Bears are suddenly Vander-built
Bears quickly becoming Commodores alumni club, and the quintet will play leading role in their success
May 3, 2009
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
Rex Hogan already has heard the taunts, and the Bears' scout for the East region chuckles.
He's the only scout who doesn't travel. He will have a permanent parking spot at Vanderbilt. He'll be eating for free on campus. He'll be able to watch Commodores games from his own private box.
There ought to be some perk for stocking the Bears' roster with Vanderbilt players. Headlined by new quarterback Jay Cutler, whom Hogan didn't have a direct hand in acquiring, the Bears are set to have five Vandy players on their roster this season.
Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer has been around since 2003. Offensive tackle Chris Williams and wide receiver Earl Bennett were drafted last year, and cornerback D.J. Moore was added in the fourth round last weekend, a ''value pick,'' the Bears declared. If that's not enough, wide receiver George Smith is participating in rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. There are 15 Commodores in the NFL, and the Bears control the market.
''I think we've got the right ones,'' Hogan said. ''As far as I am concerned, we do.''
Scout has an in-house edge
Hogan has a unique edge scouting the Southeastern Conference program that's traditionally known more for its brains than its brawn on the football field. His wife, Christy, is an academic counselor for the athletic department. While most would suggest a team is better off building its roster from traditional powers such as Florida (50 players in the NFL), Georgia (62) or LSU (58), it just happened that the Bears find themselves with their own Commodores alumni club.
Williams was the Bears' first-round pick last season, and the team rated Bennett as the top wide receiver in the 2008 draft class. The Cutler trade fell into general manager Jerry Angelo's lap last month. Angelo called Hogan before the deal went down for his opinion and to learn what has been said about Cutler around Vanderbilt since his departure after the 2005 season. Hogan never thought he'd see Moore in a Bears uniform, but he remained on the board after the Bears selected Texas defensive end Henry Melton in the fourth round.
''As Jerry would say,'' Hogan said, ''D.J. stood out like a beacon light. I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, here we go again.'''
Some early mock drafts had Moore going in the first round. Then he showed up for the scouting combine and -- while Vanderbilt listed him at 5-10 -- measured under 5-9. When he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds, the true junior started to fall -- all the way to the Bears, with whom he feels at home. Bennett took Moore and Smith to eat at Denny's on Thursday night.
It's not that unusual to have such a concentration of players on the same team. At one point during Angelo's career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team had six players on its roster from Texas A&M-Kingsville. It is unusual to have so many players from one school in make-or-break positions. Much of the 2009 season will hinge on the Bears' Vanderbilt players. Expectations for Cutler start with leading the team to the playoffs. Bennett is at the top of the depth chart and is expected to start opposite Devin Hester after barely seeing the field as a rookie. Williams, a year removed from back surgery, is supposed to play right tackle and prove he's the heir apparent to Orlando Pace on the left side. Hillenmeyer will battle Nick Roach for a starting job.
Cutler is like family to Vandy
As popular as they are here, the Vandy players are grabbing the attention of folks in Nashville, Tenn., who were curious onlookers before and now are dialed in after the arrival of Cutler. They took it personally when Cutler came under scrutiny during the fallout with the Denver Broncos. He's family to Vanderbilt. After all, Cutler was walking into the Commodores' weight room when he got the news about the trade. The team just happened to be there, in a rain delay during a spring practice.
''He was smiling from ear to ear,'' strength coach John Sisk recalled. ''It was kind of a unique thing.''
Sisk said the Vanderbilt players can attest to Cutler's leadership ability. He acted as an assistant coach in the weight room when he was an upperclassman. Cutler, who bench-pressed 400 pounds and squatted more than 500, lifted with the offensive linemen. Before his senior year, Cutler and a few older players rented a house, and they filled it.
''Jay made them stay,'' Sisk said. ''There must have been 12 guys there, and it was: 'You're staying on the couch or an air mattress. We've got to get better. You're not going home.' He stayed every summer.''
Vanderbilt wide receivers coach Charlie Fisher is confident Bennett will hit his stride this season. After all, Fisher watched him set the SEC career record for receptions in three seasons. He marvels at the collection of players the Bears have.
''The one thing scouts in general like about our guys is they're smart guys,'' Fisher said. ''They're sharp guys on and off the field. They can learn, and they're good locker-room presences. They're stable guys, and that's important.''
The program is going to keep producing players. One service already ranks Myron Lewis as the No. 2 cornerback for the 2010 draft, and offensive tackle Thomas Welch is garnering plenty of attention. There are others, and no one is closing the Bears' pipeline.
''It's a pretty easy trip,'' Hogan said. ''Ten minutes from my house to campus.''
