Free Agents Chris Leak and Darrius Walker Picked Up By Chicago Bears - Suntimes.com

I can't believe Darrius Walker was passed by, but he was. That's a major error for a running back so productive for the Irish.

BEARS DRAFT DAY 2 | Angelo gets what he's looking for to fill class in later rounds; undrafted Florida QB Leak coming to camp

April 30, 2007
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
In the days leading up to the draft, general manager Jerry Angelo said the Bears were going to need a little luck for things to work out to their satisfaction.

During the discussion, a ladybug wandered across the table, and it was pointed out that could only be a sign of good fortune to come.

Don't worry, he didn't devour the spotted little creature, but the final four rounds of the draft fell just about how Angelo was hoping Sunday. The Bears added a developmental guard in Josh Beekman, who they didn't figure would be around at the end of the fourth round, as well as some candidates for Dave Toub's special-teams unit.

''We like our class a lot,'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''As far as how much the players will contribute, I'll just say we have a track record for playing young players. We are excited about some of these players being able to contribute soon.''

The tone was set for a strong draft Saturday when the Bears took Miami tight end Greg Olsen with the 31st pick in the first round, which Angelo said three teams called trying to get. Normally, he would deal down in that position, but the Bears felt so strongly about the 6-6 Olsen -- who runs a 4.51-second 40-yard dash -- that they stayed put to make the selection.

Then the Bears passed on taking a wide receiver at No. 37 -- they would have chosen from among USC's Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith and South Carolina's Sidney Rice -- and traded the pick to the San Diego Chargers to create more depth, which became Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe in the third round and Louisiana-Monroe safety Keith Payne in the fifth, plus a third-rounder from the Chargers in hand for next season. The Bears are expected to monitor wide receivers in free agency as post-draft cuts are made.

Completing the day Sunday were New Hampshire cornerback Cory Graham in the fifth round and Mississippi cornerback Trumaine McBride and Iowa State offensive tackle Aaron Brant in the seventh.

''If we were right, we're really going to like this class,'' Angelo said. ''We feel very strongly we know each of these players inside-out. I'm not saying we don't have concerns -- there are things they need to get better with -- but they all have strong traits.''

Payne started his college career as a running back before switching to defense to replace Chris Harris when he left Louisiana-Monroe for the Bears two years ago. Payne is 6 feet, 220 pounds, and Angelo said the coaching staff wanted to get a bigger safety.

Graham also has good size at 6 feet, 192 pounds and is a solid match for the cover-2 scheme with experience in zone coverage. McBride faced top competition in the Southeastern Conference, and Brant projects as a size prospect at 6-7, 320.

It usually takes a couple of years to evaluate a draft, but the Bears' rookie class a year ago was a hit from the start, with Devin Hester setting return records and Mark Anderson and Danieal Manning developing into front-line talent. Olsen will get an opportunity quickly, and second-round pick Dan Bazuin will have a chance early at defensive end.

Michael Okwo, a third-round pick from Stanford, was one of the top linebackers on the Bears' board. Angelo said he saw a lot of similar traits in Okwo as he did in Lance Briggs, whom he plucked out of Arizona in the third round in 2003. Between Okwo and Jamar Williams, another Pac-10 pick who came on board in the fourth round last year from Arizona State, there figures to be a replacement in place.

''We have a good player in Jamar Williams, and I am really interested to see how he progresses,'' Angelo said. ''This Okwo is a very good player, highly productive. This guy makes all the plays like Lance did.

''Usually on that first day, you are picking a player a half a round higher than where they might go and in some cases a round higher, and that is irrelevant as long as you believe in that player.''

The newcomers will get their first exposure when they arrive for orientation Thursday and take the field Friday for a three-day rookie minicamp. Three of the bigger names to go undrafted also will attend as the Bears reached free-agent agreements with Florida quarterback Chris Leak, Notre Dame running back Darius Walker and record-setting New Hampshire wide receiver David Ball.

Leak followed Rex Grossman to Florida and is from the same area of North Carolina as quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton.

''We thought this would be a good fit for Chris to come in and learn behind Rex and Brian Griese and get his feet wet,'' said Fletcher Smith, Leak's agent.

''As far as being able to learn under a veteran quarterback and getting into a great system, you kind of think things happen for a reason,'' Leak told the Gainesville Sun. ''I really believe that.''