Draft Scout Snapshot: DS Rating on 9/1/09: #2 DE, #17/750 Overall, Projected Rd: 1-2
2008: 13 GP; 13 GS; 25 Sol-42 TT, 16 TFL, 10 SK, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 7 QBH, 1 FR, 1 FF, 1 BLK; Voted first-team All-Big Ten by conference coaches and second-team All-Big Ten by conference media … Recipient of team's Most Valuable Player Award … For the second season in his career, he recorded a statistic in every major defensive category (tackles, TFL's, sacks, pass deflections, interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, QB hurries and blocked kicks) … His 10.0 sacks ranked him fourth in the Big Ten and tied for 21st nationally (0.77 pg) … Earned team's defensive player of the game honors vs. Southern Illinois, Indiana and Michigan … In 2008 Alamo Bowl vs. Missouri, collected three tackles, including one sack, as well as his first career interception, picking off Mizzou's Chase Daniel … Suffered a torn right ACL in the fourth quarter that kept him from returning and underwent successful surgery on Jan. 15. 2007: 12 GP; 11 GS; 21 Sol-39 TT, 7 TFL, 1 SK, 1 INT, 5 PBU, 3 QBH, 1 BLK; Named the team's defensive big playmaker vs. Michigan, MSU and Purdue. 2006: 12 GP; 12 GS; 31 Sol-51 TT, 9 TFL, 4.5 SK, 2 INT, 1 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 FR, 1 FF, 1 BLK; Scripps Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-American ... Named to The Sporting News' Freshman All-Big Ten team ... Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection (media) ... Team's NGN Defensive Newcomer of the Year Award recipient ... First NU player since Hudhaifa Ismaeli in 1995 (NU's Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl season) to accomplish every major defensive statistic in a single season ... team's leader in sacks (4.5) and leader in TFL's (9.0). 2005: 3 GP; 2 GS; 1 Sol-3 TT, 1 FF; Earned a medical hardship year for 2005 ... Played in three of first four games (starting two of them) before being sidelined the remainder of the year with a neck injury.
Post-Draft Outlook: BEST PICK: Defensive end Corey Wootton -- Had he not torn his knee up in Northwestern's Alamo Bowl loss to Missouri after the 2008 regular season, Wootton likely would have entered the draft a year ago and been a late-first- or early-second-round choice according to the NFL's Advisory Committee. As a junior he had 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, which is why they were thrilled when he was still on the board at 109.
A closer look at the Bears' picks: Round 4/109 -- Corey Wootton, DE, 6-6, 270 Northwestern: Started 35 games at right end in his final three years after starting 12 games at left end as a freshman in 2006. Was a potential first-round pick after a junior season in which he had 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks but suffered a torn ACL in the Alamo Bowl and struggled after coming back from January '09 surgery. If he regains his junior-season form, he'll be a steal. - by The Sports Xchange
|
.gif){kind=spacer}
.gif){kind=spacer}
.gif){kind=spacer}
High: 2 Low: 3-4