The Chicago Bears drafted 9 players last April in the draft and four of them didn’t play a down and two of them were cut before the season even started.  WR/KR Johnny Knox was the best player the Bears picked last April.  They took him in the 5th round (#140 overall) out of tiny Abilene Christian.  He played in 15 games for the Bears last season and he caught 45 passes for 527 yards (11.7 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Knox also returned 32 kickoffs for 927 yards (29.0 avg) with 1 TD return.  Knox returned 1 punt for 0 yards and he made 5 tackles last season for the Bears.  In the sixth round (#190 overall) the Bears selected safety Al Afalvava out of Oregon State.  He played in 13 games for the Bears last season and he made 53 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, had 2 sacks, forced 1 fumble and he defensed 7 passes.  The rest of the draft crop was a total waste so far.  DT Jarron Gilbert was the Bears’ first selection in the draft as they picked him in the third round out of San Jose State (#68 overall).  He played in 4 games for the Bears last season and he made 1 whole tackle.  WR Juaquin Iglesius was also selected in the third round (#99 overall) out of Oklahoma.  He only played in 1 game for the Bears and he didn’t catch any passes while making 1 whole tackle.  DE Henry Melton was picked in the 4th round (#105 overall) out of Texas.  He spent his rookie year on the Injured Reserve list without playing in any games.  CB D.J. Moore was also selected in the 4th round (#119 overall) out of Vanderbilt.  He played in 3 games but he didn’t make any tackles.  Linebacker Marcus Freeman (5th round, #154 overall) out of Ohio State and WR Derek Kinder (7th round, #251 overall) both got cut without playing for the Bears.  Freeman is now with the Texans.  OG Lance Louis (7th round, #246 overall) is still with the Bears but he didn’t play a down as a rookie.

GRADE FOR 2009:  C-

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  C-