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passing game. Rolling Meadows product and Eastern Illinois alumnus Jimmy Garoppolo shined at the East-West Shrine game and got a late invite to go to Mobile. This will be a stiffer test for Garoppolo to prove he has the arm strength, accuracy and moxie to be an NFL quarterback. Other local college prospects in Mobile are Northwestern’s Kain Colter, who will play wide receiver, and Illinois linebacker Jonathan Brown. Now, from a Bears perspective … Unfortunately, general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman will not be available to talk to the media, so any questions about defensive coordinator Mel
Tucker and the defense will have to wait until the NFL Scouting Combine. Emery made it clear this draft will be defense-heavy. With potentially two starting safety positions to fill, the Bears will be looking for athletes who can come up and stop the run, cover tight ends and be a ball-hawking center fielder. Terrence Brooks (Florida State), Deone Bucannon (Washington State) and Ahmad Dixon (Baylor) are expected to be some of the top players in the back end in Mobile. The Bears’ Henry Melton, Nate Collins and Jeremiah Ratliff are set to hit free agency, so watch the defensive tackle position. Top prospects Aaron Donald (Pittsburgh), DaQuan Jones
(Penn State) and Will Sutton (Arizona State) will be at the Senior Bowl. The ability for a D-tackle to penetrate, maybe more so than plug the run gap, is important for the Bears’ defense. Of course, defensive end, linebacker and cornerback are all fair game, too, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Bears take a late-round quarterback. Plus, the QBs always steal the show in Mobile. Yes, the Senior Bowl is just one piece to the puzzle, but keep in mind what last year’s first-round pick, Kyle Long, tweeted Saturday morning: “It’s crazy Senior Bowl is right around the corner, had I not been invited to that I wouldn’t be a Bear most likely!”
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Super Bowl, here’s a primer of what Bears and Chicagoarea football fans should During the next few watch to get that fix and months, you’ll hear way too start looking ahead to next much about rising and falling season. draft stocks, teams loving one For a tight end like Iowa’s player and giving another C.J. Fiedorowicz, a Johnsburg one a red flag, and the puzzle native, it’s important to show metaphor: each part of the balance. Coaches will want draft process is another piece to see that he can block in of the puzzle, and a crucial the run game, pass protect as one begins Monday in Mobile well as run routes and catch with the Senior Bowl. passes. Proving he can be an Many of the best seniors every-down tight end will in the country get a chance to improve Fiedorowicz’s stock. show NFL general managers, Northern Illinois safety coaches and scouts what they Jimmie Ward returns home can do against top competition to Mobile, where he’ll need on the practice field and in to also show some versatility Saturday’s all-star game, and in terms of coverage and run how they handle themselves defense. NFL coaches like off the field in interviews with to see how safeties handle teams. tight ends, especially as they With two weeks until the become bigger parts of the
By KEVIN FISHBAIN
kfishbain@shawmedia.com
SPORTS |
Chicago in Mobile: Senior Bowl primer for Bears fans