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 Post subject: 2013 NFL Draft...
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:41 pm 
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Here is how I see the Bears top two rounds of the drop shaping up based on likely percentages.

I'm a fan of combining the biggest needs and the best player available to come up with the best player to select. Here are the teams needs I see (that should warrant a very high instant impact pick):

1. Offensive Line - The Bears are simply atrocious across the front. Typically, a single Center and a couple OG's go in the late 1st Round, so really, there are probably 4 upgradeable positions here. Left Tackle is probably the most important position for this team. RT is probably good enough to not need a 1st Round choice here. Both OG's need help, so an upgrade here is important. Garza is going the way of Kreutz, getting worse with each passing year and starting to get thrown around by younger, bigger, and stronger interior DL. Bottom line, the entire OL is a very important position needing a major influx of talent.

2. Tight End - Some say the Bears need more weapons at WR. I don't. Jeffrey is coming along nicely and needs to stay healthy. The Bears could use a deep threat, but they didn't Draft Jeffrey in the 2nd Round to be a 3rd WR. They feel they got a steal with a 1st Rounder in the 2nd Round and Marshall is arguably the best WR not named Calvin Johnson at this point in the NFL. Could we use that burner to stretch the field? Another slot WR? Sure, but the Bears may look for that guy in the middle to late rounds. As for TE, a guy who can really take over the middle of the field and doesn't drop everything that's thrown to him would be critically important to the Offense so Marshall is not the over the middle threat. That would allow the Bears to open up the field. Typically 1-2 TE's are taken in the 1st Round and usually about 3 in the first 2 rounds.

3. Linebacker - The Bears are quietly getting younger on the DL. Melton is a Pro Bowler, Paea and McClellin were recent high round picks invested in the DL, and Corey Wooten really emerged as a good solid DE in the NFL with a 7 sack season in spot duty this year. The biggest issue is at LB for the Bears. Briggs is still a monster, but Urlacher is constantly getting banged up and simply doesn't run as well as he has in the past. He's manageable for another season……maybe. Long term solutions are needed here, as well as depth and another starting OLB.

4. Everything Else - This is the best player available slot. Those top 3 are the biggest glaring needs the team has. The rest falls into a best player available slot. Based on that, I would rank the positions of need like this:

a. Left Tackle - 30%
b. Offensive Guard (either) - 25%
c. Linebacker (OLB or MLB) - 20%
d. Tight End - 15%
e. Anything Else - 10%

Here are some of the likely prospects:

1. Chance Warmack OG Alabama

Warmack is a massive roadgrading OG. He tips the scales at 325 lbs and is 6'3", so he's likely going to be a permanent interior OG at he next level. Warmack has extremely long arms so as an interior OL, he is excellent in pass protection while at the same time being a mauler up front. He's been in the starting lineup at Alabama since his Freshman season and that's saying something. For the Bears, he's an instant starter and an instant upgrade on the OL. He may not be the LT they were hoping for, but this is the spot where elite OG's are often selected.

2. Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M

Matthews is 6'5" and 305 lbs. He's part of the joint tandem with him and Joeckel, the Aggies LT, that make up the best OT tandem I've seen in College football in a long time. Matthews plays RT for the Aggies, but would be their LT if Joeckel wasn't on the team. He's not quite as quick moving his feet as his teammate is, and he's probaby a better overall drive blocker. He performed very well against the increased speed of the pass rushers in the SEC and will likely earn out a solid 1st Round grade. For the Bears, Matthews would start on Day 1, and my guess is the Bears would try him on the left side. Oh, and he's also the son of Hall of Fame OT Bruce Matthews, which means he's the cousin of Packers superstar OLB/DE Clay Matthews Jr. How interesting would that be.

3. Eric Fisher OT Central Michigan

Fisher is 6'7" and 305 lbs. He's a slightly developmental OT prospect in the NFL that many feel can ultimately blossom into a solid LT. He has a huge frame to continue adding weight to and has been feverishly trying to bulk up for two years. He moves well in engaging pass rushers, but the MAC doesn't have anything on what he's likely to encounter at the NFL level. Fisher could likely see himself climb into the late 1st Round come Draft day, which means the Bears would be foolish to not consider him with their top pick.

4. Alexander Ogletree MLB Georgia

Ogletree could be a guy the Bears would love to have to develop behind Brian Urlacher and maybe get a look at OLB in year 1. He's a 6'3", 235 lbs MLB who began his career at Georgia as a Safety. The problem was that Ogletree just kept growing and growing, adding more and more bulk. He didn't lose his speed and athletic ability and has extremely long arms for his size, all excellent attributes at the next level. Ogletree could be a guy who slides into the 2nd Round, but the Bears should take a look considering their success with Urlacher and their need for athletic LB's. That being said, who knows what Defense a new coaching staff is going to bring to town, so this is completely up in the air.

5. Tyler Eifert TE Notre Dame

Eifert has excellent size at 6'5" and 255 lbs with outstanding hands for a big man. He plays with excellent body control and is developing in the running game, showing improved blocking each year he's been in College. That being said, make no mistake about it, Eifert is an pass catching TE who also happens to be large enough to block. He's an offensive weapon in an NFL style Offense and will continue to be at the next level. He's also the #1 TE in the Draft and a lock to start for the Bears as a rookie. Eifert doesn’t have freakish speed and that's what keeps him a bottom 1st/top 2nd type of guy.

6. Jonathan Cooper G/C North Carolina

Cooper is the 2nd best interior OL in the Draft. He's a tremendous talent who demonstrates elite level versatility. Many in the NFL feel he can play a couple positions on the OL, but make no mistake about it, Cooper is not a roadgrader. He's a fluid, lightning fast pulling OG at 6'3", 315 lbs. He's a finesse blocker who dominates with technique. He's been an elite level player at the College level since his Redshirt Freshman season when he was named a Freshman All American starting 10 games. For the Bears, with a theme developing based on OL available, Cooper is a must consider for the Bears.

7. Manti Te'o MLB Notre Dame

The odds that a guy like Te'o is around at 20 when the Bears pick is slim in my eyes, but many different Draft previews have him as a mid 1st Round grade, so based on that, I have to put him on the wish list. The Bears are the home of great MLB's at the NFL level and with one light going out in Urlacher, adding another in Te'o, a guy who could stop right in at OLB on the strongside before eventually moving inside, would be huge. Te'o currently plays for ND just 90 minutes outside of Chicago and is very comfortable with the city. If he's on the board at 15-17, he could be worth a mid round pick to slide up a few spots and lock this position down for a decade yet again.

8. Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma

Johnson has arguably the most odd career in College Football's modern history. He played QB in High School and initially played at the Junior College Level as a QB before switching to TE. From there, he transferred to Oklahoma the next season and redshirted as a TE. He then began his Redshirt Sophomore season as a TE before eventually switching to DE. In 2011, with a shortage of players on the OL for Oklahoma, Johnson took one for the team and switched to RT, packing on some serious beef to get up to 300+ where he would start 11 of 12 games. His Redshirt Senior season saw Johnson retain his position as the starting RT and he was the best OL on the team and one of the best in the Conference. Johnson is considered incredibly athletic for a man of his stature, but with just two years on the OL in his career (even though it was at Oklahoma), Johnson is a very talented project type player.


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 Post subject: Re: 2013 NFL Draft...
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:13 pm 
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I think you will see Emery address OL in the same way he did WR last year. He will get a premier FA signing who can immediately start at one tackle position. He will then draft for the interior in the second round of the draft. The indications are that Jake Long is going to be available and he should be a guy who is called at 12:01 of the day FA begins.

Everything he said yesterday is that he is looking not to fill positions but to acquire playmakers. I think Eifert fits that bill with the first round pick.

Speed WR seem to be a common commodity in the draft lately. Fast guys with decent resumes were going in the 5th last year and that is where I would like the Bears to target a guy who stretches the field.

In FA, get Long, re sign Louis on the cheap coming off surgery, get a starting caliber solid but not spectacular LB, get a veteran #4 WR

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 Post subject: Re: 2013 NFL Draft...
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:14 pm 
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I want the TE out of Notre Dame or the TE out of Stanford.

Then use 2nd and 3rd rounders on OL as well as looking into free agency.

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 Post subject: Re: 2013 NFL Draft...
PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:26 pm 
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I kind of like Fisher from Central Michigan. No reason. I just do.


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