Bears get their man in NFL draft

[Da Coach]

Even after a blown trade effort, the Bears were able to draft the man they were targeting with their 1st round NFL draft pick (#29 overall), Gabe Carimi, a 6'7", 314 pound offensive tackle from Wisconsin.-

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/bears/ct-spt-0429-bears-chicago-nfl-draft--20110428,0,1170212.story

On their failed trade effort, which caused the Ravens to drop one slot lower in the draft, angering them.-

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/bears/cbsports-bears-gm-on-failed-trade-with-ravens-it-was-a-glitch-on-our-part-20110428,0,720892.story

Gabe Carimi was rated as the 2nd or 3rd best offensive tackle in the draft, and every projection and mock draft had him going in the first round, and most projected him somewhere between 15th and 22nd in the draft. There seemed like there was little chance he'd fall to #29 where the Bears picked, but to the Bears' surprise, it happened.
Here is a profile of Carimi from one mock draft site-

http://www.draftcountdown.com/sub/Mock-Draft-B.php

[Da Coach]

Gabe Carimi is nicknamed "The Jewish Hammer".

http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2010/dec/16Dec10_Carimi.htm

http://www.jewcy.com/arts-and-culture/chicago-bears-gabe-carimi-jew

[BUFanatic]

Let's get Reggie Bush!

[Big Mike]

Good with Gabe as the 1st pick....now please get a DT with the 2nd pick!

[Big Mike]

YES...Bears get it right with DT Paea.....6'1 303 with 49 bench press reps @ 225...the record this year!

http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player.asp?player_id=303

[Big Mike]

not too sure what to make of the Bears 3rd round pick (Chris Conte)...as least the talent scouts do not rate him very high and think he could have been taken 5th to 7th round...Bears must have seen something?

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7816

[Da Coach]

Stephen Paea was who the Bears reportedly were planning to pick with their 1st round pick(#29 overall).

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-intriguing-options-await-bears-when-draft-resumes-20110429,0,2329865.story

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player?id=27014&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2fdraft%2fplayer%3fid%3d27014

But when Gabe Carimi was available, they changed plans.
But the Bears did a slight bit of shuffling and still landed Paea with the 21st pick in round 2, 53rd pick overall. The Bears had to trade their 2nd round pick (#62 overall) and their 4th round pick (#127 overall) to the Washington Redskins to obtain the #53 pick. Paea is from the island nation of Tonga.
They project him to replace Tommy Harris as an interior pass rusher.

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/bears/ct-spt-0430-bears-chicago-nfl-draft--20110429,0,6951176.story

Gabe Carmini has been talking with Jay Cutler via texting-

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-carimi-to-work-my-buns-off-blocking-for-cutler-20110429,0,4428247.story

And with their 3rd round pick (and their last pick today) the Bears picked Cal safety Chris Conte-

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-with-the-93rd-pick-bears-draft-cal-safety-conte-20110429,0,3235860.story

[Future Walk-On]

It annoys me that this is the 4 OL in 4 years and we still have the worst OL.

We had a top ten rush defense, I'd rather get a WR before a DT, but all the playmakers were gone so I guess w/e

Andre Johnson to Chicago