Grade Emery's Draft

[Electric Slim]

Grade = B

Emery addressed every position of need except for LB. Drafting a kicker was weird, but considering how awful Podlesh was, I got over it pretty quickly.

The only way Emery could get an A is if I felt that he was utlizing the value of the prospects more. Why not draft Louis Nix and trade down if you don't want him?

Ultimately this has potential to be an A draft though. Ego Ferguson could be the steal of the draft for all I know, we'll just have to see. Ultimately I feel pretty damn good about our offseason and I can't wait for August.

[Chitownbulls]

A

I think Emery got 5 starters in this draft.....fuller ego sutton vereen and the punter. Great Draft....plus I love that we added a olineman at the end of the draft and added Lynch and Christian Jones.

[clancyphile]

A

I think Emery got 5 starters in this draft.....fuller ego sutton vereen and the punter. Great Draft....plus I love that we added a olineman at the end of the draft and added Lynch and Christian Jones.

Fuller, Sutton, and O'Donnell strike me as starters almost from the get go.

Vereen and Fales are folks who could be very valuable as backups, and Vereen could sneak in as a starter.

The only picks I question are Ego Ferguson, Carey, and Charles Leno, Jr. In the case of Ferguson, think there were other DTs who were better than Ferguson, and some were available later (McCullers was my pick). The Bears are banking a TON on someone who lacked production at the NCAA level (1 sack in three seasons). McCullers had more (1.5) in two seasons, and went in the 6th.

Leno... I'd rather have gone for a big WR, like BYU'S Cody Hoffman - someone young who who could provide depth. O-Line depth looked okay for 2014.

As for Carey, Jordan Lynch looks like he might be better in the medium-to-long term as a RB and he adds being a third-string QB to the mix. Maybe both emerge, but did the Bears need a successor to Forte this year?

The UFAs look good: Jordan Lynch may be the steal, and Christian Jones could provide linebacker depth.

[IWannaGoHIGHER]

So the general the draft grade cliche goes "you can't grade a draft until 2 or 3 years down the road". So being curious I looked up my write up for the 2012 draft. And not to pat myself on the back too much, but I think I was pretty spot on. I'm probably the only one who finds this interesting

I liked the draft overall. A soild B grade. I don’t judge players on wither or not the “experts” who make mock drafts for a living thought they were a reach or a steal. If you like a player that you think helps your team, take him. If he turns out to be a good player no one will remember if he was the 5th or the 50th player taken. So lets go round by round.

Round 1 (19)- Shea McClellin DE: I really liked him as a football player. Was a first team all WAC performer in 2010, and then a first team Mountain West perfomer in 2011. Finished his career with 20.5 sacks (with 7 last year), and 130 tackles. A good point he brought up about his number was because of Boise St. offense the defense wasn’t on the field a whole lot and also he was asked to cover and drop back a lot. Makes his numbers a bit more impressive in my eyes. People you talk to says he has a swagger about him. He's a very good athlete that is versatile. He was a guy that wasn’t suppose to be a good tester and was better on film. But then came out at the combine and put up some of the best numbers for DE in the speed drills. But I have real concerns about his fit as a DE. I think he’s plenty big enough, but if you watch his tape he’s at his best rushing the passer in a 2 point stance and making plays on the ball. In the 3-4 I think he’d be dominate (and the fact the Pats were going to trade up for him and GB loved him says something) but we will see. Maybe the Bears become a little more versatile now. Use some more zone blitzes and have Shea do some things we haven’t seen out of the Bears in awhile. Maybe Rod and Lovie realize while our defense is good we need some wrinkles to throw at Rogers and Stafford. I also wouldn’t hold my breath if your waiting to see him at linebacker anytime soon. Sounds like the bears are gung-ho about making him a DE (I like to see him play at a couple spots but that’s just me). Overall love him as a football player but I worry about the fit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_B2JlIl ... re=related

The game film (not a highlight an import distinction) here I thought be showed his versatility. Really is a good football player.

Round 2 (50)- Alshon Jeffery WR: My favorite pick of the draft. Was a First team All American and all SEC in 2010 and was a top three finalist for the Biletnikoff. Was a second team all SEC this past year. Finshed his career with 183 catches for 3,042 yards and 23 TDs. I thought if he had Garcia throwing to him this year (instead of Connor Shaw or whatever his name is who idk can even throw a decent ball over 15 yeards) and put up the same number as his sophomore we’d be discussing if he or Blackman was the better player. Is a big, tall, physical receiver, with incredible hands. Who can go up and get that ball, and almost always comes down with it. Always breaks at least one tackle and I think has deceptive above average speed. And excellent speed for a guy his size (ran a better 40 then AJ Green btw). Needs to work on route running, ran a lot of rounded off routes. Partly had to do with the fact he only ran 4 routes in college to get open but in the NFL you need to run crisp sharp routes. Weight has been a problem with him but he at least acknowledged it at the combine and showed up at 216. Said that he made poor diet choices at some points but who doesn’t do that in college. Now he knows he has to be in shape and the Bears can monitor that closely. Personally I also think he’s a perfect receiver fit across from Marshall. And if Marshall is as football intelligent as Cutler says then Jeffery is going to benefit a ton from being around him. Great pick IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fljiaojL5fM

This is my favorite highlight reel. Because you see him take on, and beat, guys like Jenkins (2nd round), Barron (1st round), Kirpacktrick (1st round), Hayward (2nd round), and Boykin (4th round) all guys who were drafted pretty highly this past weekend.

Round 3 (79)- Brandon Hardin S: I get the rational behind this pick. We do need another safety. Major Wright just hasn’t look like a starting caliber SS in the NFL. And with Hardin very rare blend or size (6’3 or a little under) and speed (right around a 4.4) adding the fact he’s had a background in coverage as a CB makes him a very intriguing prospect. But he only played a year and a half (starting I mean) at OSU in 5 years there … that worries me, a lot. Missed all of last year with a shoulder injury, and has had hand and wrist problems in the past. Add in the fact he hasn’t played a whole lot of safety and again this pick is a risk. But you see why they pulled the trigger. He was a projected 3-4 rounder at the start of the year and you’d have to think if he showed the improvement that was expected he could have gone up a lot higher on draft boards. You can’t teach the gifts he has and while he’s no corner he does have solid, not great, coverage skills, and is does hit hard and wrap up. And you see it in the stats he put up only 105 career tackles (63 in the only full year starting)|, but also quite a few special team tackles. His instincts I would say are going to be average because I don’t care what he says a year off of football takes its toll. But he has already shown to be a dominate special teams player at OSU (the richer get richer in Dave Toub). Overall he is a risk but does have the potential to finally have some stability at the safety spot (although you could say that about most guys we’ve drafted in the last few year).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRrCYA2_zbY

His Pro Day workout and interview. I mean you can see it there why people love him, the size and speed is hard to miss watching him.

Round 4 (111)- Evan Rodriguez TE-H Back: This again is a guy who is a risk. But if I had to describe one word to fit this draft class and Emery style it’d be “versatility.” I mean this guy lined up everywhere for Temple last year. H-Back, FB, TE, and they even split him out at wideout a few times. And was a first team all MAC performer and on the Mackey Award watch list (although some expected more out of him). He’s got the athletic ability but his height (little under 6’2) and weight worry me. But again the athletic gifts are there. Ran the 40 well at 4.56, and was tops in the 3 cone, 20 and 60 yard shuttle for TE. Also registered a 36 inch vertical. A very good fit for a Tice system. Bates is going to be throwing in a lot more bootlegs this year for Cutler and look for Rodriguez to be running shorter routes and make some plays underneath. Has good natural movement and has good hands. I think he’s a good blocker for his size but I think he’s going to need to get a lot stronger. Didn’t produce a whole lot in college but a main factor in that was the system he played in. But he was the leading receiver of the team last year with 35 catches, for 479 yards, and two TDs. The major question for him though is off the field. Went to WVU had to transfer because of an assault charge on a female RA. Then transfers to Temple and gets a disorderly conduct charge in 2009. Also people have labeled him as an underachiever. So talent wise, you see how he can help this team. Fit wise and need wise you see how he could be a new weapon and fit right into the type of offense Tice was talking about. I just personally thought there were better prospects in other more dire places of need then where he was taken..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... t_qeeHEJ3Y

Some game film of one of the better games Rodriguez had this year. You again here can see his versatility.

Round 6 (184)- Isaiah Frey CB: Guys got good measurable with a reported 40 around a 4.4 and a hair under 5’11. Which is the main thing you look for in late rounder. He has said to have decent instincts but to be honest although I’ve seen Nevada play I was never focused in on him. But watched a couple highlights on him and is a decent cover guy who mostly played man to man, not a ton of zone. Tend to get his feet bogged down (meaning too many missteps and eyes in the backfield) and over extend his arms. But had great production last year with 5 picks and his 21 passes defended lead the nation, so he has a bit of a nose for the ball. Was also a first team All WAC player. Again another guy probably destined to be a special teamer. A guy who can add depth at CB and maybe turn out to be a decent special teamer with his speed. All you can ask really out of a 6th rounder. Would have addressed CB a little earlier if it were me but Emery has more faith in Jennings and Hayden then I do. But I like the pick in the later rounds, seems like a solid prospect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RsM55Fm4Rc

A good highlight tape on Frey. Really gives a wide range of angles and different types of plays.

Round 7th (220)- Greg McCoy CB: Another pick another CB that is going to see some time on special teams. Honestly the Bears invest more on special teams then any other team in the league … by far. Toub must be jumping for joy after this off-season. Anyway this guy first off is a bit short (I’d say 5’9 and a half) but his pro day he had an unofficial time (keep that in mind) of 4.31, now that’s fast. Most though have him in the high 4.3 or a low 4.4. He’s a return specialist and a pretty good one. A CBSSports.com and Yahoo! Sports first-team All-American at kick returner. Averaged over 30.6 yards per return, which was 6th in the country. As for cornerback skills they are solid but not overlay impressive, although he did have 7 career picks. If anything he could eventually be a nickel corner at the NFL level. But has only decent technique and will have to be adjust to be small and undersized vs bigger faster NFL WR. Also isn’t a great tackler, goes back to the lack of strength . I think we’ll have a hard time making the roster I think but the speed and the return skills are there if he can show to be a solid back-up nickel he may stick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP9D68AHB-E

A good return of his. If you look him up you see a whole lot of almost TD returns. Some very close ones.