Bears draft prospect visits lays out draft plan

[emperorjones]

From Walterfootball.com

http://walterfootball.com/draft2014meetingsteams.php

This is a compilation of draft prospect visits sorted by team. The data was acquired via Charlie Campbell (@draftcampbell) and other media sources.

SR - Senior Bowl meeting.
EW - East-West Shrine meeting.
COM - Combine meeting.
INT - Interested.
VINT - Very Interested.
PRO - Pro Day or campus meeting/workout.
LOC - Local visit.
PRI - Private visit.
% - indicates more than one meeting.
# - indicates meeting set up outside of the 2014 Senior Bowl or the 2014 East-West Shrine Game


Chicago Bears
-------------------------------------------------------
Walt Aikens, DB, Liberty (PRI)
Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA (PRO)
Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson (SR)
Xavius Boyd, LB, Western Kentucky (INT)
Deone Bucannon, DB, Washington State (PRI)
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DB, Alabama (PRI)
Aaron Donald, DL, Pittsburgh (COM)
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill (INT)
Dominique Easley, DL, Florida (PRI)
Kyle Fuller%, CB, Virginia Tech (PRI) (PRO)
Zach Fulton, OL, Tennessee (PRI)
Marqueston Huff, DB, Wyoming (PRO)
Kofi Hughes, WR, Indiana (PRO)
Gabe Ikard, OL, Oklahoma (COM)
Al Louis-Jean, DB, Boston College (PRO)
Jordan Lynch%, QB, Northern Illinois (LOC) (COM)
Louis Nix, DL, Notre Dame (PRI)
Kevin Norwood, WR, Alabama (PRO)
Calvin Pryor, DB, Louisville (PRI)
Tommy Rees, QB, Notre Dame (PRI/PRO)
Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State (PRO)
Will Sutton, DL, Arizona State (PRI)
De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon (PRI)
Chris Watt, OL, Notre Dame (PRO)
James White, RB, Wisconsin (PRI)

Looking at it another way. The Bears met with:

4 Corner Backs
4 Defensive Linemen
4 Offensive Linemen
3 safeties
3 Quarter Backs
3 Wide receivers
2 Running backs
2 Linebackers

[RedBulls23]

It looks like they are going with CB or Safety for sure. If they go with Bucannon, hopefully they are able to trade down and grab another 2nd rounder or something.

And it's interesting that they didn't have a private meeting with Donald. I guess Emery realizes that he won't be available at 14 and won't try and move up for him?

[Friend_Of_Haley]

Or he truly is looking for size. Or he's disguising interest because he's worried about someone jumping them.

I'm going with, he doesn't want him, even if he drops. Looking for size.

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[emperorjones]

Based on comments Emery has made and various mock drafts, To me it looks like their 1st round 6 are:

1. Aaron Donald, DL, Pittsburgh (COM) - Emery says he will not be available when they pick

2. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DB, Alabama (PRI)
2. Deone Bucannon, DB, Washington State (PRI)
2. Calvin Pryor, DB, Louisville (PRI)

3. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (PRI) (PRO) - 2 meetings

4. Louis Nix, DL, Notre Dame (PRI)

[City of Trees]

He hopes that two are available. Ecstatic if three are there at #14. By my count, that list should have at least 4-5 if not all 6 players sitting there at 14.

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[Friend_Of_Haley]

He hopes that two are available. Ecstatic if three are there at #14. By my count, that list should have at least 4-5 if not all 6 players sitting there at 14.

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Yes that makes it tricky. Thing is; there really aren't any known connections with consensus top guys, unless Emery knows something about league big boards the media guys don't.

Though maybe this is the year we don't have a visit, or we just don't know about it.

If you strip away the offensive players and Mack/Clowney, it's conceivable for nearly any defensive guy to be there. So maybe Clowney and Mack are just part of his six, even though they clearly won't be there.

[heir_jordan22]

Based on comments Emery has made and various mock drafts, To me it looks like their 1st round 6 are:

1. Aaron Donald, DL, Pittsburgh (COM) - Emery says he will not be available when they pick

2. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DB, Alabama (PRI)
2. Deone Bucannon, DB, Washington State (PRI)
2. Calvin Pryor, DB, Louisville (PRI)

3. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (PRI) (PRO) - 2 meetings

4. Louis Nix, DL, Notre Dame (PRI)

I think the six are

Donald
Barr
HCD
Bucannon
Pryor
Fuller

Donald and Barr are difference making pass rushers. The rest are obviously safeties (on your breakdown list it should be changed from 4 CB's to 3 and 3 S's to 4 since Fuller would be converted).

Looking at that list I think as many as 5 could be available at 14.

[heir_jordan22]

He hopes that two are available. Ecstatic if three are there at #14. By my count, that list should have at least 4-5 if not all 6 players sitting there at 14.

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http://www.chicagobears.com/news/articl ... 236c45bc04

I didn't watch the video but in the quotes, Emery never actually says that he is targeting six players at 14. He says "at that first pick."

He goes in depth into counting players when you trade down to make sure that at least one of your group will be there. If he trades down anywhere from 19-24 then at least 2 of Bucannon, Pryor and Fuller should be there if not all three.

And with the player counting thing you can tell he's weary about going to far down. We have been linked to the Dolphins in a trade that allows them to get in front of Dallas to nab a OT.

If 5/6 are available at 14 (which I believe there will be) and you trade down to 19 then at least one of them will still be there (which is a scenario Emery specifically spoke about). But realistically at least two will be there because of other teams' needs (which he also spoke about).

[heir_jordan22]

I think we will trade down to 19. Plan A is either Bucannon or Pryor and Plan B is the lesser of the two if one of them gets picked (not sure which he prefers but he spoke to this situation when he sad "happy if two...ecstatic if three...). Plan C would be Fuller who would then be converted to safety.

[BullHeaded]

Based on comments Emery has made and various mock drafts, To me it looks like their 1st round 6 are:

1. Aaron Donald, DL, Pittsburgh (COM) - Emery says he will not be available when they pick

2. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DB, Alabama (PRI)
2. Deone Bucannon, DB, Washington State (PRI)
2. Calvin Pryor, DB, Louisville (PRI)

3. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (PRI) (PRO) - 2 meetings

4. Louis Nix, DL, Notre Dame (PRI)

According to this report, we also met with Bucannon twice:

http://chi.scout.com/2/1390453.html
Bears visit with Deone Bucannon, again
For the second time in a little more than two months, the Chicago Bears have met with Washington State safety Deone Bucannon, a potential second-round draft pick.
According to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com, the Chicago Bears hosted Washington State safety Deone Bucannon yesterday.

The Bears also visited with Bucannon in January at the Senior Bowl.

Bucannon (6-1, 211) earned first-team Pac-12 honors last season and was named a second-team Walter Camp All American after leading the conference in tackles (102). He also had five interceptions and three forced fumbles.

Considered one of the hardest-hitting safeties in this year's class, Bucannon is projected as a second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

At the Senior Bowl, I asked Bucannon about his meeting with Bears.

“They interviewed me. I feel it went well,” he said. “Of course, the Bears defense, it’s historical. It was awesome.”

[BullHeaded]

I think we will trade down to 19. Plan A is either Bucannon or Pryor and Plan B is the lesser of the two if one of them gets picked (not sure which he prefers but he spoke to this situation when he sad "happy if two...ecstatic if three...). Plan C would be Fuller who would then be converted to safety.

+1

When he said that he has talked with teams interested in trading up to 14, the subtitles read "Hey other GMs, this pick is available and the demand is high... give us your best offer and you may get it... and who knows, one of those other teams may be trying to scoop your guy away." And when he says there are six players he's targeting and would be ecstatic if three are left at 14, that subtitle reads "We're really cool with trading down a few spots... other GMs, you listening?" The signals are all reading that we're trying to solve for the safety spot with that first pick.

[patryk7754]

I wouldn't be surprised if Fuller is plan A. He can play two positions. He play very well in coverage. Great against the run and has great instincts. The way he gets to the ball reminds me of Troy Polumaldfjkeolrnfjinijn