The first round of the NFL draft is often where teams can be made or broken. Few teams know this better than the Chicago Bears. Since the year 2000 they have made 15 picks on day one of draft weekend. Just two of them managed to start five or more seasons with the team. Two. TWO! Out of 15. They were middle linebacker Brian Urlacher and defensive tackle Tommie Harris.
The rest are a mix of talent busts, damaged goods and misused studs who were shipped elsewhere. It’s no wonder this franchise hasn’t been able to keep up with the elites like Pittsburgh, New England, and Green Bay. Here’s their numbers by comparison.
- Pittsburgh: 8 out of 17
- New England: 8 out of 15
- Green Bay: 7 out of 17
It’s a pretty straightforward lesson. If you don’t hit on the top picks, it’s hard to win in the NFL. There is no doubt the Bears need to get it right next year if they want any hope of no longer being the welcome mat of the league. How do they pull it off? By understanding sticking to what they’ve done best. (continue to next page from top)
