Chicago Bears Add DE Washington and WR Wilson in Rounds 6 and 7

September 29, 2012; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Cornelius Washington (83) in the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs won 51-44. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears wrapped up Day 3 up adding a defensive end and wide receiver in Rounds 6 and 7 on the 2013 NFL Draft by selecting Georgia Defensive End Cornelius Washington and troubled wide receiver Marquess Wilson out of Washington State in Round 7.   Both players could be considered value picks with high ceilings at low-risk spots in the draft.  Like most Phil Emery picks, they are big on measurables and talent, but have some risks associated with them.  Let’s take a closer look at each selection.

Cornelius Washington

The 6’4″ 265 lb Georgia defensive end could be a little bit of a tweener, with some scouts projecting him as more of a 3-4 outside linebacker.  Hmm, where have I heard that before about a Phil Emery draft pick?  Washington is no doubt an athletic freak, tearing up the Combine with monster numbers in most of the drills.  He was second among linebackers in the 40-yard dash with a 4.55, and was top performer in the broad jump and vertical jump.  Not bad for a man who also benched 225 lbs 36 times.  That’s a ridiculous size/speed/strength ratio.  The reason he was around until the 6th round was that the production on the field didn’t match the ability.

Here’s NFL.com’s bottom line on Washington:

"A tall, long defensive end/rush linebacker who hasn’t been able to break through quite yet, but flashes the strength and quickness (10 career sacks) to be a factor. The production has never been there, but Washington’s flashes and potential will likely result in a team selecting him to contribute down the line."

I can’t help but wonder if Phil Emery is loading up on players to re-build his defense into a 3-4 with some of his recent selections.