Thread: The Most NFL Ready Prospects................

I put DeCastro at #1 on this list

I think Zeitler is one who we can grab w/o any problems. Believe also his ceiling is higher in pass-pro esp. working with Tice.

Here was a interesting fact I was reading about Zeitler in a scouting report...

100 percent

In 1985, The NFL Draft Report began using a complicated and in-depth grading system to evaluate an offensive lineman’s performance on the football field. The grading is based on several areas of the lineman’s performance and during the course of the last three decades, attaining that “perfect score,” a 100 percent mark in a game, has been attained by only a handful of elite performers.

In 2011, one of the “rarest of rare” occurrences took place, a lineman grading 100 percent in a game more than once in the same season. Wisconsin offensive guard Kevin Zeitler attained that “perfect score” in the Indiana and Penn State contests. He joins Larry Allen of Division II Sonoma State (in 1993 vs. Cal-State Hayward and San Francisco State) and Southern California’s Tony Boselli (in 1994 vs. Baylor, California and Arizona) as the only players in college annals (since blocking consistency grades were compiled by The NFL Draft Report beginning in 1985) to post more than one 100 percent blocking performance in the same season.

Only four other lineman, all at the major college level, have graded 100 percent for blocking consistency more than once in a career. Those that reached that level of excellence are offensive guard Will Shield of Nebraska (vs. Kansas in 1991 and Oklahoma in 1992), offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden of UCLA (vs. Arizona State in 1994 and Miami in 1995), offensive tackle Orlando Pace of Ohio State (vs. Indiana in 1995 and Pittsburgh in 1996) and offensive tackle Jake Long of Michigan (vs. Michigan State in 2006 and Minnesota in 2006).

Zeitler is just the fourth Wisconsin Badger to record a blocking consistency grade of 100 percent in any contest. Other UW linemen to reach that level of excellence were offensive tackles Paul Gruber (vs. Ball State in 1987), Aaron Gibson (vs. Illinois in 1998) and Joe Thomas (vs. Buffalo in 2006).

I would like to see us be able to select Zeitler in the 2nd round if we can. I think Louis can lock down an OG spot from here on out and I think we'll extend him. EWill already got an extension but both Spencer and CWill are in the last year of their contracts so there are decisions to be made regarding those two.

Both have the flexibility of being able to play either of two positions but CWill is the younger and more valuable of the two because he can play OT. Zeitler also gives us a guy capable of playing at both OG and OC so to me that makes Spencer the odd man out unless he can hold EWill off. I don't think he will and again EWill is younger and less expensive.

It should be interesting to see what happens at LT. We can't really replace Webb with outside talent so it all comes down to whether or not he can handle LT better this year than he did last. If not then help from within exists in the form of Carimi or CWill. I think Tice would really rather leave Carimi where he is but I'd work all three guys, CWill included, at LT in camp and see what comes of it.

Playing for a contract extension CWill may surprise. If he can beat Webb out he stands to earn a lot more money as a LT than he can as an OG so the motivation to prove he can do it should be there. He's bigger and stronger than he was when he arrived and if he can stay healthy I'd love to see him take a shot at it and succeed. To me Webb would make one hell of a swing tackle but he has a long way to go to earn trust as blindside guy.

The other guy on this list that intrigues me, and apparently Lovie as well, is Bruce Irvin. He may never be a 3 down DE but this kid is another physical freak. He's has 4.4 speed and a real burst off the edge. He's not been well coached yet he still had 40 sacks in college playing just as a pass rush specialist. If he can keep his weight on he could be a holy terror as an edge rusher. You wouldn't spend a 1st round pick on a guy like this but in the 3rd is he's there I'd like to see us take a shot at him.

He needs coaching from a guy like Marinelli and and a HC like Lovie who'll support him and in Chicago he can get that. He's another one of those guys like Coples who needs to land with the right team in order to maximize his potential. Pittsburgh has shown some interest in him as well but we get to pick before they do. I really hope he falls far enough for us to grab him. Even if all we do for a year is play him on 3rd down and use him to take some snaps from Izzy and Pep if he can get to the QB he can be a real playmaker.

out of that list, I'd pick Kirkpatrick, then Wright. That is all

Quinton Coples is being projected to be drafted by the Bears at #19 by WalterFootball.com. His stock is dropping, and it's going to be an interesting problem to have when (or if) that happens and you have your choice of two DE's: Coples or Mercilis. For the potential that he shows as well as his size, Coples is my best bet, but Mercilis seems like a guy who has a high motor. The fact that Mercilis is only 6'3" bothers me some because I like my DE's to be rather large in build - case in point Reggie White, Julius Peppers, and if you really want to get groovy with it and go back even further, Doug Atkins. We need a guy who is taller than 6'3" because that's more of the size of the five-technique that one would find within a 3-4 defensive alignment. Still, if I have to settle with Mercilis, I wouldn't be disappointed, because we all know that he has potential.

I also believe that the Bears need to strongly consider trading up into the end of the second round after they've drafted at #19 in order to pick up a solid wide receiver. Either Stephen Hill or Kendall Wright would be fine as they both are speed demons who can go deep, and that is what we need to compliment Brandon Marshall.

Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

Interesting read. My whole thing about this year's draft is that I'm at the point where I want the Bears to at least use their first 2 picks for NFL ready players. We need to have at least 2 guys that are ready to contribute right away.

I don't think there's much doubt that a pass rusher is high on their list. When you look at the fact that after making the Marshall trade their next two moves where to try to get MWill and then Mincey after failing at that you know that's where their headed. That's a nice smoke screen they're running with the WR's but I would think that anyone who follows the team could see through it.

In addition to Marshall we retained Davis as a pass catching TE and then signed two ST guys who are also WR to help replace Knox is he doesn't make his comeback. Weems primarily to handle KR and Thomas as a bigger deep threat. That's four pass catcher added in FA. Why would we spend another top pick on one in a draft that's so deep in them?

If Coples falls (which I doubt. Just too many tools) then I think Mercilus is their guy and downline from there I think they may even take a shot at Irvin if he's still on the board in the third but I don't think they'll take him earlier. They're looking at Chandler Jones but frankly I don't think the guys a pass rusher. More of an Izzy kind of guy who may turn out to be a decent LDE but never a sackmeister. Given the need and Lovies empahsis on the rush I wouldn't be shocked if we took two in the first four rounds. The signs of it are all over the place.