*************2013 NFL DRAFT GRADES************

1.20 Kyle Long, OG/T, Oregon

One of the best things about living in the midwest is having draft parties with a lot of Bears fans. For about three hours there was a debate as to who they would pick. They loved that Sharrif Floyd was still there. They loved see Eifert there. And they loved having Xavier Rhodes there.

Now imagine how quiet the those same guys got when the long awaited pick turned out to be... Kyle Long. Long is a great guy with great potential. But he isn't experienced, he doesn't have a clean bill of health, and he isn't a game changer in any way. He would have gotten a B+ grade in the 2nd round...

D

2.50 Jonathon Bostic, ILB, Florida

Hey, a 3rd round pick going in the 2nd. I can't wait for their 4th round pick so they can reach on a blatant 5th rounder. This Bears team is addressing needs, but they are missing on value, and ignoring other guys on the board.

C

4.117 Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers

Green is the best value the Bears have found by far.

5.163 Jordan Mills, OT, LA Tech

6.188 Cornelius Washington, DE, Georgia

I have no idea how he lasted this long.

7.236 Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

Wilson quit WSU because of a few different issues, but going into 2012 he was a first round pick. 

OVERALL GRADE: D/A-

What a weird draft. The team got SOOOOO much better at drafting as time went on in the draft. Long, Bostic, Greene and Washington were 2nd or 3rd round talents that went in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th rounds. Jordan Mills is a clean enough player that he could start next year somewhere, and Marquess Wilson could be the biggest steal in the draft (think Marques Colston impact). 

I don't know how to grade this draft because I could see each and every one of the players in this draft make a splash on the team. 

 
 *************2012 NFL DRAFT GRADES************ 

1.19 Shea McClellan, DE, Boise State

This is another pick that was a bit obvious. The team desperately have been looking for a new DE since free agency, and they were going to pick there guy with the pick. McClellan went a tad bit early, but I figured that he would go earlier than expected based on the fact that I had him going to the Chargers.

C+

2.45: Alshon Jefferey, WR, South Carolina

The Bears had to trade up a small bit to get him, but what a steal. Jefferey has top-5 receiver potential if motivated, and he is the perfect kind of receiver that Jay Cutler can play with. The team is a passing contender.

A

3.79 Brandon Hardin, S, Oregon State

I don't get this pick. Hardin was out last year, and the year before wasn't exactly a top-20 pick. The Bears are really reaching on him, and they could have gotten a safer bet.

D

4.111 Evan Rodriguez, TE/FB, Temple

E-Rod is a guy with some good potential, but the Bears could have gotten better value.

C+

6.184 Isaiah Frey, CB, Nevada

7.220 Greg McCoy, CB, TCU

 
OVERALL GRADE: C+

Before I get into the grade, let me say that the Alson Jefferey pick may have been one of my favorite picks in the entire draft. The team got a legit receiver that will go for the ball, and he is a legit guy that teams will have to cover away from Brandon Marshall. This is what the Falcons did with Julio Jones, and this is what the Texans fail to do every year.

With that said, every other Bear pick was bland. It was so obvious that the team was going to take a defensive end with the first pick instead of looking at value and getting either DeCastro or Reiff. The team missed out on Super Mario in free agency, and they targeted a defensive end. But the one they picked was a huge reach! The rest if the picks were all reaches on talent, and I just don't like this draft.

 
 
 

*************2011 NFL DRAFT GRADES************ 
 Picks

1:29 Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin

Great pick. The team gets my #1 ranked OT in the class and they find a guy that can start now.

A

2:53 Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

I like Paea and he is a good value here. I don't think he is the elite pass rusher that ESPN likes to think of him as.

B

3:93 Chris Conte, S, California

This pick does address a need, but the value on Conte just isn't that great.

C

5:160 Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho

I don't mind this pick, but I don't get it. Todd Collins needs off the team so there is a spot for a QB 3 there, but when will Enderle take the field unless Cutler gets hurt? The team had many more needs than a QB3

C-

6:195 J.T Thomas, OLB, West Virginia

Thomas has some good athleticism, and at worst he could impress as a special teams player.

C-

Draft Grade C

The team needed a receiver in the 2010 draft and never addressed it. The did it again this year. The team took the best possible 1st round pick for themselves, and the 2nd round pick was fine, but after that they reached on guys that might not play much next year. Taking a receiver, or even finding more offensive line depth should have been utilized a lot more for the team that surrendered an average of 392 sacks per game last year.

NEW GRADE: C+

I love the first pick, and that is it. The team cannot think that ignoring the need at receiver is the right thing to do, but unfortunately Bears fans will have to watch Hester and Knox not go up and fight for the ball for another year.