Bears Schedule Pre-Draft Visit With WVU's Irvin

DE Irvin will visit Bears before draft By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter 10:17 a.m. CDT, March 23, 2012
Lovie Smith made the trek to West Virginia last week to take a look at Bruce Irvin and get to know the defensive end a little bit better.

The Chicago Bears aren’t done doing their homework on Irvin after watching him in his pro day. An NFL source told the Tribune Irvin will make a pre-draft visit to Halas Hall on April 16.

Irvin had 22 ½ sacks in two seasons with the Moutaineers. The 6-2 ½, 245-pounder ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds to turn heads at the NFL Scouting Combine last month. But Irvin said he played between 225 and 230 pounds in school and he would need to bulk up to be even a situational pass rusher for the Bears.

Starting defensive end Israel Idonije was re-signed to a one-year deal but the Bears are still seeking a candidate to be a third end and they are also in need of a boost for the pass rush. With much of the focus in free agency on the offense and special teams, general manager Phil Emery is expected to focus on defense in the draft.

The Bears will likely have questions for Irvin about off-field issues. After the pro day last week, he was arrested for allegedly damaging a sign outside a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop. A high school drop-out, Irvin also has other off-field incidents in his past.

“I’ve gone over this a hundred-thousand times, I have a different story than a lot of these guys,” Irvin said at the combine. “Grew up in a rough neighborhood in Atlanta, dropped out of high school in 11th grade and got in some trouble, ran with the wrong crowd. Finally saw the light, got my GED, took the test and passed all five parts on the first time.

“(NFL teams) have heard the stories, read the articles. They’re questioning me which I don’t blame. They kinda want to hear it from the horse’s mouth, the whole situation on how it happened. I’m no longer that person who I was, I went by BJ, now I’m Bruce. That’s what I tell them.”

bmbiggs@tribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs

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Quote:

Originally Posted by soulman

DE Irvin will visit Bears before draft By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter 10:17 a.m. CDT, March 23, 2012
Lovie Smith made the trek to West Virginia last week to take a look at Bruce Irvin and get to know the defensive end a little bit better.

The Chicago Bears aren’t done doing their homework on Irvin after watching him in his pro day. An NFL source told the Tribune Irvin will make a pre-draft visit to Halas Hall on April 16.

Irvin had 22 ½ sacks in two seasons with the Moutaineers. The 6-2 ½, 245-pounder ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds to turn heads at the NFL Scouting Combine last month. But Irvin said he played between 225 and 230 pounds in school and he would need to bulk up to be even a situational pass rusher for the Bears.

Starting defensive end Israel Idonije was re-signed to a one-year deal but the Bears are still seeking a candidate to be a third end and they are also in need of a boost for the pass rush. With much of the focus in free agency on the offense and special teams, general manager Phil Emery is expected to focus on defense in the draft.

The Bears will likely have questions for Irvin about off-field issues. After the pro day last week, he was arrested for allegedly damaging a sign outside a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop. A high school drop-out, Irvin also has other off-field incidents in his past.

“I’ve gone over this a hundred-thousand times, I have a different story than a lot of these guys,” Irvin said at the combine. “Grew up in a rough neighborhood in Atlanta, dropped out of high school in 11th grade and got in some trouble, ran with the wrong crowd. Finally saw the light, got my GED, took the test and passed all five parts on the first time.

“(NFL teams) have heard the stories, read the articles. They’re questioning me which I don’t blame. They kinda want to hear it from the horse’s mouth, the whole situation on how it happened. I’m no longer that person who I was, I went by BJ, now I’m Bruce. That’s what I tell them.”

bmbiggs@tribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs

Copyright © 2012, Chicago Tribune
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Soul, what do you think of this? Irvin has phenomenal speed for a man his size but his size (esp. his "playing weight" of 230) says LB way more than DE. Do you think they are looking at him for LB or really hoping for him to be 3rd down passrushing DE?

I little light in the fanny but with the speed of a WR this is an interesting prospect. Can he handle the weight and not lose his speed and athleticism of would it be better to play him as a SLB? I have a hard time seeing us spending a first round pick on a guy that's as much of a "tweener" as Irvin is but maybe his size pushes him back into round two and there he may be a bargain.

One thing for certain is that we seem to be parting ways with the need to draft or sign "choirboys" any longer.