Dec. 23, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; General view of University of Phoenix Stadium as reflected in a Chicago Bears helmet during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Happy Draft Day! It’s finally arrived. Let’s cut right to the chase. I asked our staff and reader’s to predict the pick.
Tooch
Aaron Donald, DT — Pitt
If by chance he’s available at 14, Emery will, for once, make a not-so-bold choice with his first selection and take Donald. Donald fills a huge need on the Bears defensive line and pairing him with the likes of Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, Willie Young and Jay Ratliff should be enough to make any Bears fan salivate. The biggest concern with Donald remains his size, but there’s no denying his huge talent and tremendous upside. He is simply the perfect building block and centerpiece for a Bears defense in desperate need of a makeover.
Heather
Aaron Donald, DT – Pittburgh
At the No. 14 pick, Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald may be the best talent available and best fit. Donald is disruptive, quick, and may be one of the biggest value picks in this entire draft. People talk about how undersized he was, but he shut down some of the offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl. I would hope that Emery picks Donald over Louisville Calvin Pryor if he’s still on the board.
Elijah Zelonky
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
I don’t see Aaron Donald falling to 14. I think Emery will clearly see the need for a safety and I think he will think Clinton-Dix has a better appeal to Emery than Pryor. As much as I would love to see Donald in a Bears uniform, I think that it is much more likely that the Bears will have a player named Ha Ha.
Cameron Curtis
Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
Surprise! Well, not really in my opinion. Over the past two years, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Phil Emery it’s to expect the unexpected. Fuller fits the mold of what Emery looks for in his draft picks: big, athletic and versatile (he projects well to safety as well as corner). The secondary also happens to be a major area of concern for Chicago. You might say that the Bears could trade down and still land Fuller, and you’re probably right, but Phil Emery has shown that he will be true to his board regardless of what other people think. Until he breaks the pattern he’s set of reaching for players in the first round, that’s what I’ll predict.