LAKE FOREST, Ill. (WBBM) ― The Chicago Bears drafted left tackle Chris Williams of Vanderbilt with the 14th pick Saturday, strengthening an offensive line that showed age and offered little protection last season.
Then, they added a running back in the second round, taking Tulane's Matt Forte at No. 44 even though quarterbacks Brian Brohm of Louisville and Chad Henne of Michigan were still on the board. Chicago spent its next three picks in the Southeastern Conference, taking
Chicago went with Williams at 14 over tackles Branden Albert of Virginia and Pittsburgh's Jeff Otah. One potential target came off the board when Denver took tackle Ryan Clady of Boise State with the 12th pick, and Chicago opted not to spend its first-rounder on Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall.
"Our No. 1 need was left tackle in the offseason," general manager Jerry Angelo said. "We wanted to get a tackle (in the draft), and obviously, if we had our choice it would be left tackle. We feel real good about our selection."
Williams was in on 836 offensive plays last season and allowed one sack while registering 102 knockdowns, including 12 blocks that led to touchdowns. He is just the second Vanderbilt offensive lineman drafted in the first round, the first since Will Wolford was the 20th pick overall in 1986.
Vanderbilt offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell told The Nashville Tennessean newspaper what he’ll miss most about losing Williams to the pro ranks . . . and the answer may be a surprise.
It’s not the left tackle’s versatility, his ability to pick up the blitz or his steadiness on the field.
“He can do anything with a computer,” Caldwell said. “I’ll miss that most in my meeting room. The computer goes out, and Chris would tell me ‘right-click this, do that’, and it’s done.
“Chris can make a fortune with his mind. Chris doesn’t have to have the NFL. The NFL needs him — the kind of man he is, the work ethic, the citizenship.”
After arriving at Vanderbilt in 2003 from the Louisiana prep ranks as a scrawny 245-pounder — strength coach John Sisk nicknamed him “The Human Bobblehead Doll” — the 6-6 Williams has grown into a strapping 315.
“He’s an excellent pass blocker,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “He’s got really good feet, good balance, long arms. He’s an athletic, pro-style left tackle pass blocker. I think he’s going to be a mid-first-round pick.”
There was a time, not so long ago, when just being drafted was more than Williams could conceive.
“The first round is ridiculous in my head,” said the newly married Williams. He visited with nine teams in a recent two-week span. “When I got here, I thought of it as a possibility — as in, a dream. I was just trying to stay in school and trying to work out, trying to start. You’ve got to start playing college football before you can worry about pro football.”
Spending one year as a redshirt and a second as an academic casualty, Williams got off to a slow start with the Commodores. Once he hit the field, however, he made himself a mainstay on the offensive line while continuing to develop his body and his skills.
“When he got here, we just wanted to get him to where he didn’t get hurt,” Sisk said. “But watching him play (in high school) on tape, we didn’t have anybody that moved as quickly as he did. He was probably the most athletic guy we’d recruited up to that point and probably still. To see him move and do things on the field — that’s the kind of guys we need to develop.”
Since he came from a family of big and athletic folks, it wasn’t hard for the Vanderbilt coaching staff to project Williams’ size. And coming from a family of solid, industrious folks, projecting his desire to get better was just as easy.
“He’s a product of his work ethic,” Sisk said. “We’ve guided him and helped him. But ... as soon as he got back from the (NFL) Combine on Sunday, he was in the weight room on Monday. He got back from his team visits on Friday and he was in here this past Saturday. Whoever gets him is going to get somebody that works very hard, and not just for three months to get ready for the Combine. He’s done it his whole career. He’s put a lot of time in.”
All that time wasn’t in the weight room or on the field, either. Caldwell lauds Williams for his gridiron smarts as much as anything else.
“He played center one spring,” Caldwell recalled. “He would have been our center (in 2004), but academically he had a little setback. The next year, he started at guard because that’s where our deficiencies were. But he played left tackle in long-yardage situations where they had a great speed-rusher. That’s where the intelligence that he has comes in. It’s just amazing how he can learn. You hope people can do that, but most people can’t, even though you expose them to it — the room hears all the things that he hears.
“I’ll tell them, ‘it’s not of that great importance, but if you’ll learn this, you’ll be a better player’. Some of them turn a deaf ear, but he was just enthused by it.”
Playing with and against some of the top college players in the nation — players who have gone on to play in the NFL — helped Williams realize that his dream was becoming more and more reachable as he continued to progress.
“I started getting a little recognition from the SEC, from the coaches,” he said. “And seeing Jay (former Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler) picked 11th overall — that was big. Seeing a guy I played with, that I know is good, get drafted really high, that was reassuring. If you can play, they’ll find you.”
“He’s a very humble young man — easy to work with, wants to be successful,” Sisk said. “He has a passion about playing football and I think that’s something teams that have brought him in have found out. He likes playing football, he dissects the game, he understands it.
Williams alternated between left tackle and guard in 2005 while helping protect quarterback Jay Cutler, the 11th overall pick by Denver in 2006. He settled in at tackle in 2006 and 2007 and allowed just two sacks.
"It's great to be a Bear, playing for a team with so much tradition," Williams said. "I'm speechless right now."
The draft was the latest big event in what has been a whirlwind for Williams, who got married April 5 in Louisiana.
Williams joins a team that got hit hard by injuries on both sides of the ball and stumbled to 7-9 after reaching the Super Bowl the previous year behind a dominant defense and an offensive line that ranked among the league's best.
After taking Williams, the Bears went with Forte rather than a quarterback, sending a message to incumbent Cedric Benson in the process. Known for his balance and ability to gain ground after taking a hit, Forte ran for 2,127 yards and 23 touchdowns last season.
Chicago's defense figures to be better if it stays healthy, but there are questions surrounding an offense that ranked 27th last season. With four starters on the line in their 30s, the Bears averaged a league-low 3.1 yards per carry and ranked 30th with just 83.1 yards rushing per game. And their quarterbacks fared no better, getting sacked 43 times -- ninth in the NFL.
Williams dismissed a report that he had neck problems, saying "I don't have any neck issues."
Angelo said the Bears examined him several times and found nothing more than the usual wear and tear.
"It wasn't any red flag for us," he said. "Our medical people saw him. Obviously, we're not going to make an investment of a first-round pick if we felt like that was a red flag."
There were also questions about Williams' aggressiveness because he didn't retaliate when someone took some swings at him at the Senior Bowl. Then again, he showed restraint.
"You have to show discipline as a player and be smart," he said.
Smith said Williams is probably a more polished pass-protector than run-blocker, but "I think he does both well."
Chicago needed to replace departed veterans Fred Miller at right tackle and nine-time Pro Bowl pick Ruben Brown at left guard. Angelo hinted during the week that he would look for a reinforcement in the first round when he said there was more depth in the draft at running back -- another weak spot for the Bears.
Angelo has a solid record drafting defensive players, including defensive tackle Tommie Harris, linebacker Lance Briggs and cornerback Nathan Vasher. All three have made the Pro Bowl, but on offense, the GM hasn't been as fortunate.
His two highest profile selections -- quarterback Rex Grossman and Benson -- have battled injuries and inconsistency.
Grossman, the 22nd pick in 2003, got benched after the third game due to poor play. He returned for five games and was more effective before injuring his left knee. Benson, the fourth overall choice in 2005, averaged just 3.4 yards per carry before a broken ankle ended his season.
"We talked about Rashard quite a bit," Angelo said. "We liked him very, very much, but we felt like the line was our biggest need."
Angelo said he fielded several "very aggressive" offers from teams looking to trade up in the draft, but he decided to stand pat. Although the Bears wouldn't commit to starting him immediately, they believe Williams will be a quick study.
After all, he scored a 32 on the Wunderlic test. Given his background, that wasn't a shocker. His older sister is an attorney, while his twin sister is studying chemistry, and his father supervises an electrical plant.
"I feel like they drafted me to fill a need," said Williams, who graduated in December. "I'm definitely coming in trying to start. ... First-round picks are guys that are going to play."
•The Bears bolstered their backfield by choosing Tulane running back Matt Forte in the second round (44th overall).
“Offensive line and running back were two of the positions that we had our eye on going into the draft,” said coach Lovie Smith. “So it’s a good day for us to be able to fill both of those needs.”
The Bears were impressed with Forte’s production and the fact that he remained in school to play all four years. As a senior, the 6-2, 222-pounder rushed for 2,217 yards and 23 touchdowns and caught 32 passes for 282 yards. Part of the reason he retuned was to rpove a 2006 knee injury would not derail his career.
A downside to his play, according to some analysts, is his straight-up running style, which gives defenses a better shot at him
“He has excellent speed, he has good size and he can make you miss,” Smith said. “All the things you look for in a good running back he has.”
Matt Forte rushed for 2,217 yards and 23 TDs last season as a senior at Tulane.
After their rushing attack ranked 30th in yards per game and 32nd in yards per carry in 2007, the Bears were determined to acquire a running back to challenge Cedric Benson for the starting job.
They’re convinced that they’ve found their man in Forte, who is described in Pro Football Weekly’s 2008 Draft Preview as “a big, strong, hard-charging, upright, one-cut runner with the vision, instincts and toughness to be effective running inside.”
“We wanted players with good production, and we targeted certain positions that we either wanted to upgrade at and/or create more competition,” said general manager Jerry Angelo. “Forte would fall into the latter. We want to create more competition at the position.
“I felt like our running game was one of the weak spots on our football team. He gives us a big back, a three-down back. He’s got enough speed to get to the outside and he has the ability to make people miss at the second level. Those two areas where we could really never find any consistency, which made us an easy team to defend from my perspective.”
Angelo said that he hopes Forte will push Benson, who has not yet emerged as the type of back the Bears envisioned when they selected him with the No. 4 pick in the 2005 draft.
“Maybe he’s not the featured back we thought he’d be,” Angelo said of Benson. “He played well as a complementing back with Thomas [Jones]. When we thought we were starting to see a little something [last season], then he breaks his ankle.
“I felt that we needed to make sure that we protected that position. How it works out—if they complement each other or one takes the bull by the horns so-to-speak and he’s the guy—you can’t go wrong. You can’t have too many good backs.
“We have to be a running football team. We haven’t changed our philosophy. We didn’t get the results that we needed to get from our offense, and that’s what we looked at real hard when we came out of our meetings.”
Tulane coach Bob Toledo and Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom both offered high praise when the Bears inquired about Forte, who rushed for 4,145 yards and 38 touchdowns in four seasons for the Green Wave.
“Bob Toledo, who’s been around for a long time in college football, just raved about this guy,” Angelo said. “Sylvester Croom played against him a couple times. Our area scout asked Sly what he thought about him and Sly really recommended him very well as well.”
The Bears considered selecting a quarterback in the second round, but Forte was exactly the type of experienced and productive three-down back they were seeking.
“He’s a guy that we wanted in our program, on our team, so we feel real good about him getting into the mix at the running back position,” Smith said. “We have some other players there, but we’re just trying to add a little bit more firepower to our offensive team and we felt like we did that, so we’re feeling pretty good about our first two picks.”
“Our philosophy going into the draft was to get players that we can win with at need positions,” Angelo said. “That’s what we hoped to accomplish and feel strongly that we did. But again, they’ve got to come in here and do it. We all know that.”
•In the third round, it was Williams' teammate, wide receiver Earl Bennett (70th overall).
Bennett was highly productive in college. Despite playing only three seasons, the 5-11½, 209-pounder finished as the SEC’s career leader in receptions with 236 and is the only player in conference history with at least 75 receptions in multiple seasons.
•After spending their first three draft picks on offense, the Bears addressed the other side of the ball by choosing Arkansas defensive tackle Marcus Harrison with their second third-round selection (90th overall).
Harrison is a first-round talent who dropped in the draft because of durability and character concerns. The 6-3, 310-pounder possesses excellent size, agility and balance, but he sustained knee injuries in each of his final two seasons and was arrested last August and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and driving with a restricted license.
In 2004, defensive lineman Marcus Harrison became Arkansas' first true freshman to start the season opener since 1992.
Harrison tore his left ACL last spring, but rebounded to register 76 tackles, 6½ tackles-for-loss and 1½ sacks while starting 10 games. He also batted down 10 passes and forced one fumble.
“Talent-wise, we are very excited about this young man as a football player,” said Bears defensive coordinator Bob Babich.
“He is a big, strong, athletic defensive lineman. We feel very comfortable with him fitting in our system. I think that he is athletic enough to play the three technique, but at the same time, he’s big enough and strong enough to play nose if we need to move him into that position. So anytime we can gain depth through talent on the defensive line, we are comfortable doing that.”
The Bears were comfortable picking Harrison despite his arrest.
“We weighed the risk/reward and felt that he was a good player and that we can take care of the situation,” said Greg Gabriel, the Bears’ director of college scouting.
“We researched the whole process very thoroughly. We have spoken to the attorneys and the court. He’s in a pre-adjudication program at Arkansas and we will continue that program here, where he is under supervision. When he completes that program, everything gets dropped and the slate is clean.”
During a conference call with reporters, Harrison acknowledged that he had only himself to blame for the off-the-field incident that caused him to slip into the third round of the draft.
“I have made a really horrible mistake and of course I have seen how it has cost me, especially today,” Harrison said. “That is exactly what it was. It was a mistake that I made in the past, but I’ve moved on from it and right now just being positive about the whole situation and taking care of my business as far as my counseling going on and the classes I have to attend in order to get past the things that I went through. The situation is pretty much behind me and I’m moving on.”
Harrison is determined to make the most of his second opportunity.
“Every chance that I get, I feel it’s a blessing and I just pretty much try to take advantage of every opportunity I’m given, especially this one because I know a lot of people don’t get a chance,” Harrison said.
Harrison spent about two hours talking to coach Lovie Smith during the defensive tackle’s Pro Day workout at Arkansas.
“He asked me if I would like to be a Chicago Bear,” Harrison said. “He pretty much went over everything, and how I would fit into the scheme of the defense that they run in Chicago. He told me if I was still around that he would come get me and he did. I guess he was a man of his word and I appreciate that.
“It’s actually a dream come true as far as even being drafted, to be on a great team with a wonderful defense. There are a number of guys that I look up to on their defense like Tommie Harris and Brian Urlacher, the list goes on. Especially with a great coach like Lovie Smith, it’s a blessing.”
•In the fourth round, after trading down twice, the Bears on Sunday selected LSU safety Craig Steltz (120th overall).
Steltz is an instinctive, tough and intelligent safety who emerged as a senior before sustaining a hairline fracture of his scapula, or shoulder blade, in the national championship game last Jan. 7. Steltz led the SEC with six interceptions last season.
The 6-1, 210-pounder was unable to participate in the Senior Bowl in January or the NFL Scouting Combine in February, but he impressed scouts at LSU’s Pro Day March 26 and said Sunday that his shoulder is back to 100 percent and “getting better every day.”
Steltz started all 14 games last season, registering 101 tackles, seven pass breakups and six interceptions. As a junior in 2006, he had 42 tackles, nine pass breakups and four interceptions while becoming the first player in LSU history to pick off a pass in four straight games.
Asked what special skills he’ll bring to the Bears, Steltz said: “I’m a hard worker. I know I wouldn’t be in the spot that I’m in if it weren’t for the hard work I’ve put in through my years back in high school and LSU. I think I’m a great teammate that is hard-working.”
Steltz possesses outstanding size and strength but lacks top-end speed. He appears to be an ideal fit in the Bears’ cover-two defense.
“Coming from LSU, you weren’t just a strong safety or a free safety, as a safety, you had to be able to play both positions,” Steltz said. “So I’m just going to try to come in and fit where I fit in and be a part of the game and learn from the older guys on the team.”
The Bears drafted Steltz after twice trading down five slots in the fourth round. Chicago initially sent the 110th to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the 115th pick and a seventh-round choice (No. 208). The Bears then dealt the 115th pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 120th pick and a fifth-round selection (No. 158).
Contents of this site are Copyright 2008 by WBBM. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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