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McClellin's best trait also most valuable: Pass rush
McClellin's best trait also most valuable: Pass rush
Despite versatility, Bears' McClellin will play only defensive end
Dan Pompei
On the NFL
7:10 p.m. CDT, May 5, 2012
The challenge of defining Shea McClellin might be new for NFL teams, but it is not new for offenses that have had to deal with him.
The Bears first-round pick was a linebacker in high school (as well as a running back, kicker, punter and punt returner). When he got to Boise State, he became a defensive end.
In the Fiesta Bowl at the end of his sophomore season, McClellin was moved to outside linebacker to help contain TCU quarterback Andy Dalton and the Horned Frogs' spread offense.
The next year, McClellin moved between defensive end and outside linebacker, depending on the opponent and the game plan. He also played some inside linebacker.
In 2011, Boise State defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski got even more ambitious with McClellin, playing him at end, outside linebacker, inside linebacker and as a hybrid outside linebacker-safety.
"Besides being a good athlete, he understands concepts," Kwiatkowski said. "He studies the game. He can handle things and play fast."
Lost in the debate over McClellin's best NFL position is that he could succeed at either defensive end or outside linebacker because of his outstanding versatility.
Under the direction of someone like Jets coach Rex Ryan, McClellin probably would be asked to play almost every instrument in the defensive orchestra.
But for Bears coach Lovie Smith, McClellin is going to play defensive end, and only defensive end.
"You won't come to practice and see him working on pass coverage," Smith said. "You will see him hitting the bag and trying to improve his technique at getting to the quarterback."
The way the Bears look at it, McClellin's best trait is also the most valuable commodity: Rushing the passer. So why have him do anything else?
"You can find any big guy who can drop to a spot in coverage," Smith said. "There are very few guys who can rush on the outside."
Really, McClellin has been more of a defensive end than anything up to now.
Kwiatkowski said McClellin mostly played with his hand on the ground and estimates he rushed up to 65 percent of the time, almost 100 percent on passing downs.
"We liked to be in a four-man front and have him rush (as a end)," Kwiatkowski said. "He is very instinctual leveraging blocks and finding the ball."
The Bears studied 270 of his pass rushes as a defensive end and outside linebacker and concluded he was best as a defensive end.
McClellin might be solely a defensive end for now, but he could be more in the future. If the Bears ever transition to a 3-4 defense, or a hybrid 3-4, he's a perfect player to build around.
McClellin even could have a future at middle linebacker. Two front-office men thought McClellin could develop into Brian Urlacher's eventual replacement. At 6 foot 3, 260 pounds, he is built more like Urlacher (6-4, 258 when he came to the NFL) than Julius Peppers (6-6, 283).
McClellin ran a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash. Urlacher ran a 4.58. It's interesting that both players were used as a linebacker-safety hybrid in college.
For McClellin in the middle to be a possibility, he probably would have to struggle at defensive end though.
"He has potential (at middle linebacker)," Kwiatkowski said. "He did some things that were natural, dealing with blockers, finding the ball. He was not out of position very often."
Smith said as far as he is concerned, McClellin playing middle linebacker "is not even a conversation."
Smith saw tape of McClellin at all his positions. But the only thing he derived from it is McClellin has the type of athleticism he is looking for in an end.
"The things he did in college, that's great as far as being able to see his athletic ability," Smith said. "Besides that, there is no interest to us.
"We were looking for an athlete. Look at who is on the other side of the ball as far as quarterbacks. They are big athletes. Look at Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, the skill set of the new breed of quarterback. You need those types of athletes rushing to keep them pinned in."
No matter where he lines up, McClellin should have a long NFL career making quarterbacks uncomfortable.
Chicago Bears: Shea McClellin's best trait is also the most valuable commodity: Pass rush - chicagotribune.com
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Thank you shorty. We needed a thread that wasn't about the Oline.
All I can say is what I have before. To me it's impossible to not see the similarities between McClellin and Urlacher from HS all the way through their college careers. Both played on offensive plays as well as on ST's and out of their usual positions on defense in order to take advantage of mismatches and make it harder for an opponent to defense him. Both came into the NFL with question marks surrounding how they would be used and what position each would play.
I'm not claiming McClellin is Urlacher but the parallels are pretty hard to miss and it sure would be nice to catch lightning in a bottle coming out of a small MWC school twice wouldn't it? I think Shea McClellin will be the best LDE/Pass Rusher we've had since that idiot McCaskey traded away Trace Armstrong who was just about the same size and of a similar build to McClellin when he arrived.
I am truly excited about what I think we're gonna see outta this kid.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Yeah I'm thinking big this year DROY in McClellin and OROY with Jeffery. 
Wonder if that's ever happened on the same team before...
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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I smell a Super Bowl championship for the Bears this year. Mark it down; it's going to happen!
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Originally Posted by
Dagan81 
I smell a Super Bowl championship for the Bears this year. Mark it down; it's going to happen!
Nah, I think that's the popcorn I just popped you smell. Winds blowing from the West out here and she's pretty windy tonight. Could make it to Tennessee easy. 
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Originally Posted by
Dagan81 I smell a Super Bowl championship for the Bears this year. Mark it down; it's going to happen!
I am so much with ya Dag! All tho there's a few things that needs to... how to say it.. click. Jeffery&McClellin does need to have a good rookie year.. But with Marshall&Peppers as "Trainers" they'll be. Our Oline needs improvement.. oh wait we allready have done that, Mike Martz is fired!
I just don't hope we end up like the "dream team Eagle"
Bear down!
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Originally Posted by
ZifanQ I am so much with ya Dag! All tho there's a few things that needs to... how to say it.. click. Jeffery&McClellin does need to have a good rookie year.. But with Marshall&Peppers as "Trainers" they'll be. Our Oline needs improvement.. oh wait we allready have done that, Mike Martz is fired!
I just don't hope we end up like the "dream team Eagle"
Bear down!
You know, I went to write you a message about an hour or two ago (it's now in your mailbox on your homepage), and I lost my place whereby I was going to answer your post! Sorry about that! I do hope, however, that you enjoy the message I wrote you. I always enjoy talking to people from foreign countries about the culture in which they are a part.
It's true that there are going to have to be things that click, but I am confident that they will, and we will make a serious run at the playoffs this coming year. Personally, I think the Bears stand an excellent shot at finishing with either a 12-4 or 13-3 record. The only teams I think the Bears might lose to are the Packers, the Lions, the 49ers, and the Texans. As far as the Packers and 49ers are concerned, I expect to win the games against them at Soldier Field, but we might lose to them at their home field. I think beating the 49ers at San Francisco will be a tall order, but it's not out of the question that we can beat them because while the Niners have a stout defense lead by Patrick Willis, their offense is led by a quarterback who, despite what Jim Harbaugh wants to tell everyone, is simply a game manager and nothing more. Alex Smith is no Jay Cutler, and with the Bears' ability to stop thet run and now having another big pass rusher in McClellin combined with Peppers, Melton, and Paea, their offense is going to have a difficult time scoring on us. The game against the 49ers will be low scoring and no doubt won in the trenches. As for the game against the Texans, they just lost Mario Williams, who was their best player on defense. Still, they may well have the most balanced offensive attack in the league when you consider that their quarterback is Matt Schaub, their running back is Arian Foster (who two years ago led the league in rushing yards), and that they have the most prolific wide receiver in the AFC in Andre Johnson. Their defense, though, is not chopped liver, so this might be a game that we lose despite the fact that it's being played at Soldier Field.
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I think now that we have B Marshall and Alshon, our passing attack will be able to beat the Niners' seconday. Their offense was mainly running the football, which we defend against pretty well. If anybody saw the Harbaugh Bowl last year, then you know how bad the Niners O line can be, and that will help us. I'm just a little worried about how Smith will fare with Manningham, Moss, a healthy Crabtree and Vernon Davis. He could just explode onto the scene this year, it's possible. He didn't have anywhere near the amount of weapons he has now ever before.
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Originally Posted by
Zelezo Vlk I think now that we have B Marshall and Alshon, our passing attack will be able to beat the Niners' seconday. Their offense was mainly running the football, which we defend against pretty well. If anybody saw the Harbaugh Bowl last year, then you know how bad the Niners O line can be, and that will help us. I'm just a little worried about how Smith will fare with Manningham, Moss, a healthy Crabtree and Vernon Davis. He could just explode onto the scene this year, it's possible. He didn't have anywhere near the amount of weapons he has now ever before.
While it looks like on paper that the 49ers are loaded at wide receiver with the likes of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, Michael Crabtree, and tight end Vernon Davis, it's important to note a few things about those players first. To begin with, Randy Moss was in decline in 2010 and didn't even play in 2011. He's in his late 30s and isn't getting any younger, plus he's got a major character issue with his piss-poor attitude, which usually prohibits him from reaching his full potential. I think Moss has lost a step or two, and he may not be in good enough shape to be of any significance to the 49ers next year. Mario Manningham is not a good route runner, and is not even as good as Earl Bennett. (That is not to say that Earl Bennett sucks - he doesn't - but Manningham is very overrated and is getting major props from the media in the wake of that big catch he made in the Super Bowl.) Michael Crabtree is apparently coming off an injury-plagued season and has never materialized into the Pro Bowl wide receiver everybody thought he would be when he was drafted out of Texas Tech. Vernon Davis, however, is a concern, and I fully expect that he will give our linebackers who have to cover him fits when he goes long for a pass. Davis is also going to be used as a chip blocker, and I would imagine that being as the Niners like to run the ball with Frank Gore leading the charge, he will be blocking out on the edges against Peppers and/or McClellin, depending on which side of the field they are on.
I didn't know how bad the 49ers' offensive line was. If we are half the pass rushing team I think we're capable of being, we should win that game. But I won't hold my breath.
I'm supposed to go to San Francisco either this summer or in the fall. If I go in the fall, I'm going to try to talk my cousin into taking me to the Bears/49ers game at Candlestick Park. I may be going to two away games: one in Nashville, and of course the one in San Francisco. I'll be interested in seeing how the team is if/when I see it in person.
Last edited by Dagan81; 05-06-2012 at 02:46 PM.
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