Re-Grading Chicago Bears' Past 5 Drafts
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace has been busy adding free agents this offseason, but starting next week, he will have the opportunity to build the organization for the future when the NFL draft begins on April 30.
In order to build for the future, Pace would be wise to look back at the team's previous drafts to determine what his predecessors did right and what they did wrong.
Over the past five drafts, former general managers Jerry Angelo and Phil Emery had far more misses than they had hits.
Angelo was fired in January 2012 after 11 seasons as the team's general manager. He hit on guys like Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris and Devin Hester in his drafts, but his bad picks far outweighed his good picks.ย
After Angelo was fired, the Bears hired Emery in 2012, and he was fired following a disappointing 2014 season. In Emery's three drafts, he selected two future Pro Bowlers in wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and guard Kyle Long, but he tended to lean toward players with high upside instead of those with proven talent.
To better understand Chicago's recent draft history, we re-graded each of the team's last five draft classes. Each class from 2010 to 2014 was given a letter grade between "A" and "F".
Grades were based off how productive the class was, or has been, as a whole in Chicago, how many of those players are still currently with the organization and how much upside each class still has.
Here is our re-grading of the Chicago Bears' past five drafts.
2014
1 of 5
| Round | Pick | Selection |
| 1st | 14 | CB Kyle Fuller |
| 2nd | 51 | DT Ego Ferguson |
| 3rd | 82 | DT Will Sutton |
| 4th | 117 | RB Ka'Deem Carey |
| 4th | 131 | S Brock Vereen |
| 6th | 183 | QB David Fales |
| 6th | 191 | P Pat O'Donnell |
| 7th | 246 | OT Charles Leno |
Following an 8-8 season in 2014, Emery opted to go heavy on defense, taking four defensive players with the team's first five picks.
First-round pick Kyle Fuller was expected to play on the outside in the team's nickel package with Tim Jennings sliding down to the nickelback spot, but Charles Tillman was injured in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers, and Fuller took over the starting cornerback spot for the rest of the season.
He had his share of struggles in 2014, but he should thrive in Chicago's new 3-4 defense, which relies more on press coverage than zone coverage.
Defensive tackles Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton were selected in the second and third rounds, and both had average seasons. Ferguson should see an expanded role in 2015 at nose tackle, but Sutton may be without a position in Chicago's new defense.
Running back Ka'Deem Carey was taken in the fourth round and carried the ball just 36 times for 158 yards. He may have a bigger role in 2015, but the team signed veteran running back Jacquizz Rodgers this offseason to add more depth to the position.ย
Chicago traded back into the fourth round to select Minnesota safety Brock Vereen, and he appeared in all 16 games and made four starts. He finished the season with 39 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception. He could be in the running for a starting job in 2015 if he has a strong offseason.
Chicago's final three picks were used on San Jose State quarterback David Fales, Miami punter Pat O'Donnell and TCU tackle Charles Leno.
Fales spent the majority of the season on the practice squad before he was placed on the 53-man roster on December 13. Leno spent six weeks on the 53-man roster and made one start.ย
O'Donnell was the only punter drafted in 2014, and he was named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie team.
The 2014 draft class had some highs and lows, but if Carey and Ferguson can make an impact in 2015, it could end up being the best class of the last five seasons.
Grade: C+
2013
2 of 5
| Round | Pick | Selection |
| 1st | 20 | G Kyle Long |
| 2nd | 50 | LB Jonathan Bostic |
| 4th | 117 | LB Khaseem Greene |
| 5th | 163 | OL Jordan Mills |
| 6th | 188 | LB/DE Cornelius Washington |
| 7th | 236 | WR Marquess Wilson |
Some questioned Emery's selection of Long with the 20th overall pick in 2013, but the former Oregon Duck has quickly developed into one of the league's best young guards. Long is a two-time Pro Bowler and was named a second-team All-Pro in 2014.
Emery selected linebackers Jonathan Bostic and Khaseem Greene with his next two picks, and both have been disappointments in their first two seasons in the league. Bostic struggled at middle linebacker in 2013 and made the move to strong-side linebacker in 2014. Last season he played all three linebacker spots with mixed results.
Greene showed flashes in his rookie season, but he was relegated to a special teams role in 2014.
Jordan Mills was selected in the fifth round and eventually beat out both J'Marcus Webb and Jonathon Scott for the starting right tackle position in training camp in his rookie season. He struggled mightily in 2013, but the Bears decided to keep him as the starter at right tackle last season.
He missed three games last year due to injury, and there is no guarantee he is the starter in 2015.ย
Cornelius Washington was considered a steal by some in the sixth round, but the former Georgia Bulldog has appeared in just 15 games over the last two seasons and has registered just 10 tackles and one sack.
Wide receiver Marquess Wilson was Chicago's final pick of the 2013 draft, and he hauled in two catches for 13 yards in 2013. The Bears were expecting Wilson to make a big leap in 2014, but he was injured in training camp and only played in the final seven games of the season. He finished last season with 17 catches for 140 yards with one touchdown.
Long alone helps raise the profile of Chicago's 2013 draft class, but the rest of the class has struggled in the NFL. Bostic, Washington and Wilson still have potential, but 2015 might be their last chance to take control of a starting job in the NFL.
Grade: C-
2012
3 of 5
| Round | Pick | Selection |
| 1st | 19 | LB/DE Shea McClellin |
| 2nd | 45 | WR Alshon Jeffery |
| 3rd | 79 | S Brandon Hardin |
| 4th | 111 | TE/FB Evan Rodriguez |
| 6th | 184 | CB Isaiah Frey |
| 7th | 220 | CB Greg McCoy |
2012 was Emery's first draft as general manager of the Bears, and he stunned many by selecting Boise State outside linebacker/defensive end Shea McClellin with the 19th overall pick.ย
McClellin struggled with the move from outside linebacker to defensive end and finished his rookie season with 14 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He showed some improvement in 2013โregistering 30 tackles and four sacksโbut he was moved to strong-side linebacker last summer. He finished last season with 36 tackles and one sack.
Emery opted to go with athleticism over production and selected a player who was too small to play defensive end and not quick enough to play on the outside. Emery bypassed talented players like defensive end Chandler Jones, tackle Riley Reiff and safety Harrison Smith to take McClellin, and McClellin's lack of production in three seasons likely played a part in Emery's dismissal at the end of the 2014 season.
As poorly as the McClellin selection has worked out, Emery's second pick in 2012 has developed into one of the league's best young receivers. Emery sent the 50th and 150th overall picks to St. Louis for the 45th pick to draft Jeffery.
In three seasons, Jeffery has hauled in 198 catches for 2,921 yards with 20 touchdowns. Now that Brandon Marshall is with the New York Jets, Jeffery will become Chicago's top target on offense.
Emery reached once again in the third round, selecting Oregon State safety Brandon Hardin. He missed his entire senior season due to an injury, and he was carted off the field in Chicago's preseason game against the Washington Redskins in his rookie season. Hardin suffered a neck injury and missed the entire 2012 season.
He returned the following offseason but broke his scapula in the preseason finale against Cleveland and was later released.
Fullback/tight end Evan Rodriguez played in 12 games his rookie season, but he was arrested twice the following offseason and was eventually released.
Sixth-round pick Isaiah Frey spent all of 2012 on the practice squad but played in 19 games between 2013 and 2014 for the Bears. He was released by the team this past October after appearing in three games.ย
Seventh-round pick Greg McCoy spent all offseason and training camp with the team, but he was waived prior to the start of the 2012 season.
Other than Jeffery, the 2012 class has been a disappointment. Only Jeffery and McClellin remain with the team, and both Hardin and McCoy are out of the league.
Grade: D+
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2011
4 of 5
| Round | Pick | Selection |
| 1st | 29 | OT Gabe Carimi |
| 2nd | 53 | DT Stephen Paea |
| 3rd | 93 | FS Chris Conte |
| 5th | 160 | QB Nathan Enderle |
| 6th | 195 | LB J.T. Thomas |
2011 was Angelo's last draft with the team, and it initially looked like he came away with a solid draft class.ย Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi dropped all the way to No. 29, and the Bears were happy to select him.
"Loved Gabe from the start," then-head coach Lovie Smith said at the time, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN Chicago. "[I] just think he's gonna bring toughness to our offensive line."
Carimi was expected to anchor Chicago's offensive line for years to come, but he injured his right knee in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints and missed the remainder of the season. He started 11 games at right tackle and three games at right guard in 2012, but he struggled at both positions.
The following summer, Carimi was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a future sixth-round pick.
The Bears traded the 62nd and 147th picks to Washington for the 53rd pick to select Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea. He registered 94 tackles, 12 sacks and forced two fumbles in four seasons with the Bears but signed with the Redskins this offseason.
Angelo took California safety Chris Conte in the third round, and he started nine games for the Bears in his rookie season. He showed flashes of his potential in his four seasons with the organization, but he struggled with injuries and inconsistency and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.
The Bears took Idaho quarterback Nathan Enderle in the fifth round, and he spent the entire 2011 season on the practice squad and was released by the Bears the following offseason.
Sixth-round pick J.T. Thomas missed the entire 2011 season due to a hip injury, but he appeared in all 16 games in 2012. He was cut by the Bears at the end of training camp in 2013 and spent the next two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the New York Giants this past March.
None of Chicago's 2011 selections is still with the team, and Paea was the only consistent contributor from that class. Carimi was a bust, while the rest of the class was just a disappointment.ย
Grade: F
2010
5 of 5
| Round | Pick | Selection |
| 3rd | 75 | S Major Wright |
| 4th | 109 | DE Corey Wootton |
| 5th | 141 | CB Joshua Moore |
| 6th | 181 | QB Dan LeFevour |
| 7th | 218 | OT J'Marcus Webb |
The Bears entered the 2010 draft with no first-round pick because of the Jay Cutler trade and no second-round pick because of the Gaines Adams trade, meaning the team did not make their first selection until pick No. 75.
Florida safety Major Wright was Chicago's first selection in 2010, and the former Gator played in 11 games in his rookie season and registered 20 tackles. Between 2011 and 2013 he started 42 games and registered 229 tackles and nine interceptions, but he struggled mightily in 2012 and 2013.
According to Pro Football Focus, Wright finished the 2013 season with a minus-27.0 grade, worst among all safeties. The Bears decided not to re-sign him that offseason, and he rejoined Lovie Smith down in Tampa Bay.
Fourth-round pick Corey Wootton registered 11 sacks in four seasons with the Bears, but he struggled with injuries and inconsistency. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings last offseason and finished last year with just 16 tackles and one sack.
The Bears took Kansas State cornerback Joshua Moore in the fifth round, but he spent all of 2010 on the practice squad and was waived the following summer. Quarterback Dan LeFevour was taken in the sixth round, but he was waived at the end of the preseason and claimed by the Cincinnati Bengals.ย
In the seventh round, the Bears selected tackle J'Marcus Webb out of West Texas A&M. Webb started 44 games for the Bears between 2010 and 2012, including 32 starts at left tackle. He battled with Mills, Scott and Eben Britton for the starting right tackle job in training camp in 2013, but he was released by the team late that summer.
Just like the 2011 class, no member of the 2010 class remains with the team. Wright, Wootton and Webb were all contributors, but all three had their share of struggles with the organization. Just like the 2011 class, the 2010 class was a disappointment, but since the team did not have a first- or second-round pick in 2010, the class received a slightly higher grade.
Grade: D
Statistical information courtesy ofย NFL.comย and ChicagoBears.com.
Mattย Eurichย is a Chicago Bears Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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