Matt Forte looks like the Man in Chicago.

1/14 Chris Williams, T, Vanderbilt

Williams is as sure of a thing as they come, but cross your fingers. They said the same thing about Robert Gallery. Regardless of what Bears management is saying, Williams’ first season will likely end up with a one-way trip to IR without him having played a down. Herniated discs will do that to you.

 

2/13 Matt Forte, RB, Tulane

Forte is a straight up smash mouth runner, in the mold of Rudi Johnson. His arrival made the release of Cedric Benson that much easier, and he was quickly catapulted into the starting gig. That may not be the most desired position, though, judging by how poor the Bears’ rush attack faired last season. At any rate, Forte will likely be splitting time with newly signed Kevin Jones, if Jones can ever return to full speed.

 

3/7 Earl Bennett, WR, Vanderbilt

To the naked eye, it would appear Bennett would have a shot at the third receiver spot. But we’ve been fooled by Chicago’s receiving corps too many times to jump to conclusions. There are just too many bodies with experience ahead of him, and there’s nothing his drops and punt returns for touchdowns can do about it. He’s likely to battle former Oregon State receiver Mike Hass for scrap time.

 

3/27 Marcus Harrison, DL, Arkansas

One thing Chicago is good at is drafting premiere defensive talent, and putting it to good use right away. Harrison isn’t a real threat to break into the starting line-up, but has been impressive in training camp. He has a realistic chance to make an impact as a rotation guy during the course of the season.

 

4/21 Craig Steltz, DB, LSU

Steltz could be a real steal for Chicago, especially after the release of Adam Archuleta. He registered 10 picks in his final two years, but dropped on team’s boards because of a busted shoulder. He is currently the number two free safety.

 

5/7 Zack Bowman, CB, Nebraska

Bowman had, at a time, first round status written all over him, but knee injuries dropped his stock severely. If he can ever rebound from his injuries, patellar and ACL tears, he has a real shot at playing right away. A fifth rounder is a small price to pay for a potential first round talent. Ricky Manning Jr. should be worried.

 

5/23 Kellen Davis TE, Michigan State

As a prospect, Davis’ only downer is his arrest record. He has ideal size, 6’6’’, 259 lbs, and speed, running a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. If it weren’t for Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark, I’d suggest keeping an eye on him.

 

7/1 Ervin Baldwin, DE, Michigan State

Baldwin might want to re-join his brothers on the stage and get back into acting, because it’s unlikely he’ll get a fair shake this season on Chicago’s line. He was a solid defender in the Big-10, which is actually saying quite a bit. Baldwin could be among the pre-season cuts.

 

7/15 Chester Adams, G, Georgia

Adams has experience, starting 23 games at Georgia, to go with versatility. He switched between the guard and tackle positions in college, and excelled, but will be asked to pave the way for Matt Forte as a guard in his first year.

 

7/36 Joey LaRocque, LB, Oregon State

LaRocque was a solid defender at Oregon State, but is a latch-on player, and has almost everything working against him. Normally if a drafted linebacker doesn’t have a shot to make a team, he tries another position, but with so much depth on defense, it’s special teams stud or bust.

 

7/40 Kirk Barton, T, Ohio State

Barton was an extremely effective tackle as a Buckeye, and could be left on an island against the best of pass-rushers in college. In the NFL, however, his athleticism is extremely suspect, and his lack of versatility is severely exposed. Barton will have to grab a spot as a back up with pure solid play at only one position, which is a lot harder than you’d think. Think present-day Chad Clifton, but as a rookie.

 

7/41 Marcus Monk, WR, Arkansas

Monk has ideal size and speed to excel at the next level, but he simply hasn’t had the stage to showcase his abilities. His offense was run-oriented in college, and his lack of experience with beating jams against elite cover men showed in training camp. Monk is a practice squad candidate after being waived recently.