2011 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears Day Two Preview
By Jake Cox on April 29, 2011 at 2:43 pm in Bears, Featured
The first day of the draft is in the books, and the Chicago Bears took bookend offensive tackle Gabe Carimi with their first pick. He is exactly the type of player that the Bears needed, and he will be a valuable asset to the team moving forward.
With one need down, the Bears will likely focus on other positions on day two of the draft. There are a couple of different ways that the Bears could go in rounds two and three. The most likely targets will be a wide receiver, a defensive tackle, and an offensive guard. There will be multiple players at each of those positions for the Bears to consider.
The Bears will be looking at multiple wide receivers that will be available in round two. Their top target is likely Torrey Smith out of Maryland, but I expect him to be gone before the Bears get the chance to pick him. Some other receivers they could consider include Randall Cobb and Titus Young, but I don’t think that they are the best fits for Chicago.
The one receiver that is still available who would make a lot of sense for the Bears is Greg Little out of North Carolina. He has a nice combination of size and speed, with the potential to develop into a number one receiver. Jay Cutler would love to have him to throw to, and he will likely be available when the Bears come on the clock.
The Bears could also go with a defensive tackle, with the consensus favorite among Bears fans being Marvin Austin out of North Carolina. A lot of people thought the Bears would take him in round one, so he likely will be off the board unless Chicago trades up.
Two defensive tackles who I think would be good fits along the defensive line include Christian Ballard from Iowa and Drake Nevis from LSU. Nevis would bring a lot of athleticism and quickness to the position, while Ballard brings good size and pass rushing ability. They will both be strongly considered by Chicago if they are available.
The Bears did shore up part of their offensive line last night, but they could also look to add another lineman here in the next round or two. There are multiple offensive guards that are still available that would instantly upgrade the Bears’ offensive line.
Marcus Cannon is a huge player, who projects best to guard at the next level. The Bears could use a mauler like him at the guard position, but he may not be available. The Bears could also target Gabe Carimi’s former teammate in round three, John Moffit.
The best fit though could be Clint Boling from Georgia. He was a four year starter at Georgia who would be ready to go from day one. The Bears would have to take him in round two, but I think it’s a good idea to take a guard in round two or three to continue to protect Cutler.
Day one of the draft was very good to the Bears, having Gabe Carimi drop to them at number twenty nine. The draft is far from over though, and the Bears still have some work to do in the next two days as they try to fill as many of their needs as possible.
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