Draft Day Thread! Please Read!

[bearsfan_51]

Yes!!! Beekman!! Excellent pick.

[Smokey Joe]

I like that pick a lot as well. He really doesn't seem like a good fit to replace Brown in a year or two, but he seems like a good fit for our future RG, as he is a road grader. This makes Metcalf very expandable now.

[Hurricane Ditka]

Originally Posted by Smokey Joe

Oh yeah, I so called that JA wouldn't draft OL.

I just so called OL in the fourth. Value wasn't there early on. After Staley and Grubbs went off the board the value wasn't there at 31, the trade was better than just getting Blalock, but when the value was there with Beekman in the fourth.

[Smokey Joe]

I would have preferred Wendling over Payne, but I like the Graham pick.

[SFbear]

Looks like the DB picks were to recharge our Special Teams unit. Beekman in the fourth is awesome since he can also back up Kreutz. Maybe even compete with Garza for the starting position. Surprised we passed on Wendling and Rufus Alexander considering the value. They could have also contributed in special teams and had the potential for more.

[VoteLynnSwan]

can't believe two kickers have gone ahead of Mason Crosby... that's surprising.

[IBleedNavyandOrange]

Long time, no post.

I was really happy when the Bears were picking in Round 1... any three of the players who would be available (Grubbs, Olsen, Posluszny) would be good picks. They took Olsen, who was my hope-against-hope pick. I think other than Davis, Olsen is better than any of the TEs they might've picked last year, so this is a HUGE "Jerry Angelo knows what he's doing" pick. I wsa hoping that Tampa would do something stupid and trade for Briggs, and then the Bears could take Calvin Johnson early in Round 1, but I guess Tampa is no Detroit...

Round 2, it appeared to me that the guys JA wanted to take--Grubbs or Posluszny--came off the board (damn the Bills for trading up!), so JA traded down... smart move. But the DE pick (Bazuin) leaves me scratching my head. Don't we have 3 outstanding ends and a good back-up already? Maybe Ogunleye gets traded? If you're going to reach, why not Black from NM? LB seems a bigger need than DE.

Wolfe is a good pickup in Round 3, but isn't he a younger, faster, Adrian Peterson? Still, quality depth at RB is always welcome, so I'm happy with the pick.

Okwo in Round 3 was a bit of a surprise--he wasn't on my radar. Reading about him, he sounds good, and I always like the "plays faster than he times" tag. Briggs was the same way.

I think Beekman is a 4th-round steal, just like Vasher and Brown and other 4th-round JA steals. The knock on him is his height... well, he's a beast and Grossman isn't very tall, either, so who gives a rat's ass about height? Plus, guards don't need to be tall... they need to knock people down, and that's what Beekman does. Great pick.

The round 5 picks look decent... DBs with big upsides, from smaller schools. I like that formula. And, with Johnson and Worrell gone and Mike Brown an injury risk, depth at Safety is paramount.

I don't know where the round 6 pick went (thought I saw the Bears slotted for one earlier... did it go away by trade, or was that part of the Archuleta deal?), but in round 7, I'd like to see another OT developmental guy, and the fastest raw-talent WR on the board.

All in all, I think this is a solid, if unspectactular draft. I think Olsen and Beekman are the gems of the draft... but then, last year I thought Anderson was pretty much a useless pick, and Hester wasn't going to be anything super-special. So the guys I've downplayed (Bazuin, Wolfe) are probably going to end up being HUGE.

[Hurricane Ditka]

I think Beekman will unseat Roberto Garza before all is said and done, and sooner rather than later. I think when the 2007 Draft is remembered the Bears, Beekman will be the centerpiece, I think once we slot him in at right guard he'll be there for quite awhile.

[sweetness34]

Wow, nice 2nd day for JA so far. I was hoping for Baker with one of our 5th's but I'll take Payne and Graham. I read up a lot on these guys and I like them. Graham is great in zone, and I heard if he didn't get injured he was going to be a first day pick. Broke his leg I believe this year. Reminds me a lot of Vasher while reading about him. Payne I like too. Very versatile player, I hear he's got very good instincts. A very good athlete. Not guys on my radar but that's ok, I like the picks.

Oh and I loooovvveeee Beekman, awesome pick. I was holding my breath for him, actually I thought we'd go somewhere else on the line so it was great to see them take this kid. Fits perfectly to what we want our OG's to do. Still a bit raw in pass blocking but that can be improved.

I'll still hope for Baker if he's there in the 7th, or maybe McKnight....Also, can't believe Patrick hasn't been taken. Or how about another OL prospect, preferably an OT.

And IBNO, I think the Bears thought Black was going to be there in the 3rd, I really do. And the more I read about Bazuin the more I like him. Sure it may have been a reach but it's still a solid pick IMO. And yes, we lost hte 6th rounder for Archuleta.

[bearsfan_51]

Hahaha...this draft is the Greg Olsen and everyone else draft. Beekman is a nice pick but come on...nobody remembers a draft because of a guard picked in the 4th round.

By the way, the secondary picks are fine, they both are good cover 2 guys.

A couple of notes on that though

-Hester is going to play offense or nothing at all. We're stocked at depth in the secondary next year.

-Bye bye Dante Wesley. He was signed to play special teams and did a pretty lousy job of that. Probably spells the end for Brandon McGowan as well. (This all pending injuries of course)

[evershot]

This draft is shaping up to be the draft of the small school prospects. 4 small school prospects so far and most likely more in the 7th round.

[Hurricane Ditka]

Wow, Ben Patrick fell pretty far. I think Wolfe is going to end up at least contributing this year, and these next two picks probably won't make the roster anyway, but I'd like to see another developmental O-line guy. As for Angelo's annual day 2 contributor, I think it's Beekman no question about it. I think we got 3 eventual starters out of this draft so far. (Olsen, Banzuin, and Beekman) at that's pretty good.

[Hurricane Ditka]

When are numbers assigned? I wonder if Olsen will keep 82 or if the Bears will give him 89, which I'd like to see.

[sweetness34]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Hahaha...this draft is the Greg Olsen and everyone else draft. Beekman is a nice pick but come on...nobody remembers a draft because of a guard picked in the 4th round.

By the way, the secondary picks are fine, they both are good cover 2 guys.

A couple of notes on that though

-Hester is going to play offense or nothing at all. We're stocked at depth in the secondary next year.

-Bye bye Dante Wesley. He was signed to play special teams and did a pretty lousy job of that. Probably spells the end for Brandon McGowan as well. (This all pending injuries of course)

I'd love to see Hester on offense. Line him up in the slot or in the backfield and make him a Reggie Bush type player. That and he could be a major decoy for defenses because you have to pay attention to him if he's on the field. Just get the ball into his hands and let him work.

Just put him back on kicks and punts and give him the ball on offense. No more defense for Devin.

[sweetness34]

Trumaine McBride huh....Good Cover 2 CB, man JA is loading up that secondary. That likely means Vasher or Tillman are gone next year.

Don't know much about him, so I'll try and read up. Sounds like a decent guy in the 7th.

[bearfan]

McBride CB? I want BAKER OR MCKNIGHT in the 7th!

[bearsfan_51]

McBride is a good 7th round pick. Not much to physically entice but he's a smart, hard worker, that has experience. He could make the team if a few people get hurt.

I'm suprised we didn't take a single wide reciever. Looks like if we keep 5 recievers it's going to be Mike Hass or Brandon Rideneau

[sweetness34]

Well I think we're done with the secondary, don't ya think haha. I think it'll either be DT, OL, or WR for our last pick. I wouldn't mind seeing McKnight here but I actually would take Samardzija. Hell it's worth a shot. If the Cubs thing doesn't work out, he's still a stud WR prospect and he'd stay in the same city.

[Smokey Joe]

McBride, eh. 7th round, what will ya do?

I really want Siler. Pick him up with our final pick if he is there. He might have that ACL concern, but it's not like he is gonna get paid much, and he could turn into a major steal.

[sweetness34]

Sucks that Siler went a pick before us, oh well....got a developmental OT project in Brant. Anyone have any info on this guy?

[bearfan]

how dissapointing...OL. JA needs to get a good UDFA at WR, maybe hopefully McKnight

[bearsfan_51]

He's 6'7''....that's gotta count for something.

[bearfan]

BIOGRAPHY: Four-year starter who saw action at tackle and guard. All-Conference selection the past two years.

POSITIVES: King-sized blocker who is best in a small area. Intelligent lineman who also shows a nasty streak and gets after blocks. Fights with his hands throughout the action, jolts opponents at the point of attack and keeps his feet moving.

NEGATIVES: Lacks flexibility and struggles to finish blocks. Lumbers about the field and lacks lateral blocking range.

ANALYSIS: A wide-bodied blocker who controls opponents once he gets his hands on them, Brant lacks the great upside but his enticing measurables will get him a long look in camp this summer.

PROJECTION: Undrafted Free Agent

-ESPN/Scout

Offensively the top senior is Aaron Brant, a huge offensive right tackle. Possessing size, strength and a nasty attitude, Brant easily controls opponents at the point of attack or engulfs defenders altogether. His size coupled with production the past three seasons will get Brant late round consideration.

Scout

[VoteLynnSwan]

Originally Posted by sweetness34

Well I think we're done with the secondary, don't ya think haha. I think it'll either be DT, OL, or WR for our last pick. I wouldn't mind seeing McKnight here but I actually would take Samardzija. Hell it's worth a shot. If the Cubs thing doesn't work out, he's still a stud WR prospect and he'd stay in the same city.

if you draft a player then you only hold his rights for one year. It's not forever like you seem to think.

[Hurricane Ditka]

The Brant pick is interesting, you can't coach 6'7" 320, but if he can refine his skills he'll have a chance at making the roster.