After a long period of inactivity, the NFL Combine is almost upon us. Bears Playbook will be in Indy this weekend and thought we’d give a list of players that Bears fans should be paying attention to this weekend. Here are some players that the Bears may target in the draft and what you should look for during some of their drills.
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame – Floyd is a big-bodied receiver (6’3” 220) that the Bears could definitely use. He has excellent body control , speed, quickness and is a good route runner. His biggest question marks are off the field issues (he’s had 3 alcohol related incidents). His interviews with teams this week will have a serious impact on his draft stock.
Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina – Jeffery’s draft stock has been dropping due to concerns about his ability to gain separation. Once viewed as a top 10 pick, he is now projected to be drafted in the end of the first round. At 6’4” and 230 lbs, Jeffery is a physical presence with excellent ball skills. The key to his combine will be his 40-yd dash. If he can drop some weight and run a good time in the 40, he may be in the conversation for the Bears at the 19th pick overall.
Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford – Martin is currently projected to go around the middle of the first round. If he makes it to 19, the Bears would have to give him strong consideration. A strong run blocker, Martin is also good in pass protection and would provide a big upgrade at Left Tackle.
Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State – A very good run-blocker, Adams has struggled with consistency in pass protection, especially against speed rushers. That said, he has looked dominant at times and would provide an upgrade to the Bears offensive line. The combine may show off some of his physical traits and raise his draft stock back up to the point where he’ll be in consideration at 19 overall.
Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois – Mercilus was a monster in 2011 with 16 sacks and 9 forced fumbles. He has a motor that runs non-stop and can rush with impressive speed around the edge or with a powerful bull rush. Because he only started 15 games at Illinois, teams will be looking for a strong combine to help validate his strong results from this past season. Most mock drafts currently project Mercilus to be drafted somewhere around the Bears pick and I’m sure Lovie Smith is impressed with his ability to strip the ball. Given Lovie’s penchant for drafting D-linemen early, there’s a good chance that this backyard prospect will remain in Illinois as an NFL rookie.
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