Harry Hiestand and the Notre Dame Connection

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BearDown333
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With Trubisky being the future of the franchise and the apparent plan being to build around him, Pace should look at strengthening our O line in the 2018 draft to protect him. Notre Dames Offensive Line coach Harry Hiestand was hired to coach the Bears O line under Nagy in 2018. Interestingly, Notre Dame also has two high profile Offensive Linemen in the 2018 NFL Draft. Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey, both of which are slated to go in the first round.

Will the Bears draft an Offensive Linemen in the first round of the 2018 draft? If they do, will they target one of Hiestands former players from Notre Dame? One thing is for sure, Hiestand will know these two prospects better than anyone else. His first hand experience with these two prospects will benefit the Bears draft plan and ultimately Pace's decision on draft day.
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It would not have shocked me to see us go O-line with our first pick, regardless of who we hired to coach that position. Obviously, I don't want to see us reach for a guy simply because our new positional coach wants to bring his buddies from his college job over. However, if they were already on Pace's radar and Hiestand simply gives his vote of confidence. I certainly would not complain.

I don't see a WR that I'm crazy about. There's aspects of Ridley that are appealing, but he seems far from a slam-dunk. I think this may be a good year to focus on establishing a good base up front for Trubisky. Add an Allen Robinson type in FA. Bring back a couple of guys (Meredith, Inman, Wright?) and draft WR in the mid-rounds. If Shaheen develops into his second year, that group of targets has some upside. Then, next year maybe you focus on grabbing that big outside threat in the first round. It could be a better class. I honestly have no idea, though.
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The average NFL guard peaks at 26-27 and is on a gradual decline each year further. Long is having 3 surgeries this offseason I think I read on this board? Sitton is near his expiration date. We need to protect Trubisky.
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1. We're not replacing our LT as we just re-signed him and he's alright.
2. You don't draft OGs in the top 10.
3. Bobbie Massie is alright and paid at a bargain rate.
4. Nelson arguably meets a need, but his weakness is lateral movement which is a necessity in the zone blocking scheme we're going to use.

I don't see it.
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I think you're absolutely right about drafting a guard in the top 10. Top 10 is more left tackle territory. I have a feeling the value of Nelson is going to change as we near draft day because being ranked in the Top 10 is awful high for a Guard.

I like where Pace snagged Whitehair, who I think is a frst-rate G/C. My ultimate hope for draft day is that Pace trades that #8 pick for more picks. Top 10 players are seldom worth their pay.
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Pace has shown he values things differently. If he wants you , he will over reach to get you.
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Umbali wrote:Pace has shown he values things differently. If he wants you , he will over reach to get you.
How so? His whole philosophy has been "best player available". Which is the exact opposite of "reaching". I don't think I really recall a reach, to be honest. Maybe something in the middle rounds... but... he's been pretty vocal about not reaching.
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Richie wrote:
Umbali wrote:Pace has shown he values things differently. If he wants you , he will over reach to get you.
How so? His whole philosophy has been "best player available". Which is the exact opposite of "reaching". I don't think I really recall a reach, to be honest. Maybe something in the middle rounds... but... he's been pretty vocal about not reaching.
i think what umbali means is that pace has never been afraid to take who he wants where he wants, "experts" be damned. dont act like when mitch was taken after trading up to two, everyone wasnt like "are you shitting me, he would have been there at three."

absolute same with small school adam shaheen, absolute same with tarik cohen.
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or maybe umbali means that pace is a knucklehead and will reach because he's too busy smelling his own farts to care, but i think the tangential point that pace isnt going to let any draftnik's opinion on what he's supposed to do cloud his judgement is true.
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Mikefive wrote: 2. You don't draft OGs in the top 10.
i get this, and it seems like the few who were drafted that high and remained at guard were not at all worth it, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, Nelson/Whitehair/Long could be an incredible interior. When the Cowboys were tearing things up last year and everyone was like "GOD DAMN THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD AN OFFENSIVE LINE" making offensive rookie of the year dak prescott look like the saviest pick ever... everyone wants that, but then every time the draft rolls around everyone explains away not taking offensive lineman that high.
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Wounded Bear wrote: Long is having 3 surgeries this offseason I think I read on this board? Sitton is near his expiration date. We need to protect Trubisky.
Yup Sitton is getting older and yeah Long has been banged up a lot. Whether we address our O line in the first round of the draft or not, we need to build depth. An injury or two and our O line could run into some issues. Sure, Trubisky is a mobile QB and his athleticism allows him to escape trouble when protection breaks down... but he was still sacked 31 times this season and Glennon took 8 during his tenure. Clearly we have a lot of needs as a team, but depth at OL would help Trus confidence and help him develop into the QB we all hope he becomes.
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RustyTrubisky wrote:
Mikefive wrote: 2. You don't draft OGs in the top 10.
i get this, and it seems like the few who were drafted that high and remained at guard were not at all worth it, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, Nelson/Whitehair/Long could be an incredible interior. When the Cowboys were tearing things up last year and everyone was like "GOD DAMN THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD AN OFFENSIVE LINE" making offensive rookie of the year dak prescott look like the saviest pick ever... everyone wants that, but then every time the draft rolls around everyone explains away not taking offensive lineman that high.
But Dallas didn't win anything and dropped to 9-7 this year. Prescott started throwing a normal amount of interceptions and Elliot's ypc dropped back to 4.1.

Now maybe 2017 was the aberration and they bounce back but perhaps it was 2016...
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RustyTrubisky wrote:
Richie wrote:
Umbali wrote:Pace has shown he values things differently. If he wants you , he will over reach to get you.
How so? His whole philosophy has been "best player available". Which is the exact opposite of "reaching". I don't think I really recall a reach, to be honest. Maybe something in the middle rounds... but... he's been pretty vocal about not reaching.
i think what umbali means is that pace has never been afraid to take who he wants where he wants, "experts" be damned. dont act like when mitch was taken after trading up to two, everyone wasnt like "are you shitting me, he would have been there at three."

absolute same with small school adam shaheen, absolute same with tarik cohen.

This is what I meant. I think with drafts being so subjective, Pace is willing to go with his beliefs versus the dozens of draftnicks. Not saying its right or wrong....its clearly right when he hits and easy to criticize when he is wrong.

Heres the deal though, he gambles putting his job on the line. His gambles only effect us in regards to how it effects our team. I dont have any issue thus far with Paces drafts.
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Heistand developed those guys at ND. That’s why he was hired. To develop guys. He doesn’t necessarily have to have the guys he already coached.
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wab wrote:Heistand developed those guys at ND. That’s why he was hired. To develop guys. He doesn’t necessarily have to have the guys he already coached.
Bingo. Get him involved in the draft process, have him identify kids whose traits he loves, and then draft those dudes in rounds 4-7 in this draft.
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G08 wrote:
wab wrote:Heistand developed those guys at ND. That’s why he was hired. To develop guys. He doesn’t necessarily have to have the guys he already coached.
Bingo. Get him involved in the draft process, have him identify kids whose traits he loves, and then draft those dudes in rounds 4-7 in this draft.
If he developed normal guys, fine then, don't draft them. But Nelson is a once in a decade OG. Given the state of our OG's, you have to take this guy.
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Bears Whiskey Nut wrote:
G08 wrote:
wab wrote:Heistand developed those guys at ND. That’s why he was hired. To develop guys. He doesn’t necessarily have to have the guys he already coached.
Bingo. Get him involved in the draft process, have him identify kids whose traits he loves, and then draft those dudes in rounds 4-7 in this draft.
If he developed normal guys, fine then, don't draft them. But Nelson is a once in a decade OG. Given the state of our OG's, you have to take this guy.
I don't agree, but I'm largely against taking OGs in the top 10. I don't care if he's All-World, he's still a freaking guard to me. You can find those dudes anywhere and have success.

At pick 8 I want a QB, LT, pass rusher or corner.
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G08 wrote:
Bears Whiskey Nut wrote:
G08 wrote:
wab wrote:Heistand developed those guys at ND. That’s why he was hired. To develop guys. He doesn’t necessarily have to have the guys he already coached.
Bingo. Get him involved in the draft process, have him identify kids whose traits he loves, and then draft those dudes in rounds 4-7 in this draft.
If he developed normal guys, fine then, don't draft them. But Nelson is a once in a decade OG. Given the state of our OG's, you have to take this guy.
I don't agree, but I'm largely against taking OGs in the top 10. I don't care if he's All-World, he's still a freaking guard to me. You can find those dudes anywhere and have success.

At pick 8 I want a QB, LT, pass rusher or corner.
Any game changer is fine! If that's an ILB, safety, DE, DT, WR, TE etc. Can guards be game changers? I'm not so sure.
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malk wrote:
G08 wrote:
Bears Whiskey Nut wrote:
G08 wrote:
wab wrote:Heistand developed those guys at ND. That’s why he was hired. To develop guys. He doesn’t necessarily have to have the guys he already coached.
Bingo. Get him involved in the draft process, have him identify kids whose traits he loves, and then draft those dudes in rounds 4-7 in this draft.
If he developed normal guys, fine then, don't draft them. But Nelson is a once in a decade OG. Given the state of our OG's, you have to take this guy.
I don't agree, but I'm largely against taking OGs in the top 10. I don't care if he's All-World, he's still a freaking guard to me. You can find those dudes anywhere and have success.

At pick 8 I want a QB, LT, pass rusher or corner.
Any game changer is fine! If that's an ILB, safety, DE, DT, WR, TE etc. Can guards be game changers? I'm not so sure.
They literally can't.
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I’ve always got a big Notre Dame boner around here, so I’m a huge fan of Nelson. I just think Heistand was hired by the Bears so they DON’T have to take a Nelson at 8. He’s with the Bears so they can develop their own Nelson. But that’s just my opinion.
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wab wrote:I’ve always got a big Notre Dame boner around here
And, to be fair, it's like a solid 2.5"

:D
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G08 wrote:
wab wrote:I’ve always got a big Notre Dame boner around here
And, to be fair, it's like a solid 2.5"

:D
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G08 wrote:
wab wrote:I’ve always got a big Notre Dame boner around here
And, to be fair, it's like a solid 2.5"

:D
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bleacherreport.com/articles/2755359-nfl1000-ranking-the-top-right-tackles-of-2017-season

www.thetenyardline.com/2018/02/06/bobby-massie-ranks-out-far-better-than-expected-and-could-be-due-for-a-breakout-in-2018/

Didn't know where else to put this, Massie getting some love. Another indication that the fanbase has internalised his early play and struggles to change their opinion.

Could have had more help from RG and has Hiestand coming in to coach him. He might even get an extension next year...

EDIT: Also ranks higher than Wagner who I had in my last offseason plan.
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malk wrote:bleacherreport.com/articles/2755359-nfl1000-ranking-the-top-right-tackles-of-2017-season

www.thetenyardline.com/2018/02/06/bobby-massie-ranks-out-far-better-than-expected-and-could-be-due-for-a-breakout-in-2018/

Didn't know where else to put this, Massie getting some love. Another indication that the fanbase has internalised his early play and struggles to change their opinion.

Could have had more help from RG and has Hiestand coming in to coach him. He might even get an extension next year...

EDIT: Also ranks higher than Wagner who I had in my last offseason plan.
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Someone say something?

:lol:
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