• 04:52 PM ET  04.28
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Round 1, Chris Williams, LT, Vanderbilt, B+

No one will lose their spot to Williams.  The Bears already made room for him!  John Tait will move back to RT, Williams will start at LT as a rookie.  Since the other OTs were getting snatched up so quickly, I think this was the best pick the Bears could've made. 

Round 2, Matt Forte, RB, Tulane, B+

At least with this draft pick, Jerry Angelo is sending a message to Cedric Benson: Get off your arse and start producing!  I don't even care if Forte turns into anything, as long as he heralds the end of the "Benson Era!"

Round 3, Earl Bennett, WR, Vanderbilt, B+

I guess this guy is smart enough to jump right into the game at WR, and with your leading prospects at number-one WR being Devin Hester, Marc Bradley, and Marty Booker, I guess anything is possible at this point.  The Bears were obviously shooting for the brainier players in the early rounds, opting for two players from Vanderbilt...

Round 3, Marcus Harrison, DT, Arkansas, D+

Dusty Dvorkachek should be worried...  Maybe...  Maybe not.  If he gets hurt again, and Harrison can fill in admirably, I think ol' double d will lose his starting job.  But, I really don't like this pick.  Didn't the Bears already unload a troubled DT with off-the-field issues?  Add to that, his history of injury problems and I'm not sure what the Bears were thinking.

Round 4, Craig Steltz, S, LSU, C

This pick doesn't sit well with me.  Steltz put up pretty good numbers his senior year, and I like his character & LSU pedigree, but he lacks speed.  I'm picturing Adam Archuleta II.  Maybe I'm being too harsh.

Round 5, Zackary Bowman, CB, Nebraska, D+

In the dictionary under "riddled with injuries" it says "See Zack Bowman's collegiate career."  This guy was hurt so often; I don't know that anyone can guess what he's really capable of doing in the NFL.  I guess this is a good spot for a high risk prospect, but I don't see this guy surviving training camp...

Round 5, Kellen Davis, TE, Michigan State, B

Desmond Clark is getting old, so this is an "insurance policy pick."  Davis is a solid blocking TE with good hands to boot.  But he won't see much action until Clark retires or gets let go.

Round 7, Ervin Baldwin, DE, Michigan State, B

Is there such a thing as a bad seventh round pick?  I think Jerry was hedging his bets by accumulating *5* seventh round picks this year...  It's hard to criticize any of these.

Round 7, Chester Adams, OG, Georgia, B

There's going to be a lot of competition in the Bears camp for Ruben Brown's spot on the O-Line...

Round 7, Joey LaRocque, LB, Oregon State, B

Is this Brendon Ayanbadejo's replacement?  Or Hunter Hillenmeyer's back-up at weak-side linebacker?  The sure money is on the first statement...

Round 7, Kirk Barton, OT, Ohio State, B

He's most likely going to compete for Ruben Brown's spot at LG.  He won't win, though.

Round 7, Marcus Monk, WR, Arkansas, A

This is a great spot for GMs to pick their intriquing [read uber high-risk] prospect.  No one on the team should worry about losing out to this guy in camp.  It will be a great story if he makes the roster.  This is the ultimate high risk/high reward pick.  If Monk fails, no biggie; but if he does well, the Bears look like geniuses!  My bet?  Bust.  But can you really call it a bust when the player is the last draft pick out of five in the seventh round?  I didn't think so...  ;)

Undrafted FA, Cody Balogh, OT, Montana

I guess the Bears need all the linemen they can get to compete in camp.  His name reminds me of Monty Python and the quest for the Holy Grail.  "There you will come to the cave of Caer Balogh..."  I hope he makes the team.  I want that jersey...  ;)

Undrafted FA, Trey Brown, DB, UCLA

No more defensive players named Brown, please.  :P

Undrafted FA, Joe Clermond, DE, Pittsburgh

How many defensive ends do you need on a pro roster anyway?

Undrafted FA, David Faaeteete, DT, Oregon

I hope this guy makes the roster just because I want to hear the guys in the booth say his name.  Another great jersey prospect...  ;)

Undrafted FA, Curtis Hamilton, WR, Western Kentucky

Apparently there's going to be a lot of training camp competition at the WR position as well...

Undrafted FA, Caleb Hanie, QB, Colorado State

So, the intense QB competition the Bears have lined up for the offseaon is Rex Grossman vs. Kyle Orton vs. Caleb Hanie vs. Nick Hill?  Pardon me if I just watch baseball instead...  Or maybe women's pro basketball...  BTW, I refuse to cheer for someone named "Hanie," because it reminds me of the TV show Green Acres.  I hated Green Acres...

Undrafted FA, Nick Hill, QB, Southern Illinois

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the next Tony Romo!   Remember, you heard it here first!  :P

Undrafted FA, Shane Longest, PK, St. Xavier

I love the name for a kicker, but I don't think Robbie Gould has too much to worry about unless he gets really stupid with his contract renegotiations.

Undrafted FA, Leslie Majors, DB, Indiana

Is it a bad thing when a player is merely listed as a DB?  Do they really not know if he's going to be a safety or a cornerback?  Or doesn't it matter, since his only shot is special teams anyway?

Undrafted FA, Nick Osborn, DE, San Diego State

This isn't Ozzie's son, is it?  ;)

...

I gave the Bears an overall grade of "B-" for the draft.  I thought they did a fairly good job of addressing their needs, and getting the best available players, although I wasn't thrilled with their "middle rounders."  Please feel free to leave your thoughts below...

April 28, 2008  05:17 PM ET

Please feel free to leave your thoughts below...

The Bears SUCK!!!

*waves* Hi Sneaky, just doing my job!

April 28, 2008  05:20 PM ET

Well, I asked for it... ;)

April 28, 2008  05:28 PM ET

Bowman could be a solid player if he's able to stay able. Also a huge omen in your favor is the kicker that the Bears drafted is named Longest.

April 28, 2008  05:33 PM ET

Yeah, I just reposted the blog in a new format and added that comment... ;)

Thanks for reading! :)

April 28, 2008  05:37 PM ET

Way to stay on top of everythin!!!

April 28, 2008  05:48 PM ET

Adam Archuleta II? Dude that's harsh ;>)

Interesting picks this year. I'm guessing they will never draft another RB from UT again.

April 28, 2008  05:56 PM ET

Interesting picks this year. I'm guessing they will never draft another RB from UT again.
i B4 e: too many donuts | 04/28/08, 05:48 PM

The question is will ANYONE draft a RB from UT after Ricky Williams *and* Cedric Benson? ;)

April 28, 2008  05:59 PM ET

Yeah, they didn't carry on Campbell's legacy very well did they?

It's kind of funny that Priest Holmes had a better career than Ricky. Selvin Young has potential in the right offense.

Kind of makes you wonder.

April 28, 2008  06:45 PM ET

Nice, I'd give them somewhere around a B too. Not getting a QB is ridiculous, but they did a good job adding to the offensive line and receiving core.

April 28, 2008  07:11 PM ET

Nice as always Pete, but I really am not as worried about Harrisons' off-field issues (getting pulled over with a nickel bag and 1 ectasy pill) as I am his on-field issues (being injured almost every single year in college). Now Im not promoting drug use by any means but I, as you did, went to college and the contraband he got caught with doesnt exactly scream "drug head" or drug dealer" or like a former friend of all of ours, "Gun-toting drug dealer with a yard full of killer pit-bulls who lives in Gurnee" not going to mention any names here, (Tank Johnson). The scariest thing for me is almost half these guys have had major injuries at some point of their colligate career. Very happy with the Williams pick, Ive been wanting Mendenhall for a long time but I was figuring Williams was going to be gone, I thought he fit the LT pos. in the NFL better than Otah, so Ill give them a pass on Mendenhall, Im just glad he went to an AFC team.
Great job, Pete

April 28, 2008  08:35 PM ET

Nice, I'd give them somewhere around a B too. Not getting a QB is ridiculous, but they did a good job adding to the offensive line and receiving core.

Harris is Matt Forte | 04/28/08, 06:45 PM

The QB-thing is unfortunate, but who the heck did you want them to grab? Matt Ryan is a joke as a top-5 pick & they just had too many other needs.
...

Nice as always Pete, but I really am not as worried about Harrisons' off-field issues (getting pulled over with a nickel bag and 1 ectasy pill) as I am his on-field issues (being injured almost every single year in college). [snip]

Z_Aug:Bow to your Sensei | 04/28/08, 07:11 PM

I forgot to mention that about Harrison. I noticed he had major injury troubles, which is JUST what the Bears need. Another DT who can't stay healthy through an entire season...

April 29, 2008  01:44 AM ET

Yeah they had a lot of other needs, but I was shocked when they passed on Brohm and Henne in the second. (But like I've said, I like them getting Forte, but they probably could have gotten him in the third or traded up to get him late second.) That and somebody like John David Booty or even Matt Flynn would have made sense. Maybe the draft wasn't full of stud quarterbacks, but plenty of guys taken were definitely solid enough for a day two pick. I like most of who they picked, but when they took Bowman and Baldwin, two players at positions they had no need in at all, over the position that's plagued them for decades, it was a little ridiculous.

April 29, 2008  10:50 AM ET

Yeah, I'm scratching my head at all the DEs they added to the roster... And CB? I thought they were set there too.

April 29, 2008  12:51 PM ET

Haha, I guess that's Chicago for you though. No matter how set they are, that front office won't pass on defensive players they like. :)

April 29, 2008  03:27 PM ET

Well there is a theory of rebuilding that dictates defense first, but the Bears have been doing this for decades now...

 
July 9, 2008  03:26 PM ET

Just got to read this. You are right about the Saluki QB, he could turn out to be a sleeper steal. This is coming from a former Saluki though. But what the hey.

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