Bears spoke to 3 teams at the combine about the first overall pick: know they can get 1sts in 2024 and 2025

[Jackie Lee]

3 minutes ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

 

Yeah good for Levis bad for us lol. 

[CamWhoaaCam]

7 minutes ago, TLGPanthersFan said:

CWC is the king of really stupid statements. 

I love you regardless.

 

Im not perfect.

[CamWhoaaCam]

1 minute ago, Jackie Lee said:

Yeah good for Levis bad for us lol. 

lol why everybody so down on Levis?

 

I see a kid with a big arm who can be coached up just like AR.

[Jackie Lee]

1 minute ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

lol why everybody so down on Levis?

 

I see a kid with a big arm who can be coached up just like AR.

Age is one. AR actually had a highlight reel last year, Levis had one deep throw that was kinda a lobbed up 50/50 ball. AR has better feel in the pocket. Levis pressure to sack rate was like 27%, AR was like 9%. AR's mechanical flaws are coachable, Levis' mental flaws are hard to fix. If mentals were easy to fix Darnold would be a franchise QB already

[CamWhoaaCam]

1 minute ago, Jackie Lee said:

Age is one. AR actually had a highlight reel last year, Levis had one deep throw that was kinda a lobbed up 50/50 ball. AR has better feel in the pocket. Levis pressure to sack rate was like 27%, AR was like 9%. AR's mechanical flaws are coachable, Levis' mental flaws are hard to fix. If mentals were easy to fix Darnold would be a franchise QB already

That's fair. I have seen a lot of people mention the mental part of the game is where Levis struggles. 

[Kentucky Panther]

12 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

lol why everybody so down on Levis?

 

I see a kid with a big arm who can be coached up just like AR.

That kid can’t go two posts without crapping on him. 

[SameDamnThing]

We have to go up and get C.J. Stroud. I don't know how many people know his story, but he's overcome so much adversity to be here. His Dad has been incarcerated since he was small and all he has done is continue to defy the odds. He was a 3 star QB his Junior season in HS and had such a dominant year he got bumped up to 5. He went to Ohio State to play behind Justin Fields, which is something not many would have done, and was booed the first time he set foot on the field in the Horseshoe. In this day of soft athletes who will use the transfer portal for hurt feelings, he had a million reasons to leave. There was competition. He was up against Quinn Ewers who had a record NIL deal. 

If you listen to his press conference after the Michigan game, you'll see his character. He was baited several times with questions that were designed to allow him to speak negatively about others and he kept bringing it back on himself. Asked about a refusal to go for it on 4th down, he backed his coach even though he disagreed with the call. He showed up and answered questions after perhaps the most heartbreaking loss you can have. Against your undefeated rival by 3 points at home with an amazing performance against what was essentially an NFL defense. Zero excuses for a defense that gave up 44 points. He didn't mention it once. 

As for football skills, off the charts. He's a football player so his best throws have been in football games, but if you watch his footwork, the way he holds the ball high, and the smoothness of his mechanics it reminds me a lot of Peyton Manning. He throws as hard as he needs to throw to put the ball where it needs to be. People make a lot of overwhelming arm strength but it doesn't matter if you have poor timing on your release. Stroud is almost textbook at getting the ball out of his hands at the correct time. People were worried about the deep ball and as you heard Eisen say during his throwing session on his 3rd throw, "oh, he's got it." Bryce Young didn't throw. On the advice of some agent. He came in, measured short, and didn't do any drills. It isn't like he doesn't have competition for 1st overall. This isn't Trevor Lawrence. The competitor alone should have been enough to make him want to come out and throw head to head with the rest of these guys to prove he's that guy. It's fear and lack of self-belief and letting some agent make the business decision and walk around the combine like the mayor. Give me the guy that showed up and showed out. The one who wanted this stage. 

 

[OldhamA]

7 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

That’s what people can’t grasp. If Williams and Maye are as good as advertised those picks aren’t for sale. We would have to finish last or second to last to draft one of those players and with this staff, that’s not happening. 

So because the Williams / Maybe picks aren't for sale in 2024 we should trade 3 first round picks this year for lesser prospects?

Make it make sense.

[MHS831]

2 hours ago, SameDamnThing said:

We have to go up and get C.J. Stroud. I don't know how many people know his story, but he's overcome so much adversity to be here. His Dad has been incarcerated since he was small and all he has done is continue to defy the odds. He was a 3 star QB his Junior season in HS and had such a dominant year he got bumped up to 5. He went to Ohio State to play behind Justin Fields, which is something not many would have done, and was booed the first time he set foot on the field in the Horseshoe. In this day of soft athletes who will use the transfer portal for hurt feelings, he had a million reasons to leave. There was competition. He was up against Quinn Ewers who had a record NIL deal. 

If you listen to his press conference after the Michigan game, you'll see his character. He was baited several times with questions that were designed to allow him to speak negatively about others and he kept bringing it back on himself. Asked about a refusal to go for it on 4th down, he backed his coach even though he disagreed with the call. He showed up and answered questions after perhaps the most heartbreaking loss you can have. Against your undefeated rival by 3 points at home with an amazing performance against what was essentially an NFL defense. Zero excuses for a defense that gave up 44 points. He didn't mention it once. 

As for football skills, off the charts. He's a football player so his best throws have been in football games, but if you watch his footwork, the way he holds the ball high, and the smoothness of his mechanics it reminds me a lot of Peyton Manning. He throws as hard as he needs to throw to put the ball where it needs to be. People make a lot of overwhelming arm strength but it doesn't matter if you have poor timing on your release. Stroud is almost textbook at getting the ball out of his hands at the correct time. People were worried about the deep ball and as you heard Eisen say during his throwing session on his 3rd throw, "oh, he's got it." Bryce Young didn't throw. On the advice of some agent. He came in, measured short, and didn't do any drills. It isn't like he doesn't have competition for 1st overall. This isn't Trevor Lawrence. The competitor alone should have been enough to make him want to come out and throw head to head with the rest of these guys to prove he's that guy. It's fear and lack of self-belief and letting some agent make the business decision and walk around the combine like the mayor. Give me the guy that showed up and showed out. The one who wanted this stage. 

 

I want Stroud, and I think this is a great place for him.  The only way the combine helped him was to have him jump from the second pick to the first pick, and he came out and competed.  I personally think we saw what he could become in that Georgia game--he was awesome.

Levis?  Nobody is crapping on him--his play in the SEC was not stellar--he is a pure potential pick at this point. He has all the tools--so did Peyton Manning and so did Ryan Leaf (back in the day).   His tape was not great, and trained eyes note that he struggles to throw across his body at times--they said the same thing about another older QB, Chris Weinke.  He had fewer weapons and a suspect OL, but the numbers and performance is not there.  So, he is a potential pick, not a proven winner pick.

AR-15 could be a great NFL player, but for those of you worried about Levis' or Hooker's ages, you need to worry about longevity with AR.  His style is not conducive to playing more than a decade, so if you griped about Hooker or Levis being older, they can play to be 35 or so.  AR is likely to be done by age 30-32.  Throw in the fact that he needs a year to develop....

Young buys his clothes in the big boys section at JC Penny.  He is an otherwise awesome QB, and his size is the only knock against him--except he played behind a good OL, usually with the lead, with some pretty nasty weapons--all advantages. We have never really seen him put the team on his back and rally from behind, but he rarely had to.

I am not a great evaluator of talent, especially at QB, but I see Hooker as the guy with the physical skills and size to do well.  Maybe he wasn't asked to read defenses that much at Tennessee, but he did very well doing what he did.  Give him a year in the film room as he recovers, working with coaches etc. and maybe, even at age 27, you have your diamond in the rough emerge.  Why not?  You could trade back in the draft, grab an elite TE and Hooker, and then a WR in round 2.  Spend the rest of the draft on defense.  I doubt the Panthers do this because it is very risky and might cause a riot, and they seem very determined to move up.

[ForJimmy]

2 hours ago, OldhamA said:

So because the Williams / Maybe picks aren't for sale in 2024 we should trade 3 first round picks this year for lesser prospects?

Make it make sense.

Will you please follow the context. It was referring to a post saying wait until next year for Williams and Maye. I’m saying that isn’t an option. 

[Jon Snow]

I would take Hooker or AR over CJ Stroud.  No OSU qbs for me. Don't bother trying to change my mind. 

[TLGPanthersFan]

3 hours ago, OldhamA said:

So because the Williams / Maybe picks aren't for sale in 2024 we should trade 3 first round picks this year for lesser prospects?

Make it make sense.

Making assumptions that next years QBs will be better than this year is misguided. 

[Martin]

8 hours ago, Kentucky Panther said:

That kid can’t go two posts without crapping on him. 

I think it is absolutely normal to be a bit of a homer and defend your guys. But would you really draft him in the top 10?

[Martin]

3 hours ago, OldhamA said:

So because the Williams / Maybe picks aren't for sale in 2024 we should trade 3 first round picks this year for lesser prospects?

Make it make sense.

This was obviously for the crowd saying do nothing and just wait for next years draft, but you knew that.

On a complete side note. I remember when Oldham used to be an extremely hard away game for any opponent. Consistently a top team on the second division, making noise in the FA cup etc. What happened? I’m not as close to it as I used to be in the 90s.