Chicago Bears Insider: Looking at Draft Possibilities on the Offensive Line

There is hardly anyone out there that feels that the Bears offensive line isn’t their most important position of need heading into the 2011 NFL Draft.  The writing was clearly on the wall, especially early in the season and in their game against the New York Giants (which saw Chicago quarterbacks get sacked ten times and quarterback Jay Cutler leave with a concussion); it was realized that something had to be done.

The struggles that Chicago had on the offensive line are a result of poor drafting and poor free agency (in acquisitions) by the Bears over the last few seasons.  General Manager Jerry Angelo has not been ideal at bringing in talent on the offensive line since he arrived in Chicago and this has led to the Bears struggles at each position on that unit.

Angelo needs pay close attention to the offensive linemen in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft, because his team is going to need a few offensive linemen in this draft.  If they fail to draft any offensive linemen or players that aren’t able to play right away, this draft could be considered a failure from the get-go. This team could sink and possibly end up in the basement of the NFC North next season.

They have to protect their quarterback.

With that, let’s take a look at five prospects that could interest the Bears and could be (and should be) around when the Bears make their pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

(Note: These players are all graded as first or early second round prospects)

Derek Sherrod-OT-Mississippi State

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 15: J.C. Brignone #70 and Derek Sherrod #79of the Mississippi State Bulldogs get ready on the line of scrimmage during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 15, 2008 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Sherrod may be a player that not too many people have heard about, but he’s destined to be a first round selection in this year’s draft. He could be one of the most stable offensive linemen to play the game for seasons to come. 

What he has to offer NFL teams is the fact that he is a very nice athlete; his body size and proportions are exactly what you would want in an offensive lineman.  He’s a good run blocker and does well at getting off the line quickly and exploding into the block.  Sherrod has good balance, doesn’t end up on the ground and has good foot movement.

The downside to Sherrod is that he will struggle at times against faster defensive ends and needs to keep his body in front of them in order to keep them blocked.  He’s not overly dominant and needs to gain more of a mean streak if he wants to have a lot of success in the NFL.

Sherrod will be one of the most sought after offensive linemen in this draft if he can prove that he’ll be able to play with a mean streak and improve his mechanics.  He just might be there when the Bears make their pick but if he shows that needed improvement he could be gone by then.

Gabe Carimi-OT-Wisconsin

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi #68 of the Wisconsin Badgers warms up prior to playing the TCU Horned Frogs in the 97th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Carimi may end up being rated as the best offensive tackle in the 2011 NFL Draft, which means he may not be available when the Bears make their pick towards the bottom of the first round.  Carimi has the size and the power to play the position well at the next level. 

He has a lot of experience playing the position, having started 36 games at the University of Wisconsin, giving him the experience that he will need to make the adjustment to the big game.  He also has the body proportions and size for the ideal NFL offensive lineman and is very strong.

The downside to Carimi is that even though he has a lot of experience at the position, he still needs some refinement. That will come in time.  He is also not as athletic as some would like to see but his technique makes up for some of that.

Carimi will probably be gone by the time the Bears make their pick in the first round, but if he slips then Chicago needs to take a look at him and think seriously about drafting him.

Nate Solder-OT-Colorado

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

BOULDER, CO - OCTOBER 04: Brian Orakpo #98 of the Texas Longhorns rushes against Nate Solder #78 the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on October 4, 2008 in Boulder, Colorado. Texas defeated Colorado 38-14. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

There are some that feel that Solder is the best offensive tackle heading into the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine and he may be long gone before the Bears make their pick, but in this business you never know. 

Solder has the mental and physical capability to play the offensive tackle position very well in the NFL.  He has quick feet, can block well in both the running and the passing game.  He’s good at drive blocking, has decent power and can play either right or left tackle.

Solder does have some faults which include needing to work on his footwork and his technique.  He could add a little more weight as well and needs to anchor himself better against opposing defensive linemen.

His faults can be worked on in the NFL and he can become an effective player right away.  If he does manage to fall to the Bears (which is not likely right now the way that he is rated) Chicago needs to take him and cement that left tackle position.

Anthony Costanzo-Boston College

Some of the things that we are hearing about Costanzo aren’t that good, as he didn’t have a good showing in the Senior Bowl or the practices for that game. 

However, he’s still a viable first round prospect and is someone that could help the Bears right away. Some of Costanzo's positive attributes are his solid overall effort and high motor.  He has quick feet and can has nice enough technique.  He also has the height, weight and arm length that’s ideal for the offensive tackle position.

What Costanzo struggles with is that he isn’t a strong athlete overall and can be beaten by opponents that are much more athletic than he is.  He may not be the ideal fit as a left tackle (or blindside tackle) because of his inability to handle outside speed rushers.  This might make him a better right tackle.

The Bears need a left tackle and some depth at right tackle (right now it appears as if they are comfortable with J’Marcus Webb and may let him develop on the right side), so taking Costanzo may not be a good idea for them if he’s not athletic enough to handle speed rushers coming off the edge.  They may choose to see how he works out in the weeks prior to the draft before giving him much consideration.

Tyron Smith-OT-USC

Jeff Golden/Getty Images

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 7: Tyron Smith #70 of the USC Trojans stretches before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 7, 2009 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. USC won 14-9. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images)

The last offensive lineman on the list for the Bears is USC’s Tyron Smith.  Smith comes from a big time college program and could be a nice fit for the Bears.  He is very athletic and has some of the best feet of any offensive tackle in this draft.  He provides very good pass protection and moves around very well.

The downside to Smith is that he lacks experienced playing the vital left tackle position and doesn’t have the ideal size for an NFL offensive tackle (although he is close).  He may also need some coaching to help get him ready for starting in the NFL on a regular basis.

Not being able to play left tackle effectively right out of the gate would be a problem for the Bears.  Granted, he could contend with J’Marcus Webb at the right tackle position and then switch to left tackle, but it appears as if Chicago doesn’t want to give up on Webb.  This might make Smith a less attractive option in the end.