1)      Round 1(14) Chris Williams (OT) Vanderbilt-They were targeting an offensive lineman and Williams was the guy they wanted. Will anchor the left hand side to get the run game going and protect the QB (whoever he is). Good value here and they fill an immediate need.  PICK GRADE: A

2)      Round 2 (44) Matt Forte (RB) Tulane-Another nice pick. . A player in the mold of Jamal Lewis could take the reigns this year and kick Cedric Benson out of town. He will come in situationally at first, but could have the full time job by mid season. Good value here and fills another need. PICK GRADE: B

3)      Round 3 (70) Earl Bennett (WR) Vanderbilt-They go back to Vanderbilt and pick up their star receiver. Bennett brings speed and reliable hands to an offense that needs both. I liked some other receivers on the board at this point a little better, but this is a good pick and a good fit for this team. A true football player. PICK GRADE: B+

4)      Round 3 (90) Marcus Harrison (DT) Arkansas-Harrison was flying up draft boards late in the process ,and the Bears did not think he would make it to them at 90. With releasing Tank Johnson and Tommie Harris going through injury concerns, Harrison can be a productive DT in the Bears rotation. Very good value here. PICK GRADE: A

5)      Round 4 (120) Craig Steltz (S) LSU-I’m not as high on Steltz as most are. I think he’s a very overrated prospect. He’s slow, can’t cover, and won’t fit every scheme. They do need a safety, but I’m not in love with this pick. I think he sticks on special teams and nickel packages. PICK GRADE: C

6)      Round 5 (142) Zackary Bowman (CB) Nebraska-A while back, we would have never seen Bowman hit the fifth round. I think in 2 years this is going to be one of the best pickups in the draft. Bowman missed a lot of time in Lincoln with injuries, but when he was healthy, no one threw his way. PICK GRADE: B-

7)      Round 5 (158) Kellen Davis (TE) Michigan State-If you look up Greek God you will soon see a picture of Kellen Davis’ frame. He is so tight-skinned and has muscles on top of muscles. They’ve brought in Greg Olsen to be a pass catcher, but they have added another nice weapon with Kellen Davis. He may have more upside than ANY player in this draft, and I’m not just saying that because he is an MSU alum. PICK GRADE: A

8)      Round 7 (208) Ervin Baldwin (DE) Michigan State-I didn’t even think Baldwin would be drafted. He is a nice fit for a situational pass rusher in a 43 scheme. He was a top JUCO transfer a few years ago and wreaked havoc on the Big 10 over the last few years. In this rotation, he may find some success. He does not bring any versatility though, and will only be used on certain downs.  PICK GRADE: C+

9)      Round 7 (222) Chester Adams (OT) Georgia-They obviously need depth at tackle, and they hope to find it with Adams. Saw some tough competition at Georgia and the Bears love SEC players.  PICK GRADE: C-

10)   Round 7 (247) Kirk Barton (OT) Ohio State-Barton nearly declared for the 2007 draft but decided to come back and get beat by another SEC team in the National Championship. Barton has a good chance to stick on this team and has played with the best for 4 long years in the Big 10. PICK GRADE: B

11)   Round 7 (248) Marcus Monk (WR) Arkansas-The Bears ended the best 7^th round in recent memory tabbing the talented receiver out of Arkansas. Monk, who was plagued by injuries all of 2007 should have a chance to come in and compete for starting time. Most 7^th rounders don’t make the team, I anticipate all theses ones will.  PICK GRADE: A+

OVER ALL GRADE: B+

You knew the Bears were going to go with offense with their selections in the 2008 NFL Draft; and that’s just what they did.  I think they did a fantastic job of selecting for need, as well as getting some of the best available players when selecting. Stepping away from this draft, there isn’t much negative to say. I think they need to address the issue of QB, but there was not a franchise QB available for them when they were selecting. They seem to be set with Orton and Grossman for now, but this area must be upgraded. From a draft standpoint, it was arguably the one of the best in terms of filling needs and getting value.