2010 Bears Draft Breakdownby Ricky O'Donnell on April 26, 2010 at 9:53AM
If there's one thing TUP is good for, it's Bears draft analysis, so let's get right to it. I do wonder if perhaps we're just wasting our time here, though. After all, the Bears are the world's only sports franchise that redshirts the majority of its draft picks. Yes, Johnny Knox made his presence felt as a rookie, and Al Afalava was forced into duty, but look at the other 2009 draftees. None made an impact and I'm not even sure if any saw the field. With the major exception of Matt Forte (and, to a lesser extent, Marcus Harrison), same goes for 2008. So while everyone loves new draft classes, keep in mind that it's possible, if not likely, that the players the Bears drafted this weekend won't make much of a difference in 2010. This team will still be all about Jay Cutler and Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman. It's a team with a veteran core at this point, but, of course, it's always great to add youth. Also do not forget: oh hey, that '09 draft class. Jarron Gilbert, Henry Melton, D.J. Moore, and Juaquin Iglesias are still alive and you'd have to think that at some of those guys will be heard from come fall. Now, for your new Bears. 3rd round: S Major Wright - Florida 5-11, 206 lbs., 4.48 40, junior-eligible  2010 Pro Football Weekly Draft Preview scouting report sez... Very good speed. Nice instincts. Aggressive football temperament. Plays hard and craves collisions - propels his body into ballcarries and packs a punch.......Lacks bulk strength and is not an elite athlete. Did not transition cleanly out of breaks at the Combine and has man coverage limitations.My friend Eli (Florida fan) sez... You may remember him from... Laying wood in the 2008 season BCS Championship. TUP thinks.... Solid pick. Safety was obviously a position of need, and after a run on defensive backs leading up to the Bears' first selection, Wright was probably the best guy left. We know Wright's a huge hitter, which is awesome. I worry that he may be more of a strong safety than a free safety, though. Most importantly: Major Wright, what a sick name. I hope Soldier Field plays 'Pon de Floor' every time he blows someone up. 4th round: DE/DT Corey Wootton - Northwestern 6-6, 270 lbs., 4.85 40
2010 Pro Football Weekly Draft Preview scouting report sez...
Highlight tape... TUP thinks.... 6th round: QB Dan LeFevour - Central Michigan 6-3, 230 lbs., 4.65 40  2010 Pro Football Weekly Draft Preview scouting report sez...
Highlight tape.. TUP thinks.... I'm cool with this pick. Backup QB's are important, and the Bears don't have a real one on the roster at the moment. If they think LeFevour can fill that role in the future, I'm fine with using a sixth rounder on him. LeFevour went to Benet. My friend/nemesis Oral parties with him sometimes. I think that means he has character issues. Other Bears draft picks include - 5th Round: Joshua Moore, DB, Kansas St. - 7th Round: J'Marcus Webb, OT, West Texas A&M Oh, and they signed Juice Williams as an undrafted free agent. That's cute. |
Wootton is a force and I think is the best player the Bears drafted this weekend. Even after his nasty ACL injury, and through much of the college football season this year, he was projected to be a late first-round/early second-round guy.
He isn't likely to get a ton of reps this season, especially early on, but if he plays anything like his '08 in Evanston, he might be the steal of the draft.
In the '08 Alamo Bowl he just dominated the entire Missouri O-line and made Heisman hopeful Chase Daniel look mediocre- until he got hurt.
I agree Phil, Wooten could end up being the most productive Bear of the class. He's big enough to stop the run and won't be double-teamed like he was at NU last season, because Peppers is on the other side. Assuming he's healthy.
The pick I don't understand is LeFevour. Yes, it's good to have depth, but with the Cutler trade, the Bears basically used their first and sixth round picks on QBs this weekend, when they have plenty of other needs. Nobody knows how LeFevour will turn out, but I just thought other positions should have been addressed before 3rd-string QB.
Eli, I totally get what you're saying, but say they don't draft a quarterback and Cutler goes down Week 4 and will be out X amount of games. We will probably be looking back on last Saturday, wondering why the Bears didn't want to spend a sixth-round pick on a quarterback some were saying was the third-best available pre-combine.
I'm not disagreeing, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I'd rather take Urban Meyers word for it when he says Major Wright was the Tim Tebow of that defense. We saw in that highlight the receiver had at least a step on the corner (who by the way was Joe Haden, the one who "made Wright better")and had he not covered that 30 yards while the ball was in the air, we are looking at a possible TD, over Joe Haden. The receiver was drafted 229 overall that beat Haden and was on the Cowboys practice squad... in '09. There is a lot more to learn from that play than just how awesomely badass that hit was. I feel Joe Haden is getting a lot of credit for making Major Wright better, when the Florida coaches and even tapes indicate that it was Wright who actually made Joe Haden a better cover corner. But yea, I'd take the coaches who coached him, and the tape that proves it, over any fan or "experts" opinion.
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