I’M NOT ONE FOR DRAFT GRADES…

…but I gathered a lot of respect for Rob Rang when he released his final mock draft and was the only analyst out there projecting four safeties to the first round. So I was interested to see what he felt of the Bears selections. He likes em. A lot.

For a team that once prided itself for its defense, the Bears were toothless in 2013. General manager Phil Emery did a nice job of patching holes throughout the draft, however, adding a pro-ready corner in Kyle Fuller at No. 14 overall, a talented 1-2 punch at defensive tackle in run-stuffer Ego Ferguson and one of the top penetrators in Will Sutton and one of the more intriguing safeties in the class in Brock Vereen in the fourth. The Bears added insurance behind star Matt Forte with Ka’Deem Carey, who plays faster than he timed and is a strong, determined runner. Watch out for Day Three developmental prospects in quarterback David Fales and offensive lineman Charles Leno, each of whom could surprise in Marc Trestman’s scheme. Fuller and Ferguson come with some medical nicks and Sutton allowed himself to get out of shape in 2013. On paper, though, this ranks as one of the year’s best groups.

Here is what needs to happen for this Bears draft to be successful. Fuller is solid. One of the two defensive tackles sticks. Vereen contributes.

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The amicable Augsburger and vivacious Vandermoon are competing for a pair of tickets to a Chicago Bears game this coming season. The reminder of the rule submission for this final draft day is after the break.

Note on the draft. The Bears brought nine defensive linemen into the 2013 season; four tackles and five ends. Right now you can essentially guarantee Jared Allen, Willie Young, Lamarr Houston, Nate Collins, Jay Ratliff, Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton are on that roster. (If you also include Izzy, we’re already at eight.) So…the Bears defensive front will have a significantly different look in 2014. Let’s hope Emery’s touch is as good on that side of the ball.

Names to watch today: Wisconsin running back James White, Princeton DT Caraun Reid, USC S Dion Bailey.

I shall have a full draft wrap-up on Sunday.

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I’m not much for draft guessing or mock drafting as it’s known in the sports media biz. And when it comes to the Chicago Bears under Phil Emery it is sometimes easier to try and pinpoint the proper questions as opposed to searching for the elusive answers.

Question #1

Does Kony Ealy fit the Emery mold as a first round draft pick? 

Here is what I think we should look for when trying to figure the direction Emery might venture in the first round: physically gifted athlete, versatile, projected to go 10 or so picks after the Bears are slotted. With the discussion of Ealy being evaluated as a DE who can slide inside to the three-tech, the buzz is starting to grow that he may be featured at a Halas Hall press conference early next week.

Question #2

Is Emery serious about ignoring developmental quarterbacks?

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Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin

• If Borland did not have serious medical concerns surrounding the possibility of a third surgery, I truly believe he could have snuck his way into the tail end of the first round.
• His size draws comparisons to Zach Thomas and that is EXACTLY who he plays like. There is not a linebacker in this draft who does a finer job at sniffing out the ball carrier and closing on him. When you watch Borland, you see a man born to play middle linebacker. And born middle linebackers belong in Chicago.
• ESPN’s Brian Bennett did a brilliant profile of Borland in October. One of my favorite quotes: “There are times when he’ll make a big play at practice, and then as he’s jogging back, he’ll do a backflip,” defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said. “That’s Chris.” Read the entire profile by CLICKING HERE.
• Borland’s style of play suggests that even if he struggled at LB he could be one of the best special teams men in the sport.
• From a human perspective, a rooting perspective, there is not a player in this draft I’d be happier to see in a Bears uniform.

De’Anthony Thomas, RB/WR/KR, Oregon

• Bears have three “offensive production” needs: Forte backup/scat back, speed threat on the outside and kick returner. Thomas fills all three needs with one body. (Though I’m not sure how many carries I’d give him.)

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Why I love starting my draft focus with the Scott Wright conversation (to hear the entire conversation, scroll down or CLICK HERE) is he tends to send me down some paths I otherwise would have ignored.

About midway through our chat I asked Scott a question he hadn’t been asked in his rounds of interviews. I wanted him to give me “an Emery reach” – a player with remarkable physical tools, at a Bears need position, who’d be considered a value 10-15 picks later. He paused, thought a bit and gave me Washington State safety Deone Buccanon.

Here is a well-written scouting report Ricky Henne at Chargers.com:

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Around the League Tweets, A Tradition Unlike Any Other. 1 of 10. Is there one football fan who see the Draft Day ads & sprints to Fandango?

Side note: I look forward to seeing this film in two and a half years on TNT.

2 of 10. Can people stop with the anti-Mike Vick petitions? I wouldn’t root for him under ANY circumstances but he has right to earn living.

Side note: How can people identifying themselves as liberal, a majority of the PETA-friendly base, not agree with this concept? The man went to jail. Prison. With scary guys everywhere. He doesn’t deserve your sympathy but he does deserve the opportunity.

3 of 10. Just because the Pro Bowl out rated the other shitty professional all-star games on TV doesn’t make it NOT shitty. It IS shitty.

4 of 10. NFL should not only release preseason schedule. They should release $ they’re stealing from STHs forced to buy worthless product.

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If you follow DaBearsBlog on Twitter, you know that I’m going to win a billion dollars soon. So…I got that going for me. Which is nice. In the meantime I’ll continue living my life among the not-so-rich.

Three thoughts…

1. Everyone spent a month telling me that Lovie Smith was going to purge the Bears roster of all their talented players. Everyone spent a month telling me the allure of Lovie Smith would be too great for them. Corey Wootton. Minnesota. Henry Melton. Dallas. Julius Peppers. Green Bay. Charles Tillman. Home. Devin Hester. Atlanta. Major Wright. Mutual of Omaha. The only player Lovie pulled off the Bears roster was a man who owes his career renaissance to the man replacing Lovie. Is that ironic? It might be. I’m actually not sure.
2. I don’t understand fan reaction to players leaving their favorite team. There is no reason to root against Josh McCown or Devin Hester or Henry Melton now that they’re no longer a Chicago Bear. If there was no salary cap, all of these men would remain in the navy blue and orange for years to come but running a modern organization is about making difficult decisions without the luxury of sentiment. I hope Devin Hester breaks the record Week One for Atlanta, as long as the Bears don’t open the season there. Because nobody will remember him returning kicks for the Falcons. They’ll remember him returning kicks on the Drive.
3. A majority of the Tweets and emails I receive ask one question, “Who do you see the Bears drafting with the fourteenth pick?” Here is my answer: I don’t know. But one thing I truly believe is that no position on the defensive side of the ball is off the table. Yes there are pressing needs at DT and safety but if Emery identifies a potentially game-changing pass rusher, he’s taking him. If he identifies a potential shutdown corner, he’s taking him. I don’t think any of the moves made in free agency actually influence the draft approach, despite what Emery said in his press conference. As a matter of fact, I think Emery’s press conference statement that free agency will clue the media in to his draft approach is an old fashioned, transparent smokescreen.

Enjoy the weekend, poor people.

I was incredibly disappointed this morning to find out Aaron Donald ran a spectacular .40 time. It means teams will stop ignoring him and he may not be available at #14 – where the Bears should sprint to the podium to take him.