I was very excited this year that the Bears finally had a first round draft pick. I was also very pleased that they spent it on someone actually they needed. With their first round draft pick, they selected offensive tackle Gabe Carimi from Wisconsin. I couldn’t be happier with this selection. I even had him in my Bears mock draft. I was ecstatic when he was still available when the Bears were on the clock. It was a complete no brainer for them. What Gabe will add to the Bears is instant depth and could actually be starting in game one if there is football this year. He’s that type of player. He’s constantly working and is a close friend to the Tice family. So he’s always a phone call away from Mike Tice.
In the second round the Bears traded up after Marvin Austin was taken to draft defensive tackle Stephen Paea from Oregon State. He was a staple in the OSU’s defense. He was slated to go in the first round but due to a minor knee injury he dropped. From what I’ve read and heard it’s nothing serious and the upside of Stephen is the reason why the Bears traded up to grab him. He also has extreme upper body strength. He displayed that at the combine by doing 49 bench reps and setting a NFL Combine record. I don’t think he will be starting a lot in his rookie year due that his knee still needs to recovery for a bit, but I do expect him to make an immediate impact when does start.
In the third round the Bears grabbed safety Chris Conte from California. I initially was a bit dumbfounded with this selection but I had read a number of times that it was a reach to get him in the third round. He was slated to go in the 7th or go as an undrafted free agent. After a good nights rest and watching videos of him at the combine changed my mind. It looks like he’s a very athletic safety and could very well be starting one day for the Bears, or at least be second on the depth chart. The only downfall is that he only started one season. I’m really hoping that the football season starts soon so the coaches and veterans can teach him and mentor him on how to play in the NFL.
Since the Bears traded up in the second round, they didn’t have a fourth round draft pick. So in the fifth round, Jerry Angelo stunned us all by selecting a QB. The Bears selected quarterback Nathan Enderle from Idaho. From what I’ve read and seen he’s a good third string development quarterback for the Bears. He put up some good numbers at Idaho, which could be one of the reasons why they selected him. I have nothing against the guy, but since the bears have a franchise QB and a proven back up in Caleb Hanie. I would of loved to see them draft another offensive linemen in the fifth. One of my initial mock drafts had Marcus Cannon in it and I was hoping they would take him or Justin Boren. Once again I don’t dislike the guy or think he’s a bad player, I just would of preferred a different pick.
With the final pick of the Bears draft, they selected Linebacker J.T. Thomas from West Virginia University. I think this could be a steal. He instantly adds depth to the linebacker core and could very well start on special teams right away. I really like this pick. I was expecting the Bears to grab another offensive linemen, but they grabbed Thomas instead. He’s a great player and could very well be a star for the Bears in the future. One thing the Bears do know is their linebackers. They always seem to have the best depth in the league.
Overall I give this draft a B-/+. What do you think the draft grade for the Bears this year is?
GammaBears
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