Day 2 of the 2009 NFL Draft: A look at the Chicago Bears’ selections

The National Football post is praising the Chicago Bears for their draft picks today, so let’s break them down one by one & see who will become immediate contributors to this team in 2009!

3rd round (68th overall pick):

Defensive end Jarron Gilbert (6’6, 280) from San Jose State.

Scouting report from Rivals.com:

The Good: A long, explosive lineman who displays good flexibility and first-step quickness off the snap. Has impressive power and punch on contact and consistently uses his length to shed blocks and get after the ball. Makes a living in opponent’s backfield and plays with great balance and body control for his size. Finds the ball quickly and offers a lot of versatility as a DT in a 4-3 or a DE in a 3-4.

The Bad: Lacks ideal girth to play inside at the next level and will struggle holding the point of attack vs. the double team. Occasionally gets a bit high and struggles playing with consistent leverage.

3rd round (99th overall pick):

Wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias (6’0, 204) from the University of Oklahoma.

Scouting report from Rivals.com:

The Good: A smooth, coordinated receiver who plucks the ball away from his body as well as any receiver in the draft class. Displays good body control and footwork in and out of his breaks. Showcases good awareness on all levels of the field and has a real suddenness about him as a route runner. Works back to the ball well and has the concentration to make plays in traffic.

The Bad: Isn’t a real burner, and there are questions about his big-play ability at the next level. Has been surrounded by talent at Oklahoma and might be more a product of the system. Needs to become better vs. press coverage.

4th round (105th overall pick):

Defensive end Henry Melton (6’3, 269) from the University of Texas.

Scouting report from Draftcountdown.com:

Strengths: Extremely athletic…Pretty good speed and quickness…Explosive with a burst…Great balance and agility…Does a terrific job in pursuit and closes fast…Good  strength…Great special teamer…Has a lot of upside.

Weaknesses: Inexperienced…Marginal instincts and awareness…Still has a long way to go when it comes to technique…Not an elite pass rusher…Does not always use proper leverage…Aggressiveness?…Some character issues.

4th round (119th overall pick):

Cornerback D.J. Moore (5’10, 182) from the University of Vanderbilt.

Scouting report from Rivals.com:

The Good: Plays a lot bigger than his size indicates and isn’t afraid to stick his head in and make plays against the run. A impressive athlete with good straight-line speed and fluidity out of his back-pedal. Closes quickly on balls underneath and has the best first step of any corner in the class. Reads routes well and does a nice job undercutting the ball in space.

The Bad: Lacks great height and needs to add more muscle to his overall frame. Can be boxed out down the field and struggles fighting through bigger wide receivers when jumping routes.

5th round (140th overall pick):

Wide receiver Johnny Knox (6’0, 185) from Abilene Christian.

Scouting report from NFL.com:

Positives: Adequate height with wiry upper body strength and good muscle definition in his arms. Not your typical slight small-school receiver. Good initial quickness off the snap to get into his route. Reliable hands; snatches the ball and adjusts to poor throws. Gets up to high-point and secure the catch. Sinks his hips and displays quick feet going into and out of routes. Has good vision and is elusive running in the open field. Works hard to block downfield, and will sustain and even dominate against smaller corners. Experienced as a punt returner.

Negatives: Thin through the hips and legs. Gets a lot of his yardage after short routes, screens and swing passes. Lacks elite speed or quickness, but had enough to be special at the FCS level. Easily tripped up in the open field. Does not switch the ball to the outside hand. Despite his strong effort, he lacks the bulk and strength to be effective against NFL defenders. Dances and runs backward too much after the catch or on returns — will not get away with that at the next level.

5th round (154th overall pick):

Linebacker Marcus Freeman (6’1, 239) from the University of Ohio State.

Scouting report from Rivals.com:

The Good: A good overall athlete with an explosive first step and good closing speed on the ball. Breaks down well in space and does a nice job taking proper angles and exploding his hips through contact. Showcases good lateral mobility and exhibits the type of footwork needed to redirect cleanly. Displays a strong base and has the ability to take on tight ends at the point of attack.

The Bad: Is too slow reading and reacting and will take himself out of plays with a false step. Lacks big-time playmaking skills and will probably never be a star at the next level. Isn’t a real aggressive blitzer and has trouble getting to the QB.

6th round (190th pick overall):

Safety Al Afalava (5’11, 215) from Oregon State.

Scouting report from Rivals.com:

The Good: A tough, gritty, blue-collar safety who relies on his instincts and aggressiveness to make plays on all levels of the field. Is quick to diagnose plays and reads run/pass quickly. Gets a deep drop in zone coverage and does a nice job reading the quarterback’s eyes and putting himself in position to get after the ball. Is very opportunistic and always seems to be around the action. At his best attacking downhill at the line of scrimmage.

The Bad: Isn’t a real gifted athlete and lacks the straight-line speed and range to cover the deep half in the NFL. Plays a bit out of control at times and will take himself out of plays and whiff on the ball carrier. Missed the first game of his senior year for alcohol-related issues.

7th round (246th overall pick):

Guard Lance Louis (6’2, 300) from San Diego State.

Scouting report from SI.com:

Positives: Athletic prospect with a good degree of upside. Blocks with an exceptionally wide base, bends his knees and keeps his feet moving throughout the action. Quickly sets up in pass protection, stays square and a solid position blocker who walls defenders from the action. Works assignments, displays the ability to slide out and protect the edge, nicely adjusting to oncoming speed rushers.

Negatives: Must improve his hand technique. Overextends into blocks which adversely affects his balance. Must improve the strength of his base and run blocking skills.

7th round (251st overall pick):

Wide receiver Derek Kinder (6’1, 205) from the University of Pittsburgh.

Scouting report from SI.com:

Positives: Nice-sized receiver who struggled making his way back from injury last year. Consistently looks the ball into his hands, makes the difficult over-the-shoulder reception, and not afraid to get vertical in a crowd for the catch. Possesses strong hands and pulls the fastball from the air. Comes back to the ball out of breaks, effectively using his frame to shield away opponents.

Negatives: Marginally productive last season. Inconsistent as a blocker. Lacks the speed to get downfield separation.

2009 © BMS Radio Chicago All Rights Reserved. The written content is property of this site. All team and league information, sports logos, photos, and names contained within this site are property of their respective organizations.