Draft Review

With the exception of their first pick--Offensive Tackle, Chris Williams--the Bears draft was quite lame.  They had an opportunity in round two to get Ray Rice--a very good running back from Rutgers--but opted to select Matt Forte from Tulane.  He's amassed a bunch of school rushing records, he's 6'2" 222 lbs., and he likes to run through people.  He sounds like a D-II version of Cedric Benson.  Fucking great.

I am baffled by the following picks: 

Zackary Bowman-CB, Nebraska (5th round)

Didn't the Bears just lock up Peanut Tilman and Nathan Vasher?  I understand the need for depth at the corner position, but to use a fifth round pick--one of the rounds where Angelo works his magic and turns up a gem--seems very unnecessary, quite reckless.  It's about priorities.  Bears needed a QB and O-linemen before they needed another CB.

Earl Bennet-WR, Vanderbilt (3rd round)

Apparently, Jerry Angelo loves Vandy and Michigan State.  Four of the Bears' twelve picks came from these two schools.  Why the hell did he go with a receiver in the third round--also an Angelo magic round--when the Bears have Marty Booker, Mark Bradley, and Rashied Davis? And while they do need receivers after loosing Moose and Berrian this off-season, is it worth using a third round pick?

Kellen Davis-TE, Michigan State (5th round)

Probably their worst pick this year.  I seem to remember the Bears drafting a certain tight end last season in the first round.  Greg Olson, the man with the hands, the future red zone threat of the Bears' offense.  With Desmond Clark rotating with Olson, why would the team need another TE?  Okay, Clark is getting old, but he's still got great hands, he can spread the secondary, and, prior to the draft, he was the best blocker on their run offense.  Again, why didn't the Bears draft a QB in rounds three through five?  They let John David Booty (USC), Brian Brohm (Louisville), Joe Flaco (Delaware), and Chad Henne (Michigan) slip by.

I know these three positions needed to be addressed, but they weren't priorities.  They still need a third QB.  And when I say third, I mean a starting QB.  I was hoping for a McNabb to the Bears deal, but that didn't happen.  Side Note:  I learned that Diana taught Comp. to Donovan McNabb when he was a red-shirt Freshman at Syracuse.  That's pretty cool.  Also pretty cool, the Bears did end up signing an undrafted QB.  Nick Hill from Southern Illinois.  I hope that works out better than the Chris Leak experiment last year.  Hopefully, he's better than Rex.  Shouldn't take too much effort.

Sleeper pick:

Craig Steltz-S, LSU (4th round)

After two trade-downs in a row, the Bears filled a vital hole in their defense.  Safety.  They can't rely on Mike Brown, Archuleta blows, and were still waiting on the guy named Danielle to blossom.  Steltz was a stud on the National Champion Tigers last season.  He's used to winning, and he gets involved in the game (I'm looking at you, McBride and Archuleta).

My `08-`09 prediction:

Bears go 5-11, get swept by all three NFC North teams.  Tommie Harris signs a huge contract, then his leg snaps off halfway up his hammy.  Urlacher's back gives out while doing a commercial for Vitamin Water, paralyzing him from the waist down for the remainder of his contract.  En route to legal classification as a dwarf, Rex Grossman shrinks five additional inches by week ten.

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