Round 2 Pick 13 (45) Bears select WR Alshon Jeffery
South Carolina wideout Alshon Jeffery is quite the interesting 2012 NFL Draft prospect. He has the potential to be one of the game's truly dominant targets in the NFL, but he comes with a scary amount of downside.
He racked up 88 catches for 1,517 yards and nine scores in 2010 and followed it up with a 49-762-8 line in 2011. Plenty of factors come into play to help explain Jeffery's major letdown last year, but some of the onus has to be on this physical freak of nature, too.
Strengths
- Very strong hands
- Powerful build (6-foot-4, 229 pounds)
- Great red zone threat with tremendous leaping ability
- Long strider with deceptive speed in short area
- Tracks the ball well over both shoulders
- Excellent body control - makes a lot of acrobatic catches
- Extremely productive in 2010 (88 receptions, 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns)
- Willing blocker and uses his size to his advantage
- Hard to tackle in the open field - strong stiff arm and respectable elusiveness
- Insane potential as a pro
Weaknesses
- Major drop-off in production from 2010 to '11 (largely due to the team's quarterback and running back woes)
- May struggle to gain separation at the next level
- Lacks quick feet off the line and top-end speed
- Major bust factor
- Drops too many passes - needs to catch more with his hands and not his body so much; could be concentration lapses
- Ejected versus Nebraska for throwing a punch
- Ran simplistic routes in college and is very raw in this area
- Unrefined as a blocker - needs to learn better technique
- Questionable work ethic
Bears trade up to draft WR Alshon Jeffery
Bears trade up to draft WR Alshon Jeffery
By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter
7:31 p.m. CDT, April 27, 2012
Phil Emery made a wide receiver his first priority when the new league year began and it was his second order of business in the draft as the Chicago Bears made an aggressive move to select Alshon Jeffery, a talented and physical performer coming off an underachieving season.
The Bears traded a 5th round pick (150 overall) with the St. Louis Rams to move up five spots and to grab Jeffery with the 45th overall selection Friday night. He's got a chance to compete for playing time right away and this will mitigate the potential loss of Johnny Knox for the season.
But the Bears have struggled developing wide receivers and have not had a 1,000-yard receiver since Marty Booker in 2002. Jeffery had a monster season at South Carolina in 2010 when he made 88 receptions for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns. The Gamecocks had quarterback issues this past season and scouts soured some on Jeffery. He made only 49 catches for 762 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Bears did some close homework on Jeffery, bringing him to Halas Hall for a pre-draft visit. The team lists him at 6-3, 216 pounds, but he showed up for the NFL Scouting Combine at 230 pounds and some are concerned he will not remain in shape. Jeffery plays the ball in the air well and has good body control.
The key will be the Bears staying on Jeffery and motivating him to perform because when last college season began, ,many viewed him as a first-round talent. The Bears clearly think he can perform as they traded up in the round to grab him similar to last year when ex-general manager Jerry Angelo traded up nine spots in the second to select defensive tackle Stephen Paea.
To make the trade, the Bears gave the Rams their fifth-round pick, 150th overall. Their next selection will be in the third round at No. 79.
Alshon Jeffery: Chicago Bears trade up to draft WR Alshon Jeffery - chicagotribune.com
