With the uncertainty of free agency in this tumultuous NFL offseason, the recently completed draft took on added significance. The Bears had needs to fill and we all knew what they were. Bears’ GM Jerry Angelo and the rest of the front office are pleased with the 5 players they selected. In my opinion, they have a right to be. While you can’t really judge the success of a draft for 2 or 3 years, the Bears selected players who fit key areas of need, and in most cases, are higher quality prospects than the Bears’ had a right to expect given their late draft position.
Gabe Carimi – 6-7, 315lb Offensive Tackle – Round 1 (29th overall selection)
It’s an NFL draft cliché to say, “We’re thrilled to get so-and-so. We never dreamed that he’d still be there when it was our turn to pick.” In this case, it’s an entirely accurate statement. Carimi, the 2010 Outland Trophy winner as the most outstanding interior lineman in college football, was projected by experts to go as high as #17 and no one I read thought he’d get past the Philadelphia Eagles at #23. When he was still on the board after the 25th overall pick, the Bears were convinced that the KC Chiefs would take him at #27. This led to the botched trade with the Baltimore Ravens who held #26. Fortunately, the Chiefs went with wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin and Carimi fell to the Bears.
Carimi has just about everything you want in a tackle…size, strength, quickness and a bit of a nasty streak. Some say that since he’s such a punishing run blocker, he’ll be moved to right tackle, but I wouldn’t count on it. In any case, the Bears hit a home run with this pick.
Stephen Paea – 6-1, 303lb Defensive Tackle – Round 2 (53rd overall selection)
Several experts, including the highly-respected Pro Football Weekly publication, thought the Bears would select Paea with their first round pick, citing that he’d be a perfect fit to replace Tommie Harris at the all important “3 Technique” tackle in the Lovie Smith’s “Tampa 2” defense. Others felt that the Bears would get him if they traded out of the first round and into an early 2nd round selection. However, when they landed Carimi in the first, Paea figured to be the “fish that got away.”
When Paea remained on the board midway through round 2, the Angelo didn’t want to press his luck and started making calls in an effort to move up from their 62nd overall position. It cost the Bears their 4th round pick, but they found a taker in the Washington Redskins and got their man with the 53rd overall selection.
Paea is very quick, has a very high motor and is freakishly strong. At the NFL combine in Indianapolis, he blew past the all-time record for the 225lb bench press with 49 reps (previous best was 45). Paea grew up in Tonga where he was a rugby player. His family moved to the US when he was 16 and he began playing football. He drew little interest from major colleges so he attended junior college to learn the game. He eventually received a scholarship from Oregon State where he earned All-Pac10 honors and the Morris Trophy as the best defensive lineman in the conference. The kid’s a quick study.
Paea figures to start for the Bears right away. He also figures to push a few of his new teammates in the weight room.
Chris Conte – 6-2, 197lb Free Safety – Round 3 (93rd overall selection)
Conte played at cornerback his first 3 seasons at Cal before switching to safety as a senior. He’s a strong and willing tackler, but moved up on many draft boards based on a strong showing at the combine. His 4.53 40-yard dash time surprised many, as did the fact that his 10’7” broad jump placed 4th among all defensive backs.
The Bears, knowing that they didn’t have a 4th round pick, may have reached a bit in selecting Conte, but he figures to contribute immediately on special teams and may even compete for the starting job.
Nathan Enderle – 6-4, 240lb Quarterback – Round 5 (160th overall selection)
By all accounts, this was a Mike Martz (Bears’ Offensive Coordinator) pick. Martz attended Idaho’s “Pro Day” to take a look at Enderle and the two apparently hit it off. Afterwards, Enderle positively gushed at Martz’s understanding of the position and how he was able to immediately give the QB several useful tips on his mechanics.
Enderle clearly has pro size and has a quick release, but isn’t particularly athletic (5.15 in the 40). By pro standards his arm strength and accuracy are rated as no better than average. He figures to make the team as a 3rd-string QB and may be placed on the developmental squad (if one still exists in the new labor agreement). By many accounts, the Bears reached to get Enderle.
J.T. Thomas – 6-1, 241lb Linebacker – Round 6 (195th overall selection)
No reach here. Thomas was expected to be selected late in the draft and was. Main knock on him is his height, but he’s faster than most of the linebackers selected ahead of him (his 4.68 in the 40 was 7th best among linebackers). Scouts say that he loves to deliver the big hit, but sometimes gets himself out of position in anticipation of delivering the blow. Sounds like a special teamer to me.
Conclusion
Since I’m a firm believer in the adage that success in pro football is all about “your big uglies beating their big uglies,” Angelo and the Bears front office had me at round 2 in this draft. Nearly every scout had Carimi among the elite offensive tackle prospects in this draft class and Paea was probably the top 3-technique tackle prospect in the draft. If someone had offered to give the Bears these two players in return for all of their draft picks, they might have been tempted.
Conte figures to be a lock to make the team on special teams and may do even better than that. Besides, it wouldn’t be a Bears draft if they didn’t take a safety somewhere. I’m not wowed by what I’ve read about Enderle and it’s up to Martz to show that the big QB was worth taking a couple rounds ahead of his time. In the meantime, he’ll look good holding a clipboard. Lastly, I like J.T. Thomas. Like Paea, he’s a player who figures to be more valuable in Lovie Smith’s defense than he would be elsewhere. First and foremost, the Tampa-2 demands speed from its linebackers and Thomas has 3rd-round linebacker speed.
There’s a very good chance that the Bears picked up 2 immediate starters and that all 5 of their picks will make the team. I don’t believe in giving grades for drafts, so I’ll simply say Angelo and his staff done good…damn good.
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