Kyle Long, OG, Oregon selected at #20

[adam]

"He is the type of athlete and player that we have targeted," Emery said of Long. "He's a fast, tough, dynamic athlete."

 

"He's going to start out a guard," Emery said. "We feel like he can be a starting right tackle. We feel he can be a good left tackle. ... We see a player that is going to contribute right away. His Senior Bowl was excellent. I thought he was the best offensive lineman on the field."

 

"He's one of my favorite players in the draft. He's immediately a starting guard that down the road is a starting tackle." -- Mike Mayock

[scs787]

Had some time to think on the way home and I feel a little better about it. Perhaps I'm forcing myself to but I did come up with some logic behind it.

 

The way I'm taking it is the Bears didn't think as highly on Gabe Carimi as I thought they did, or as I do. I also remembered the whole Kromer works the line from the inside out so he needs a good OG tandem. That said if you look at who is left after Long at OG the list pretty much only goes 1 deep with Warford with Dallas Thomas as an honorable mention. Those guys very easily could be gone at #50 and then we're left with some guy named Matt Summers-Gavin as NFL.coms top rated OG.

 

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

They needed OL and got one. It's nice to see them trying to build it up with Slauson, Bushrod and now Long. I just think that he's extremely raw and if they trade back a few spots, they get him there + a 3rd or a 4th.

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

Had some time to think on the way home and I feel a little better about it. Perhaps I'm forcing myself to but I did come up with some logic behind it.

 

The way I'm taking it is the Bears didn't think as highly on Gabe Carimi as I thought they did, or as I do. I also remembered the whole Kromer works the line from the inside out so he needs a good OG tandem. That said if you look at who is left after Long at OG the list pretty much only goes 1 deep with Warford with Dallas Thomas as an honorable mention. Those guys very easily could be gone at #50 and then we're left with some guy named Matt Summers-Gavin as NFL.coms top rated OG.

Alvin Bailey and Hugh Thornton are guys who I like in rounds 4-6 that could play in a year or two as well.

[scs787]

Alvin Bailey and Hugh Thornton are guys who I like in rounds 4-6 that could play in a year or two as well.

 

Well the quote in the OP says "He's immediately a starting guard" so they think he can start right away. A year or 2 doesn't really help us this year if they don't think highly of Carimi/Brown.

[GrizzlyBear]

http://sports.yahoo.com/video/dream-chaser...-043000758.html

[Guest TerraTor]

Well the quote in the OP says "He's immediately a starting guard" so they think he can start right away. A year or 2 doesn't really help us this year if they don't think highly of Carimi/Brown.

 

Mayocks favorite player at OG. works for me.

[Guest TerraTor]

http://sports.yahoo.com/video/dream-chaser...-043000758.html

 

 

wonder if he knows Buster P

[GrizzlyBear]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-encVdHkaY

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

http://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2013klong.php

[ParkerBear7]

Let's be honest here. I am probably the only one on this board that was excited when the Bears drafted Brian Urlacher, a saftey from New Mexico high in the first round of 2000. This was probably becasue I was the only one that heard of him before as I watched him play while a grad student at UNM. Brian seemed to turn out pretty good at MLB after moving over from OLB and S prior to that. Infact, Urlacher played WR in high school. Hopefully, we will all look back to this years from now and say the say thing about the Long. Sure, no one projected him at #20, other than position the type of player or talent pool really can not be that far between 20 and 50. The Bears simple could not have affored going into this season without adding OL ealry in the draft who could have a chance to compete right away.

 

I was actually watching the draft with a friend, a cowboy fan, and we both were sayingthe same thing that our teams needed to address OL for years but they never seem actually draft OL. But then a peculiar thing happended, both teams made needs based picks at OL. Albeit, not a flashy pick, we both were suprised and content that for the first time in a while management is making an effort to strengthen an obvious weakness.

 

I know change is scary but how can anyone on this board not be a little excited or optimistic about where this franchise is heading? I choose to trust in the new regime and want to buy into that they are making an effort of fixing our most covered up and overlooked problem, the OL. Emery has done an exceptional job running this team as a business and not a family hobby. I was really impressed by how quickly he replaced URL and Roach with Williams / Anderson, two proven and solid veterans LBs. This unit will be very good next year and we have time and flexibity to address later.

 

 

Summary: DEF is top 10, Special Teams should be Top 10, Offense? Please do not forget that every year we seem to be really good at DEF and Very Good at ST only to be just bad enough on offense to not have a real chance of winning the Super Bowl. I can tell there are a lot of cub fans on here because they have the same pathetic outlook for the Bears. I want to see another SB win in my lifetime and it is rediculous that a City like Chicago had not won since 1985! Ask yourself this question: How many world championships has the team the Bears absolutley destroyed in the '85 SB won since that game. I believe the Patriots have won it atleast 3 time and 1 loss. Point is, we finanlly are addressing the achillis heel which has been preventing this team from being better and for the most part everyone here is being negative about filling one of the biggests need. I am not qualified to cal it a reach so I won't. Furthermore, I hope we add a starting center in the 2nd round and we cand send Garza, a former gaurd who has been playing center (by the way has no ACL's in either knee} on his way.

 

CHICAGO STRONG "312" in 2013!

[Mongo3451]

I have no issues with this pick. Going into the draft I had guard and center as my number one needs. I don't think there was/is a better prospect availible. I suspect Emery tried to trade down, but nobody bit on the Te'o or QB hype. Win some lose some. So he takes a player he really likes. All good. Dude is a beast of an athlete.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Good post Parker.

 

Although I'm still going into this year with a cautious optimism, the more I think about this pick the more I am intrigued. Time and again the "experts" have said the same thing, "starting guard, eventually starting tackle". That's big for a player coming out of college. To be able to have the 'luxury' in letting a player learn the intricacies of the NFL from a protected position (Guard) for a year or two and then, if needed, move him out to an 'unprotected' position of RT or LT....talk about a quality choice. Look at what happened last when the Bears picked two OL in the first round and expected them to start in their respective positions? For one they were both Tackles and one is gone the other moved inside to Guard....for now.

 

So the concern of him not playing a lot of college ball. Is that really a BIG concern? Not as much wear and tear and remember what I said about the "protected" position of Guard? If you HAD to learn a position on the fly, especially along the line, the Guard slot is the best.

 

Lastly, who knows maybe we have ourselves the next Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson in regards to a two sport athlete? After all, imagine if in the off season should he decide to play for the first team he was drafted by? The White Sox. Hmmmmm.

[jason]

Let's be honest here. I am probably the only one on this board that was excited when the Bears drafted Brian Urlacher, a saftey from New Mexico high in the first round of 2000. This was probably becasue I was the only one that heard of him before as I watched him play while a grad student at UNM. Brian seemed to turn out pretty good at MLB after moving over from OLB and S prior to that. Infact, Urlacher played WR in high school. Hopefully, we will all look back to this years from now and say the say thing about the Long. Sure, no one projected him at #20, other than position the type of player or talent pool really can not be that far between 20 and 50. The Bears simple could not have affored going into this season without adding OL ealry in the draft who could have a chance to compete right away.

 

I was actually watching the draft with a friend, a cowboy fan, and we both were sayingthe same thing that our teams needed to address OL for years but they never seem actually draft OL. But then a peculiar thing happended, both teams made needs based picks at OL. Albeit, not a flashy pick, we both were suprised and content that for the first time in a while management is making an effort to strengthen an obvious weakness.

 

I know change is scary but how can anyone on this board not be a little excited or optimistic about where this franchise is heading? I choose to trust in the new regime and want to buy into that they are making an effort of fixing our most covered up and overlooked problem, the OL. Emery has done an exceptional job running this team as a business and not a family hobby. I was really impressed by how quickly he replaced URL and Roach with Williams / Anderson, two proven and solid veterans LBs. This unit will be very good next year and we have time and flexibity to address later.

 

Summary: DEF is top 10, Special Teams should be Top 10, Offense? Please do not forget that every year we seem to be really good at DEF and Very Good at ST only to be just bad enough on offense to not have a real chance of winning the Super Bowl. I can tell there are a lot of cub fans on here because they have the same pathetic outlook for the Bears. I want to see another SB win in my lifetime and it is rediculous that a City like Chicago had not won since 1985! Ask yourself this question: How many world championships has the team the Bears absolutley destroyed in the '85 SB won since that game. I believe the Patriots have won it atleast 3 time and 1 loss. Point is, we finanlly are addressing the achillis heel which has been preventing this team from being better and for the most part everyone here is being negative about filling one of the biggests need. I am not qualified to cal it a reach so I won't. Furthermore, I hope we add a starting center in the 2nd round and we cand send Garza, a former gaurd who has been playing center (by the way has no ACL's in either knee} on his way.

 

CHICAGO STRONG "312" in 2013!

 

Preach ParkerBear. Preach.

[jason]

Good post Parker.

 

Although I'm still going into this year with a cautious optimism, the more I think about this pick the more I am intrigued. Time and again the "experts" have said the same thing, "starting guard, eventually starting tackle". That's big for a player coming out of college. To be able to have the 'luxury' in letting a player learn the intricacies of the NFL from a protected position (Guard) for a year or two and then, if needed, move him out to an 'unprotected' position of RT or LT....talk about a quality choice. Look at what happened last when the Bears picked two OL in the first round and expected them to start in their respective positions? For one they were both Tackles and one is gone the other moved inside to Guard....for now.

 

So the concern of him not playing a lot of college ball. Is that really a BIG concern? Not as much wear and tear and remember what I said about the "protected" position of Guard? If you HAD to learn a position on the fly, especially along the line, the Guard slot is the best.

 

Lastly, who knows maybe we have ourselves the next Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson in regards to a two sport athlete? After all, imagine if in the off season should he decide to play for the first team he was drafted by? The White Sox. Hmmmmm.

 

Good point. I hadn't thought of it that way. More often than not, the talking heads want to downgrade someone "started LT but might need to be moved to OG in the NFL."

[adam]

Interesting to see Long at #26 on Scouts Inc Top 32. He slowly crept into the 1st. Looking at that list, they were pretty damn accurate.

[scs787]

Interesting to see Long at #26 on Scouts Inc Top 32. He slowly crept into the 1st. Looking at that list, they were pretty damn accurate.

 

My buddy actually sent me a message a week ago saying Kiper had us taking Long. This may not have been as much as a reach as we all thought....esp with the big drop off after him and Warford.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Interesting to see Long at #26 on Scouts Inc Top 32. He slowly crept into the 1st. Looking at that list, they were pretty damn accurate.

 

Since I'm not 'sold' quite yet on Emery I will give him this, his two 1st rounders (this year and last) are cerebral ones. And in either case and because of it he'll be proven either a genius or an egomaniac.

[madlithuanian]

I know virtually nothing about college players. I pretty much rely on all you guys for assessments...

 

All I know is the position was a need.

 

From that standpoint, I am happy.

 

And I refuse to poo-poo the pick until I see true reason to do so. Until then, I'm assuming this is a guy that'll be a solid player for many years. I have a feeling this was a pick with Kromer's input big time.

 

It'll be a great story if this guy indeed has his act together now and becomes a consumate pro.

 

Welcome to the Bears Mr. Long! May you kick ass and take names!

 

 

[scs787]

Mayocks favorite player at OG. works for me.

 

You're all over the place man

[lemonej]

When we drafted Charles Tillman at pick 35 of the 2nd rd. All we heard was reach,reach,reach. Back in 2003 Then the next pick was Briggs. I want to wait and see the next pick before I make an assessment but this puts the whole OL on notice that you need to come to play. That is what I do like. I had a 2nd rd grade on Long myself but I am far from an expert. After hearing Tony Wise this morning who worked him out before the Combine as a favor to Howie thru Jimmy Johnson he felt Long could potentially be a LT. That was eye opening. Wise before Tice and Kromer was considered the OL guru in the NFL. I give him credit for helping Big Cat develop into a solid RT.

[adam]

Some Tweets:

Long: "Some people grow up with a chip on their shoulder, I grew up with a lumberyard on my shoulder.

 

Phil Emery scouted the Oregon vs. Arizona State game last fall. Kyle Long will wear No. 75

 

Also, interesting to note that both McClellin and Long had great Senior Bowl weeks, and both seemed shocked to be picked in the top 20.

 

[balta1701-A]

Seifert:

Why did the Bears draft Long where they did? Thursday night, I figured that general manager Phil Emery would surely provide his reasons. And after reviewing his comments, it appears the Bears' assessment of Long's pure athletic traits overrode any concerns about experience and background. Emery also noted the NFL has trended toward offensive and defensive linemen at the top of recent drafts, elevating his assessment of where Long would and wouldn't be available.

 

"It's hard to outweigh measurables because he's rare," Emery said.

 

Emery and the Bears rely on a metric he referred to as the "Athletic Index Score," which measures players "where they are as athletes," he said. According to Emery, Long earned the highest ranking of any offensive guard over the past 12 draft classes. Indeed, Long ran the best 40 time (4.94 seconds) of any guard at the NFL scouting combine. That's pretty quick for a 6-foot-6, 313-pound man.

 

I won't pretend to know what else goes into the "Athletic Index Score" or how relevant it is for an interior lineman. Emery said Long's lateral agility and feet make his every movement during a play impressive.

 

Regardless, in any other year, Long almost certainly would have been an interesting second- or third-round prospect. But the Bears clearly felt they needed to skew their assessment of his likely draft value based on historical research.

 

"It's interesting because the trend the last five years, opposed to the previous 10-year average, the trend is going towards offensive linemen and defensive linemen -- pass protectors, pass rushers," Emery said. "It's almost doubled in both those areas in the last five years."

 

We will never know if the Bears could have drafted another player in the first round and then circled back to get Long in the second. But it's clear that Emery isn't beyond taking an independent value of the draft. He and his staff really liked Long -- "We've targeted him for the last couple weeks," Emery said -- and they weren't going to get caught up in value mirco-analysis on their way to drafting him.

[adam]

Seifert:

Yeah, Emery mentioned the Index on the Bears website. Interesting to see they had him rated as the best OG in the last 12 years.

 

I still think he would've been there at 50, but if they thought that highly of him, someone else might have has well.

[GreatScott82]

Yeah, Emery mentioned the Index on the Bears website. Interesting to see they had him rated as the best OG in the last 12 years.

 

I still think he would've been there at 50, but if they thought that highly of him, someone else might have has well.

I don't think he would have lasted past pick 35. They said on the NFL network that his stock was rising pretty quickly. He is saying all the right things, I hope he can make an immediate impact. I wonder what type of position they will focus on at pick #50? I'm thinking LB or perhaps CB.