d00kd00k

good article that echoes my sentiments and many other bear fans. angelo has an eye for defensive talent in the draft, but couldn't spot offensive talent with the hubble telescope.

Call Bears rookies a class act
September 15, 2006
BY MIKE MULLIGAN Staff Reporter

Bears linebacker Jamar Williams found himself marveling at the atmosphere as he looked around Lambeau Field on Sunday, when he noticed he was surrounded by his fellow rookies from the Class of 2006. Mark Anderson was beside him, Devin Hester a few feet away and Danieal Manning also nearby. Williams took the opportunity to call for a quick pregame huddle among the rookies.

The former team captain at Arizona State suddenly found himself giving an impromptu Knute Rockne speech. This was it, Williams told his fellow rookies. This was the moment they had dreamed of all their lives. This would always be their first game in the NFL, the first moment they truly arrived on the scene as professional players.

Manning felt goose bumps as he listened to the speech and looked around the bowl of Lambeau Field. Welcome to the NFL.

''Jamar, he's an outspoken guy, and guys kind of cling to him,'' Manning said of the fourth-round pick. ''He said, 'Think about when you were in high school, even before that, how this was your dream -- to play in the NFL. Go live your dream.'''

Riveting stuff, but not everybody's cup of tea. Anderson, for instance, wasn't sure what Williams was going on about.

''He was real hyped in that situation,'' Anderson said. ''I don't know what he was saying because I was already zoned out, trying to get my mind right.''

Williams repeatedly yelled, ''Go out and make a play,'' then heeded his own advice and was the first Bears rookie to make an impact, blowing up Samkon Gado at the 17-yard line on a kickoff return after the Bears' opening touchdown drive.

''We started feeding off each other,'' Manning said. ''Jamar went down there and made that play inside the 20, and everyone wanted to make a play, too.''

The Bears rookies did just that. Second-round pick Manning forced a fumble on special teams and intercepted a pass. Fourth-rounder Anderson sacked Brett Favre, added a tackle for no gain and made a key block on special teams. That block came on the electric 84-yard punt return for a touchdown by second-round selection Hester, which sealed the victory.

It was a great beginning for a draft class that had been roundly criticized by many Bears observers. General manager Jerry Angelo used the first five selections on defense, even trading out of the first round to get a third-round pick that he used on defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek, who is on injured reserve with a bone spur in his right foot.

What about the offense? Where was the tight end? Whither a wide receiver? Why would a team that finished second in the league on defense and 29th on offense draft to its strength instead of its weakness?

For one week anyway, it seems like a brilliant move. Angelo, college scouting director Greg Gabriel and the rest of the braintrust seem to have the Midas touch when it comes to selecting defensive players. OK, so the Bears missed on first-round pick Michael Haynes and third-rounder Roosevelt Williams, but they have consistently found class on defense, taking Pro Bowl selections Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris and Nathan Vasher and four other starters.

The Bears drafted nine of their 11 defensive starters. The only exceptions are Adewale Ogunleye, acquired in a trade with Miami, and Hunter Hillenmeyer, signed as a rookie free agent after he was drafted and cut by Green Bay. Nickel back Ricky Manning Jr. was signed in the free-agent market this year.

As good as the Bears have been in selecting defensive players, they've been terrible when it comes to offense. Not counting Olin Kreutz, whom Angelo inherited, the only offensive starters drafted by Angelo are Rex Grossman and Bernard Berrian, and it's too early to make a judgment on either's career.

It's impossible to find a bona fide success among the 16 offensive players drafted under Angelo. Who has performed the best? Maybe Grossman, running back Cedric Benson or receiver Mark Bradley eventually will be viewed as the breakout guy. But for now, take your pick from among reserve guard Terrence Metcalf, third-string running back Adrian Peterson (an excellent special-teams player), waived wide receiver Bobby Wade or fourth receiver Justin Gage.

Perhaps the best player drafted on offense was quarterback Kyle Orton, a fourth-round pick a year ago who won 10 games as an emergency starter but now is third string.

It may be that the Bears just don't have the proper environment for developing offensive players. That's not a problem on defense, according to the Class of 2006.

''This is a great place to be as a rookie,'' Manning said. ''For Jamar, you have Urlacher and Lance Briggs and those guys [to emulate]. Mark Anderson has all those great players on the defensive line to learn from. Devin and myself have all these guys in the secondary.

''We have a great team. There are great captains, great coaches and a great organization. It's been easy to make the transition to this level with those kind of guys. We have all those advantages.''

Manning said he has benefitted from having a locker near safety Mike Brown, who has become a mentor to the rookie on and off the field.

''He's a special guy, period,'' Manning said. ''I am a sponge when I am around him. I just listen to him and try to get everything I can out of it.

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from NFL Films at SB41: Colts defensive line coach John Teerlinck can be heard saying: ''Stay alive on this guy. He's scared to death.'' ... that "guy" is Turnoverasaurus Rex Grossman.

Gobears81

I loved the Hester pick fromd day 1.

there were a ton that hated it.

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WaltsOrangeCBears

hester looks a really explosive returner.

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cheers Megatron

http://www.freewebs.com/waltsorangecbears/
My Bears Website please check it out.

imported_Megatron

Yes, I'd have to say I'm impressed with Hester so far.

lab_nerd

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Gobears81 @ Sep 15th ) [snapback]1703545[/snapback]</div>Which Ive never understood. Ive liked him (as a player, not necessarily that he was on an opposing team ) since he burned Louisville for an 80-something return in Miami, and was ecstatic when we picked him up, even though I later became dissappointed (and later-yet began eating crow) for the rest of the first 5 picks.

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04/16/07 - Prayers for the families of those lost. RIP

04/18/07 - Congratulations Mark Buehrle on the first White Sox No Hitter in 16 years!
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imported_PeanutTillman

At first I hated in b/c we passed on Richard Marshall, but knowing Angelo we could've done worse and he's a huge part in the FP game.

It was a solid pick.

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Bye NFL-Fans

greylion

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PeanutTillman @ Sep 15th ) [snapback]1703834[/snapback]</div>I remember your man crush on Marshall and your rant directed at Angelo, let's hope a few offensive picks of his have a good performance on Sunday and Angelo bashers give him a break for a week.

I respect all of your opinions on this board, most guys here certainly are avid supporters of their team and have a strong opinion of what its needs are, but let's face it, we are all wrong a lot. Especially me.

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If you can't break your nose at it, it ain't a sport.

elaments

I'll eat crow, I laughed at the Hester pick but after watching the game he looked pretty damn good.

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crayphish

i think the hester pick has to be looked at like a succesful offensive draft pick. not only is this guy gonna score points himself, he's going to set up the offense with great field position. if he learns to play CB great, if he gets in on offense even better. i loved the pick. dusty and hester were my favs. too bad about dusty.

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BURN DC

imported_TheTahoeLT

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(crayphish @ Sep 16th ) [snapback]1704558[/snapback]</div>My thoughts exactly. People seemed to ignore the fact that good kick/punt returners set up your offense with a better position to score. If nothing else they play a big part in the field position battle. When your defense is as good as the Bears, field position is huge.

As for being wrong, I wanted a TE in the worst way. Des Clark's 5 catches for 74 yards have so far made me look like an idiot, but i've got no problem with that as long as Des keeps producing.

On the other hand, Mark Anderson seems to be a helluva pick for our defense. Is there a better 4 DE rotation in the league at rushing the passer than Ogun, Alex, Idonije and Anderson?