Seeing as how the Bears are the team that has already started their preseason, they're probably the better team to really introduce the rookies of. I'm starting at the top with first round, and #20 overall pick, Kyle Long.
There's a lot that is already known about Long. From his pedigree to his struggles to what he has done so far in the preseason. Still, we're going to go over all of it, just in case there's something that was missed in there.
Going to draft night, Bears fans were pretty split as to what the Bears should do. There was fan favorite, Tyler Eifert, who became a fan favorite by both being from Notre Dame and by playing a position that had been very poor the previous year for the Bears. The Bears had already signed one tight end in free agency, Martellus Bennett, and had a promising young player in Evan Rodriguez, who was going to be more of a TE/FB type of player, but had been hurt much of the previous season, never being able to get into the swing of things his rookie season. Martellus Bennett was a very strong signing, as a duel threat tight end (blocking and receiving), but to be fair, there wasn't a whole lot of depth beyond him. Other Bears fans thought the Bears should have spent a first round pick on a linebacker. Another Notre Dame player, Manti Te'o, was popular among a small group of fans, but his popularity had taken a dive after a fake girlfriend scandal and a very poor performance in the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama that really exposed his weaknesses. Arthur Brown was another player that Bears fans liked. He's a very athletic, although slightly undersized linebacker out of Kansas St (who was actually also available in the second round as well).
As the draft went on Sharrif Floyd, a highly touted defensive tackle that had once been seen as a top 10 pick had also fallen. The Bears were not weak at tackle as far as the starters went, having Pro Bowler Henry Melton as well as a solid strongman in Steven Paea. However, the depth beyond those two was also questionable. There were plenty of other players that the Bears had been clamoring for that were. When the pick of Kyle Long was made, a nearly collective, "Huh?" came from the entire Bears fanbase, followed by anger from about half of those people (the other half were too busy trying to research him to be angry). To be honest, even I was a bit confused. I saw him as an early/mid second round project.
The measurable physical attributes for Long were actually amazing. He had the fastest time in the 40 of any offensive lineman in the draft. His size at 6'6" (or 6'7", depending on who you ask) and 313 lbs was great for any guard or tackle. He had very good agility drills in the combine as well. Not only that, but his bloodlines include his father, Howie, who is a hall of fame defensive lineman, and his brother, Chris, who is a defensive lineman for the St. Louis Rams. Word has it that Kyle is actually the most athletic in the family.
There were problems with Kyle Long though, and this is what really had Bears fans up in arms. First off, he's going to turn 25 by the end of his rookie season, so he'll likely not have as long of a career as much of his class. However, that was the least of the worries of Bears fans. On top of that, he had a very tumultuous entry into adulthood. He wound up starting by playing baseball, being drafted as a pitcher by the Chicago White Sox in 2008. After giving that up he went through other ups and downs, being picked up for a DUI in 2009 before finally going to football. He started off following the family tradition on the defensive line. However, he later moved to the offensive side of the ball. His experience there is very limited though. He played a total of 11 games during the 2012 year of college football including 4 starts at left guard. This was something very worrisome for Bears fans who were still laughing at the Lions #5 overall pick of Ziggy Ansah, another very athletic, but inexperienced player.
Like I said before though, Long's athleticism is off the charts for an offensive lineman. He's even comparable to the two top picks in the entire draft with his long arms and speed (more speed than either one of them). However, this was a song and dance that still is a bit of a sore spot with Bears fans. J'Marcus Webb, a past 7th round pick was being touted by Bears coaches as a great project. Webb is an offensive line with great athleticism in every way, but who has failed miserably. Webb does not seem to have any competitive spirit. The word on Long is that he's a true fighter out there with a great mean streak.
So far the pick has looked good. They're only in preseason, but as I have mentioned in other blog posts, Long has absolutely manhandled players on other teams. He has not once looked physically outmatched, and in 2 preseason games (playing the majority of both games), he has only given up one hurry. Keep in mind though, this is preseason. The starters he lines up against are almost assured roster spots, and the second and third stringers are...well, second and third stringers. Still though, you can't fault Long for playing well against the guys he has been lined up against, he's not supposed to just lay down because they're not going to be going at full speed or are not starters.
Still, as with any rookie, there is no guarantee with Long. He's going to have to work hard to prove himself, but he's done everything right since being drafted. Missing the offseason workouts was not his choice, and was beyond his control. He's come in and looked great from the very start. Hopefully he can keep this up and show the Bears that he was a risk worth taking. If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on him having a good career, but only time will tell.
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