NFL Draft 2011: Best-Case Scenario for Chicago Bears' Picks
Last time, I provided a look at the Bears' draft from a more pessimistic viewpoint, so now we'll look at the Bears' draft with rose-colored glasses on.
This is an important distinction because many (including yours truly) believe that if the stars don't align properly in round one, the Bears would be better off trading out of the first round, as opposed to settling on a player who is not a good value pick.
With the Bears so obviously in need of help on the much-maligned offensive line, the only way their first-round selection is a success is if one of the top offensive linemen fall to number 29.
Otherwise, I don't know if it would be wise for the Bears to keep that pick, as drafting a defensive lineman so early is not a necessity, given how deep the draft pool is at that position. The guys the Bears have been targeting there may be on the board when the Bears draft in the second round.
With that said, we're going to do a draft preview as if the Bears had a lucky horseshoe you-know-where, and that everything falls in place for them.
So fill your glass half-full and come along for the ride!
Round 1: The Gods Smile Upon the Bears
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Most draft experts expect that the top offensive lineman will be taken prior to the Bears picking at No. 29. Ah, but it says here that this is pure conjecture and based on overflowing optimism, at least one of the two players I'm hoping for will still be there.
Those two players are Florida's Mike Pouncey and Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi.
Pouncey might be the better choice for the Bears because he can play guard in 2011 while Olin Kreutz re-signs for one more season, then move under center for the next 10 years.
But his being available may be a bigger stretch than Carimi being there when the Bears pick in the first round. So, with the 29th selection in the 2011 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears take:
Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
What I like the most about Carimi is the edge he has in his play. I really think Chicago will love this guy. He's blue collar, a hard worker and can be nasty.
He doesn't just block guys, he pushes them 10 yards downfield.
Will teams like the Giants, Colts and Eagles bypass Carimi so that he falls to Chicago? That would probably be the best-case scenario for the Bears.
I am just not that excited about Derek Sherrod. His work ethic and lack of power is too much of a concern to waste a first round pick on, in my opinion.
Round 2: A Former Rugby Player Falls to the Bears
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Mel Kiper, Jr., predicts in his latest mock that Stephen Paea gets taken by Minnesota with pick No. 43. But this mock scoffs at that notion.
Remember, we're mocking with rose-colored glasses on, so Paea somehow falls to Chicago and they pick the Oregon State DT with the 62nd selection in the draft.
Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon St.
I know many experts are saying that Bears GM Jerry Angelo has his sights set on Marvin Austin out of North Carolina. But I think that is just realism talking, for Angelo probably expects Paea to be gone by then.
But I have serious questions about Austin's effort level. Meanwhile, Paea steps right in and replaces Tommie Harris as the three technique tackle.
A former rugby player in New Zealand, Paea is as tough as it gets. This guys plays non-stop and his stamina does not wear down during games. He can knock offensive guards off balance with one arm.
The Bears should thank their lucky stars if Paea falls to them.
Round 3: Bears Steal a WR Who Could Become a No. 1
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Most draft experts figure that if the Bears draft a wideout at all, it will be for depth and probably in the fifth or sixth round. But not if this guy slips to them.
Keep in mind that this is a best case scenario mock, so the Bears take:
Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
Hey, don't laugh. Mel Kiper Jr. has Baldwin falling to the third round, though he has him being grabbed early in the round. But let's say that Miami, Kansas City and New England go in a different direction and don't take a WR as expected.
Plus, Miami is said to really like Edmond Gates out of Abilene Christian. So that leaves only two teams that have to change their mind for this to become a reality.
If Baldwin falls to the Bears, it will be the steal of the century. Now, I know what you're thinking: if this guy is so good why is he a third-round pick?
Well, for one, this draft is loaded with defensive talent (DT and DE) and O-linemen, so naturally the skill positions get pushed back somewhat. Plus, there are questions about Baldwin's speed, that it is not elite enough for him to be a deep threat, and his character.
But the Bears don't care. They need a big, physical wideout and isn't afraid to go up the middle and that is exactly what Baldwin provides.
At just under 6'5" he is a great vertical threat and that big target Jay Cutler needs.
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Round 4: Bears Get a Bookend for Julius Peppers
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By the fourth round, it's doubtful that any of the defensive ends left on the draft board would be good enough to step in as a starter immediately and contribute at the NFL level.
But since this is supposed to be an optimistic scenario, we find one that slips through the cracks and helps the Bears pass rush.
Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
The Bears go back to Pitt for their fourth-round selection, and in getting Sheard, they obtain a second or third round talent in the fourth round.
The reason this could happen is that Sheard was involved in a fight in July 2010 in downtown Pittsburgh. Reportedly, police had to pepper spray him to get him to stop beating a man who he eventually threw through a department store window.
Sheard was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest. So naturally, many teams will take a pass on a kid like that.
But by this time, he would be way too good to pass on. Sheard has quick feet, a strong bull rush and is strong and above average against the run, too.
Round 5: Bears Get Their Future Replacement for Kreutz
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Again, this is a best case scenario mock, so while this player is a third-round talent, he somehow slips to the Bears in the fifth round and they simply cannot pass on him.
Stefen Wisniewski, C, Penn St.
Wisniewski has long arms and massive hands and sound bloodlines, as his father and uncle both played in the NFL. He is a fighter, and though he's not the strongest guy around (hence the drop in the draft), he is very tough.
This is a guy who plays through the whistle and leaves it all on the field. If the Bears re-sign Kreutz to a one-year deal as expected, Wisniewski will contribute somewhere on the line and eventually take over at center.
Round 6: Bears Get Outside Linebacker
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The Bears only have two linebackers under contract for 2011, so they will be forced to draft one and hopefully a guy who can contribute on special teams.
Ross Homan, OLB, Ohio State
What a value Homan would be in he fell this far to the Bears. Homan has great instincts and football IQ and while not very strong (hey, it's the sixth round and we're not being THAT optimistic!), he is a sound tackler and has an above average burst when shooting gaps.
A real nice find for the Bears this late in the draft.
Thus ends a best-case scenario draft for Chicago. Next, I will prepare an updated mock that has more reality built into it, so expect my "real" picks to be different.
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