Every team goes into a draft, particularly a first round, hoping for two connected things to happen: that a top player is there for them when their turn comes, and that other teams cooperate with what they select.
Both worked out for the Bears on Thursday with Boise State defensive end Shea McClellin at No. 19. The Bears went into the round with a cluster of seven players rated high enough to warrant the 19th pick
The first round was marked by scrambling in the top seven as only the Indianapolis Colts drafted in their original spot. More important for the Bears, none of the teams were chasing defensive linemen.
The first D-lineman didnt go until No. 11 when the Kansas City Chiefs took nose tackle Dontari Poe, followed by Mississippi State tackle Fletcher Cox going to the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded up from No 15 to get Cox.
But the edge rushers were getting no play. Massive LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers went at No. 14 to the Rams and then Seattle made the first true shocking pick when they took Irvin.
Quinton Coples, projected by some to be a top-10 pick, was selected by the New York Jets at 16 where Rex Ryan was expected to grab an outside rusher instead. Then the Bengals took the third cornerback in the span of 12 picks when they chose Alabamas Dre Kirkpatrick.
The San Diego Chargers picking at No. 18 selected South Carolina pass-rushing end Melvin Ingram, one of the handful of players either brought in to Halas Hall for an extra meeting with coaches and scouts. That left McClellin and several other highly rated edge rushers on the board for the Bears.
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The Bears had begun to get calls from teams looking to trade down as soon as the top 10 was in place and kept on getting them from teams both ahead and behind them in the draft order.
But we were happy that one of our seven possibilities was there, Emery said.