Bears Blitz

Published by Bryan Dietzler on February 24, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

It’s hard to grade a draft only a year after the players were drafted, but some of the players in the 2009 NFL Draft (for the Bears) had a hand in helping the team out during their first season.

Players like Johnny Knox and Al Afalava contributed on the team during their first season, and Knox even made the Pro Bowl as a kick return specialist. 

Other players will have to wait to get their turn, however, and some of them may not be around when the final roster comes out at the end of training camp this summer

In our final installment of Jerry Angelo’s draft history, we will take a quick look at the players that he drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft, how they did in their first year in the NFL, and where they stand going into the 2010 season (if they are still with the team).

Round Three: Jarron Gilbert—DT, San Jose State

With the Bears’ first pick in the 2009 draft (thanks to the Jay Cutler trade and trading away their next choice), Chicago went for depth and hopefully some starting power in Gilbert.

Gilbert, well known for being able to jump out of the three-foot end of a swimming pool, was felt to be a very athletic player who could have a shot at both the defensive tackle and defensive end positions.

In 2009, Gilbert played in just one game, recording just one solo tackle. He should get a better shot at either rotating in at one of the two defensive tackle positions or could even see some time at one of the defensive end positions next season. Either way, he does have a future with the Bears and should see much more action in 2010.

Round Three: Juaquin Iglesias—WR, Oklahoma

Chicago went for some depth at the wide receiver position in 2009 and took Iglesias with their second third-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Like Earl Bennett the year before, the Bears chose to keep Iglesias on the bench and allow him to learn while watching from the sidelines. Iglesias ended up playing in just one game last season, and he didn’t have any stats.

Look for him to get a pretty good shot in training camp this summer, and he could end up being on the fringe of making the team depending on how things go at the wide receiver position this offseason. He really hasn’t had much of a chance to prove himself in Chicago just yet, and hopefully he will get that chance this summer.

Round Four: Henry Melton—DE, Texas

Chicago went for some depth at the defensive end position with their first fourth-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft and went after Texas’ Melton. They felt that Melton was a great athlete and could help provide the Bears with a boost at the defensive end position (in terms of rushing the passer).

Melton didn’t get a chance to play at all in the regular season as he got injured during the preseason and was placed on injured reserve prior to the start of the 2009 campaign. He did show some flashes of solid athletic ability when he was in the game for the Bears and will get a chance to make the roster this summer. He has a good shot of remaining with the team in 2010.

Round Four: D.J. Moore—CB, Vanderbilt

The Bears got kind of a steal when they selected Moore in the fourth round. A lot of experts felt that Moore would go in the second round, but he slipped, and the Bears snapped him up. A lot of people felt that his size was a factor in him slipping in the draft, but the Bears didn’t feel that was a problem.

Moore was active in three games for the Bears in 2009 and didn’t have any stats. He will get a chance to make it as a backup this summer in training camp, and with a good training camp performance he could end up sticking with the team and seeing some additional playing time.

Round Five: Johnny Knox—WR, Abilene Christian

By now we should all be familiar with what Knox did for the Bears in his first season with the team, and he has a very exciting future in Chicago. He made the Pro Bowl as a kickoff return specialist, and his pass-catching skills, although shaky at the start of the season, improved enough that he was considered a go-to guy often.

Altogether, Knox played in 15 games for the Bears and didn’t start any. He had 45 catches for 527 yards for an average of 11.7 yards per catch. His longest catch was 68 yards, and he caught five touchdown passes. He did fumble three times, losing two of those fumbles.

Knox has a bright future ahead of him with the Bears as long as he can learn the new system and show both Cutler and Mike Martz that he will be able to be a reliable receiver. He has the kind of speed that the Bears need to stretch the defense, and with some additional experience he may be able to turn into the kind of receiver that defenses respect. He should have an interesting career with the Bears.

Round Five: Marcus Freeman—OLB, Ohio State

Chicago wanted to add some depth at the linebacker position in the 2009 NFL Draft, so they went after Freeman, who had a lot of promise and potential. However, things didn’t pan out well for Freeman and the Bears, and he was let go in final cuts before the season. He is now on the practice squad with the Houston Texans.

Round Six: Al Afalava—S, Oregon State

Afalava missed some of the OTAs before the start of training camp, thus putting him behind a little bit, but that didn’t stop him from cracking the Bears’ starting lineup and playing as a starter a majority of the season. Did the Bears find a diamond in the rough at their embattled safety position?

In 2009, Afalava played in 13 games, starting all 13. He recorded 53 total tackles with 43 of those solo and 10 of them assisted. He had two sacks, seven passes defended, and one forced fumble.

While Afalava was the starter in 2009, he wasn’t the “ideal” starter at the position, and the Bears may look to get some additional help at the position during the offseason. If they do find someone to compete with Afalava and he loses out in the competition, he should remain as a reserve and could be a valuable backup in case of injury. Look for him to remain in Chicago at least a couple more seasons.

Round Seven: Lance Louis—TE/OG, San Diego State

Louis had the size to play guard but the speed to play tight end, and after not getting too much of an opportunity in 2009, he is poised to take a shot at making the team once again in 2010.

In 2009, Louis didn’t get a chance to play in any games, but he should get a longer look this offseason to see where he fits. He could end up being a backup at the guard position because it’s likely that the Bears won’t need him at the tight end position.

Round Seven: Derek Kinder—WR, Pittsburgh

Kinder had a big injury in college that kept him from being a much higher draft pick than he ended up being. Chicago was trying to find some wide receivers to see who would fit best in their system, but in the end things didn’t work out for Kinder and the Bears, and he was cut in training camp. He is currently not with an NFL team.

It’s hard to grade a draft class that has just completed one year of play in the NFL, and this one is even harder to grade because of the situation the Bears were in last season. High marks can be given for the play that Knox and Afalava produced last season, and it will be interesting to see how they both do in their second seasons in Chicago.

It’s too bad that players like Freeman didn’t work out and a guy like Iglesias didn’t get much of a chance, but with the players the Bears have from this draft, they have a lot of potential. These guys could shine in the future. 

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com