Bear Interviews

[Moriarty]

Found this list in progress:

Chicago Bears
Will Anderson, Defensive End, Alabama (COM)
Julius Brents, Cornerback, Kansas State (COM)
Nick Hampton, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Appalachian State (COM)
K.J. Henry, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Clemson (COM)
B.J. Ojulari, Defensive End, LSU (COM)
Noah Taylor, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Kansas (COM)
Tyree Wilson, Defensive End, Texas Tech (COM)
Devon Witherspoon, Cornerback, Illinois (COM)

[EricTighe]

Is it a safe assumption that we are going Offense in FA's?

[thunderspirit]

Found this list in progress:

Chicago Bears
Will Anderson, Defensive End, Alabama (COM)
Julius Brents, Cornerback, Kansas State (COM)
Nick Hampton, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Appalachian State (COM)
K.J. Henry, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Clemson (COM)
B.J. Ojulari, Defensive End, LSU (COM)
Noah Taylor, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Kansas (COM)
Tyree Wilson, Defensive End, Texas Tech (COM)
Devon Witherspoon, Cornerback, Illinois (COM)

Hampton, Henry, and Taylor seem odd fits. Maybe they see them in more of a traditional LB role.
The rest make sense.

[Moriarty]

DL, LB, and CB are just the position groups that were assigned to go first. More to come.

[EricTighe]

With the strength of this draft being Defense it does make sense.

[karhu]

Found this list in progress:

Hampton, Henry, and Taylor seem odd fits. Maybe they see them in more of a traditional LB role.
The rest make sense.

All three are fantastically productive, and was it Hampton who acquitted himself so well as a traditional LB at the Senior Bowl?

[thunderspirit]

Hampton, Henry, and Taylor seem odd fits. Maybe they see them in more of a traditional LB role.
The rest make sense.

All three are fantastically productive, and was it Hampton who acquitted himself so well as a traditional LB at the Senior Bowl?

I personally wouldn't call any of them "fantastically productive", though. Hampton did all right against Sun Belt competition (though his solo tackle output as an off-ball LB is very much lacking). He did look decent at the Senior Bowl as an off-ball backer, yes. He'd be a projection there, after playing a rush LB in the App State 3-4, but as Day 3 flyer might be worthwhile.

Taylor has solid TFL numbers but anemic solo tackles. He missed seven games during his three years starting at both North Carolina and Virginia, which does suppress his stats. Physically he looks the part of an Eberflus-type LB, so while that, too, is a projection — he played at DE in North Carolina's 4-2-5 defense — he also might be a decent flyer.

Henry's one year (2022) as a full-time starter in Clemson's 4-3 was pretty lackluster in my view, and on a par with his prior two seasons as a spot starter. I wouldn't be particularly interested myself. But then I'm not the Bears, so.

[Atkins&Rebel]

Found this list in progress:

Hampton, Henry, and Taylor seem odd fits. Maybe they see them in more of a traditional LB role.
The rest make sense.

Eberflus has 9 years experience in 3-4 systems as a LB coach.
So I'm confident that Flus can incorporate guys into his scheme, or recognize who can play a more traditional LB role if needed.

[IE]

I wouldn't mind if Poles took Witherspoon after trading down, depending on how FA goes. Witherspoon is the Sauce of '23. All the Illinois DBs are studs.

[Grizzled]

Is it a safe assumption that we are going Offense in FA's?

OT, maybe IOL, a pass catching TE (Gesiki or Schultz), but what other positions?

[wab]

I'm a big Nick Hampton fan, so I'm happy to see him being considered.

[RichH55]

I actually liked the other small school LB more (Jacksonville St I want to say???)

[karhu]

All three are fantastically productive, and was it Hampton who acquitted himself so well as a traditional LB at the Senior Bowl?

I personally wouldn't call any of them "fantastically productive", though. Hampton did all right against Sun Belt competition (though his solo tackle output as an off-ball LB is very much lacking). He did look decent at the Senior Bowl as an off-ball backer, yes. He'd be a projection there, after playing a rush LB in the App State 3-4, but as Day 3 flyer might be worthwhile.

Taylor has solid TFL numbers but anemic solo tackles. He missed seven games during his three years starting at both North Carolina and Virginia, which does suppress his stats. Physically he looks the part of an Eberflus-type LB, so while that, too, is a projection — he played at DE in North Carolina's 4-2-5 defense — he also might be a decent flyer.

Henry's one year (2022) as a full-time starter in Clemson's 4-3 was pretty lackluster in my view, and on a par with his prior two seasons as a spot starter. I wouldn't be particularly interested myself. But then I'm not the Bears, so.

Yeah, that was an exaggeration. But they *were* productive. Henry had something like six PD this year. Aside from Campbell, this year's LB crop isn't really full of well-rounded players with big stats across the board. More of an a la carte deal, and I can see why each of those players offers something Poles might like to add.

[Moriarty]

updated

Deslin Alexandre, Defensive End, Pittsburgh (PRI)
Will Anderson, Defensive End, Alabama (COM)
Julius Brents, Cornerback, Kansas State (COM)
Nick Hampton, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Appalachian State (COM)
K.J. Henry, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Clemson (COM)
Xavier Hutchinson, Wide Receiver, Iowa State (COM)
Rakim Jarrett, Wide Receiver, Maryland (COM)
Paris Johnson, Offensive Guard, Ohio State (PRI)
B.J. Ojulari, Defensive End, LSU (COM)
Zacch Pickens, Defensive Tackle, South Carolina (COM)
Rashee Rice, Wide Receiver, SMU (COM)
Noah Taylor, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Kansas (COM)
Tyree Wilson, Defensive End, Texas Tech (COM)
Devon Witherspoon, Cornerback, Illinois (COM)
Bryce Young, Quarterback, Alabama (COM)

[Middleguard]

updated

Deslin Alexandre, Defensive End, Pittsburgh (PRI)
Paris Johnson, Offensive Guard, Ohio State (PRI)

Only 2 since the Combine. Why is Johnson listed at guard, and if that's what he is, why are Bears linked to him at #9?

[HisRoyalSweetness]

[bearsoldier]

Palczewski has a grim injury history but bounced back very well with 65 straight games... Seems like a Grabowski to me!

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Ale ... L-Illinois
https://steelersdepot.com/2023/02/shrin ... r-granted/

[HisRoyalSweetness]

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I should add that I don't know the credentials of these Twitter posters.

[IotaNet]

I should add that I don't know the credentials of these Twitter posters.

This kid I like. I heard a radio interview with him during the combine and started researching him.

Look like an excellent DL 3T prospect.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/sr-prospect ... 0acff4e20/

[TheWorldBreaker]

I should add that I don't know the credentials of these Twitter posters.

This kid I like. I heard a radio interview with him during the combine and started researching him.

Look like an excellent DL 3T prospect.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/sr-prospect ... 0acff4e20/

I’ve got my fingers crossed they’re able to get Adebawore to be their 3T of the future.

[bearsoldier]

The latest list from Walter Football https://walterfootball.com/prospectMeetings/byteam

Deslin Alexandre, Defensive End, Pittsburgh (PRI)
Will Anderson, Defensive End, Alabama (COM)
Julius Brents, Cornerback, Kansas State (COM)
Jalen Carter, Defensive Tackle, Georgia (PRI)
Jaelyn Duncan, Offensive Tackle, Maryland (PRI)
Nick Hampton, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Appalachian State (COM)
K.J. Henry, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Clemson (COM)
Xavier Hutchinson, Wide Receiver, Iowa State (COM)
Rakim Jarrett, Wide Receiver, Maryland (COM)
Paris Johnson, Offensive Guard, Ohio State (PRI)
B.J. Ojulari, Defensive End, LSU (COM)
Zacch Pickens, Defensive Tackle, South Carolina (COM)
Rashee Rice, Wide Receiver, SMU (COM)
Noah Taylor, 3-4 Outside Linebacker, Kansas (COM)
Tyree Wilson, Defensive End, Texas Tech (COM)
Devon Witherspoon, Cornerback, Illinois (COM)
Bryce Young, Quarterback, Alabama (COM)

There is also this list and it seems to have some more recent additions.
https://www.sportsmockery.com/chicago-b ... th-so-far/

Deslin Alexandre (EDGE, Pitt)

Probably the least talked about member of the Pitt defensive line entering the draft. Calijah Kancey and Habakkuk Baldonado get most of the hype. Alexandre still remained a steady, dependable player with 16.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for a loss across four seasons. He has the size and long arms the Bears look for and plenty of strength to set the edge against the run. Teams will also love his non-stop motor.


Karl Brooks (DL, Bowling Green)

He dominated his level of competition over the past two years with 17.5 sacks and 30.5 tackles for a loss. He’s swift off the snap, has the burst to beat blockers to the angle, and shows a strong motor to finish plays. The tricky part is finding his fit. He played defensive end in college but doesn’t have the size or length for that in the NFL. Perhaps the Chicago Bears see him as a future three-technique.

Ricky Stromberg (C, Arkansas)

Lucas Patrick was a flop. Sam Mustipher is a backup. This team needs a definitive solution at center. Stromberg can be that guy. The wide-zone demands a center to be highly aware and able to move well in space. Both are core strengths of his game. He plays with desirable grit and toughness. To top it off, he’s a die-hard Bears fan. There is no denying he could be a quality addition somewhere in the 3rd or 4th round range.

Payne Durham (TE, Purdue)

Adding Robert Tonyan makes drafting a tight end less of a priority. That said, there is no such thing as too much talent at a position. Durham is another of those two-way types. He’s big, long, and a sound blocker. While he won’t be a separator in the passing game, he has a natural feel for catching the football. He can be a legitimate target on 3rd down and in the red zone. The Bears got a good look at him at the Senior Bowl. They seem interested in continuing to explore.







Payne Durham surprises me but love to see it... Ricky Stromberg makes sense as he has played C and LG. Karl Brooks projects as a late 7th-UDFA

[thunderspirit]

I like Stromberg and Durham a lot on Day 3. Brooks is one I rate as a borderline Day 2 guy based on his play and his showing at the Senior Bowl, but his pro day testing may suggest otherwise. If that holds, though, I'd be very pleased to get him on Day 3.

Alexandre grades out as a UDFA to me. I agree he has the frame and a good motor, but his market share of Pitt's defensive production was poor. Lots of activity without much to show for it. I'm not big on him at all.

[Middleguard]

Two CBs and no safeties.