Jerry Angelo Gives Peek Inside the Draft Room
"Oct 28, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora (72) pressures Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports I was in Chicago in 2003 and we were hell-bent on taking a defensive lineman in the first round. We were a 4-3 scheme at the time and relied more upon big-bodied defensive linemen than slender ones. Michael Haynes, a defensive end from Penn State, was the player we drafted in the first round. To my recollection, no one loved him, including me. But he was the best available lineman in the eyes of many."
So Jerry totally contradicted himself by saying you should draft based on need but then talks about being “hell bent” on selecting a defensive lineman. What gives. Then he talks about not loving the guy they ultimately picked. WTF? Why would you take a guy you didn’t love. And by the way, for the sake of context, the Bears had the #4 overall pick in that draft but traded down to #14 and #22 in the first round with the #4 overall pick.
The Jets used that pick to select Dewayne Robertson, who didn’t amount to much, but later picks in the round included perennial Pro Bowl defensive linemen Kevin Williams and Terrell Suggs ahead of Haynes at #14. They went on to pick Rex Grossman at #22. Just sayin’.
Angelo goes on about the selection:
"Haynes had the credentials, led the Big Ten in sacks that year, played well at the Senior Bowl and was a bright kid. There was another player out of Troy State I really liked who was much more exciting to watch than Haynes in college. He was more of a conventional 4-3 defensive end. It was ultimately my decision and I opted to select “the people’s choice” and passed on Osi Umenyiora, who the New York Giants selected in the second round. The point I’m trying to make is that it’s easy to get caught up in perception and need, but in the end, if you did your work and you have a strong conviction, do what you believe is the right thing for the club."
I’ll give Jerry credit – he selected Charles Tillman in the second round and Lance Briggs in the third round of that draft, so all wasn’t lost in that draft, but if this example gives us insight into the Bears draft room, it’s no wonder Angelo is writing about the draft instead of preparing for it.
Based on what we’ve seen from his successor, Phil Emery, there won’t be many “people’s choice” selections, as Emery takes who he believes to be the best fit, pundits be damned. We’re just a couple of weeks away from finding out who Emery will take in this draft.