Thread: Round 4 Pick 16 (111) Bears select Evan Rodriguez TE

Pretty fucked up pick with Bobby Massie still on the board and goin' one pick later. I can't see this one at all. Kid has an UDFA type grade on him. Maybe a 7th rounder but a 4th when we've already traded away our 5th?????? No explantion or rationale for this one from what I can see.

Well I don't know anything about him so hopefully he turns out to be good. Blah.

This is what concerns me:
He's being called a TE but he's rather short for a TE at 6'2". He also has a history of trouble off the field. As a freshman at West Virginia, he was charged with assault after an incident with a female resident advisor in a dorm. He was eventually released from his scholarship. At Temple, Rodriguez was charged with disorderly conduct in 2009.

What I like:
He was a two-time first-team All-MAC player and some have compared him to Aaron Hernandez, the tight end for the New England Patriots.

The tape shows more than anything. I see why they compare him to AH now. On paper he doesn't seem like a great pick but on tape it looks a little different. Just my opinion.

So 1-3 all fit needs. WTF need does this guy fit. OK, now I see it. Gotta go pull up some poop on the guy. He's not drafted as a true TE. He's a FB/HB. Think Jimmy Kleinsasser from Minny which makes sense now. Tice loved Kleinsasser and he used him both as a blocker and a receiver in an HB role. This kid comes in to compete with Kyle Adams for that FB/HB spot. He's not a true TE. Here's the NFP scouting report on the guy. He's the top FB prospect in the draft and he does have a mid round grade on him. Now this pick makes sense to me.

EVAN RODRIGUEZ FB, Temple

• 2011 GRADE: 6.4 HT: 6-3 WT: 250
  

A thickly put together athlete with a muscular upper body and lower trunk. Carries his weight well though and is surprisingly very fluid for his size. Possesses impressive overall range, coordination and athletic ability for a 6-2, 250-pound athlete. He showcases natural fluidity in the hips and a natural burst when asked to pull inside from his H-back position. Is quick to get his feet around and seal as a tight end, and is a "plus" athlete for his size with the football in his hands. He displays good straight-line speed in the open field, is able to consistently get out and breakdown on blocks at the second level and overall moves extremely well for a guy his size. Isn't just an athletic move guy, as there is some definite "pop" and punch to his game. Rodriguez is a natural bender when sitting into a three point stance and exhibits a real snap from the hips into contact as an in-line guy and when on the move. He did have a tendency at times to overextend and get caught popping a bit upright into contact. But he extended his arms well into blocks, exhibited good hand placement and demonstrated the kind of nasty streak needed in order to finish and win through contact.

Now, he isn't asked to line-up often as a traditional lead back, but when asked to pull around and lead on plays from his H-back spot he's very coordinated on the move, takes good angles and despite not having the elite "hammer" ability into contact at this stage, he still showcases the natural explosive, pad level and hand usage to certainly develop more "pop" if asked to play consistently as a lead guy in the NFL.

Rodriguez is a coordinated athlete in the pass game. He's a former high school quarterback/strong safety who possesses a natural feel selling his routes off the line, plucks the football cleanly off his frame and snaps his head around quickly in order to create after the catch. He exhibits enough straight-line speed to get down the seam and despite running a bit upright, displays the natural power/willingness to break tackles and finish runs.

Impression: Rodriguez isn't a guy who's going to get drafted high. However, he's got the potential to fill a number of roles on an NFL offense in both the run and pass game, can create some mismatches as a pass catcher and develop into a core special teams guy early on.

Originally Posted by lklrlolnlilklsox

You're kidding yourself if you think he carried a 7/UDFA grade. Maybe a chance he slips through 5, but I doubt it. He was a hot name at the Shrine game and consistently got compared to Aaron Hernandez. Clutts is a fine lead-blocker, but is a complete non-factor as a pass catcher or in any way with the ball in his hand. Having said that, I would like to think this means the end of Spaeth since we have a younger, cheaper and equally impressive blocker in Andre Smith, but this pick likely means the end of Adams and Smith instead of Clutts, IMHO. It's a pick about giving Jay weapons, and while we may not like his fit with our current cast, he is something we simply don't have on our roster and does things no one else does.

I'm not a huge fan of this pick at all with names like JMJ, Howard, Lewis and Robinson flying off the board at LB, Howard and Crick at DT or Brooks at CB. However, it is a move I think Cutler will be excited about, so whatever. Our passing game got a heck of a lot more potent this offseason, that's for sure.

Whoa partner......I spoke too soon. I made the mistake to opening my trap too early. Had my head in some work and didn't research the guy first. My bad......my very, very, bad, bad. I see where he fits now.

If you read what I just wrote I called it as you have. Bye bye Kyle Adams but hopefully we keep Smith and Clutts and send Spaeth packing. Tice has his Jimmy Kleinsasser now and you're 100% right. Like he's done all along Emery gets what we don't already have.