the Bears in training camp enough to justify keeping six wide receivers. It's difficult to see where Lloyd fits in now that Bennett has joined roster locks such as Marty Booker, Mark Bradley, Devin Hester and newly re-signed Rashied Davis.

 

Safety Steltz, an interchangeable Cover-2 safety whom general manager Jerry Angelo believes can start, could supplant Archuleta on the depth chart if he fully recovers from a broken shoulder blade. Lovie Smith already committed to reinvesting hope in Mike Brown. Locks Brandon McGowan, Kevin Payne and Danieal Manning give the Bears five safeties in better stead with the team than Archuleta. Barring injury, can they afford to keep a sixth?

 

Bears defensive coordinator Bob Babich raved just as much about Bowman, a cornerback with first-round talent limited by two knee injuries. But Babich stopped short of predicting he would start. Babich does expect Bowman to make an impact on special teams and provide depth at one of the outside corner spots.

 

With Manning Jr. coming off a down year and the coaching staff losing confidence in him, the Bears could slide Trumaine McBride into Manning Jr.'s spot at nickel back if Bowman looks good enough to be a No. 2 corner.

 

With Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, McBride, Bowman and special-teams standout Corey Graham giving the Bears five solid cornerbacks, Manning Jr. eventually could be the odd man out.

 

Speaking of odd, it was unusual to see the Bears take two players who dropped into lower rounds because of legal problems, given what Angelo had identified as an emphasis on character.

 

Angelo volunteered at the NFL combine in February that his personal research had convinced him to start placing a higher priority on past bad behavior as a predictor of future problems. Then the Bears contradicted that thinking by taking Harrison and Davis, who are on a first-name basis with their local probation officers.

 

Of all the mixed signals the Bears sent before this draft, this was the biggest. Their justification: Players passed over because of troubled pasts will feel more beholden to the team that gives them a chance and toe the line — in theory.

 

"We're in business to win football games, [but] we're not going to prostitute character," Angelo said. "We don't put winning in front of character. We did eons of work on these kids. We missed [in 2004] on Tank [Johnson]. We made a mistake, but I'm not going to let [that] interrupt how we do business."

 

Angelo also gambled on players with injury histories more than one would expect from a GM with a reputation for avoiding high-risk prospects. He allowed first-round potential to trump other concerns that caused their draft-day descents.

 

If Harrison, Steltz or Bowman becomes injury-prone or has his development delayed by injury, the Bears cannot say they weren't warned. Steltz, for example, hasn't delivered a hit since suffering a hairline fracture of his shoulder blade in the BCS championship game and is not yet 100 percent.

[madlithuanian]

C - for now.

 

With my limited knowedge...I can only say average. We picked a few guys I thnk can contribute and a lot of question marks. But there appears to be some potential.

 

3 major things that I didn't like...we didn't go for Mendenhall afer he slid... (besides not taking him at 14)... and not drafting a QB at all when guys like Flynn, Johnson and Brennan could easily have been had. And some of the guys we drafted have injury or character issues. Haven't we learned that lesson?

 

I sure hope I'm wrong and this is an A. But I sure hope even more it's not an F.

 

Discuss.

[Da Bears 88]

Ask me in a year or 2.

Um why? Half of these guys might not even be here in a year or two.

[azbearsfan]

Um why? Half of these guys might not even be here in a year or two.

 

 

Put down the hateraid.