Are Forte and Mendy that different?

[dawhizz]

Don't get me wrong, I certainly recognize that Mendy is the better prospect, and the "hometown boy" and could very well be a better player in the pros. I was also a little disappointed we didn't get him. But as far as the skills they bring, they both are basicially one-year wonders who catch the ball well and don't have great timed speed. Forte is more suspect coming from a lower level of competition, but he's also coming from a more pro-style offense, from what I've seen. But, looking at the combine numbers, they seem pretty similar to me:

 

Forte Mendy

Height 6'1" 5'10"

Weight 217 225

40d 4.44 4.41

20d 2.55 2.56

10d 1.49 1.53

Bench 23 26

20s 4.23 4.18

 

Would I prefer Mendy? You bet. But I don't see why Forte's getting dogged by so many people on this board.

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

Neither do I. Good points.

 

As you can see by the avatar, my man crush on Forte is growing rapidly...

[jason]

Don't get me wrong, I certainly recognize that Mendy is the better prospect, and the "hometown boy" and could very well be a better player in the pros. I was also a little disappointed we didn't get him. But as far as the skills they bring, they both are basicially one-year wonders who catch the ball well and don't have great timed speed. Forte is more suspect coming from a lower level of competition, but he's also coming from a more pro-style offense, from what I've seen. But, looking at the combine numbers, they seem pretty similar to me:

 

Forte Mendy

Height 6'1" 5'10"

Weight 217 225

40d 4.44 4.41

20d 2.55 2.56

10d 1.49 1.53

Bench 23 26

20s 4.23 4.18

 

Would I prefer Mendy? You bet. But I don't see why Forte's getting dogged by so many people on this board.

 

I'd just like to note that if I have "dogged" Forte, I'm dogging him more for the fact that I didn't want the Bears to draft a RB high, and I have pretty much dogged the Mendenhall insanity (4th RB picked) since day one.

[Da Bears 88]

But I don't see why Forte's getting dogged by so many people on this board.

Because, he was a reach pick.

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

Because, he was a reach pick.

And so was Hester.

[Guest TerraTor]

Because, he was a reach pick.

 

I agree but at least hes not Danniel Manning or Benson for that matter.

[Zod]

I think the main difference between Mendenhall and Forte are their running styles.

 

Mendenhall runs like a thoroughbred; very smooth and yet powerful.

 

Forte runs like an angry bull, yet he has very good feet.

 

Matt Forte

 

Mendenhall

[BearSox]

my favorite thing about Forte is his explosion to the hole.

[SoxFan1]

my favorite thing about Forte is his explosion to the hole.

Agreed. His videos remind me a lot of what Thomas Jones did with the Bears. He finds the hole, hits it hard, and goes. He also shows great patience when going laterally. I've liked the guy since I first saw him mentioned with the Bears.

[Zod]

What impresses me about Forte is his feet. Once in the hole he still has the ability to make people miss because his feet are very nimble.

[AZ54]

I think we're going to like the fact he can run a pass route and catch the ball at the same time. He can add some YAC too.

[fenom283]

I think we're going to like the fact he can run a pass route and catch the ball at the same time. He can add some YAC too.

 

And hes probably the best blocking RB in the draft I think he a real upgrade at the position.

[DrunkBomber]

Because, he was a reach pick.

Understatement of the year. They could have went WR there and gotten a RB of the same caliber with one of their third rounders.

[Pixote]

Because, he was a reach pick.

 

 

And please define "reach pick".

 

I assume because some football publications said he would not be drafted until the 3rd round he is a reach? These were the same publications I am sure had Hester as a 3rd or 4th round talent and therefore roasted the Bears for reaching for him. In hind site, when the Bears selected Hester, instead of being roasted for "reaching" for him, they should have been praised for getting the steal of the draft.

 

I was listening the other day to Charley Casserly talking about the art of drafting. (This guy should know a little bit about the subject)

 

He said the better GMs in the draft rooms were those who did not worry about what their picks would be perceived by others. They evaluated players and when they found a player they were confident would help their team they targeted them making sure they did not miss out on getting them even if they had to draft them before what others perceived to be their "round value".

 

I think that is exactly what Angelo did. Everyone (as far as I can remember) on the forum liked Forte before the draft. Angelo, Lovie, the scouting staff, all loved this guy. So they select him in the 2nd to make sure another team does not grab him before they do. I am thrilled they had the balls to make this move. There was no RB on the board remaining I would have liked to have more than Forte. We needed a 3 down RB. We got one. Tough, good speed, bruising runner between the tackles, highly productive in College, good blocker, good receiver, great character, and the stat I liked the most, in 4 years never fumbled the ball one time.

 

If this was a reach, I hope the Bears make many more reaches as good as this one.

[jackie hayes]

Forte in the second might have been a reach a while ago, but after he excelled in the workouts, it's really not that surprising. His stock went up quite a bit.

[bear trap]

And please define "reach pick".

 

I assume because some football publications said he would not be drafted until the 3rd round he is a reach? These were the same publications I am sure had Hester as a 3rd or 4th round talent and therefore roasted the Bears for reaching for him. In hind site, when the Bears selected Hester, instead of being roasted for "reaching" for him, they should have been praised for getting the steal of the draft.

 

I was listening the other day to Charley Casserly talking about the art of drafting. (This guy should know a little bit about the subject)

 

He said the better GMs in the draft rooms were those who did not worry about what their picks would be perceived by others. They evaluated players and when they found a player they were confident would help their team they targeted them making sure they did not miss out on getting them even if they had to draft them before what others perceived to be their "round value".

 

I think that is exactly what Angelo did. Everyone (as far as I can remember) on the forum liked Forte before the draft. Angelo, Lovie, the scouting staff, all loved this guy. So they select him in the 2nd to make sure another team does not grab him before they do. I am thrilled they had the balls to make this move. There was no RB on the board remaining I would have liked to have more than Forte. We needed a 3 down RB. We got one. Tough, good speed, bruising runner between the tackles, highly productive in College, good blocker, good receiver, great character, and the stat I liked the most, in 4 years never fumbled the ball one time.

 

If this was a reach, I hope the Bears make many more reaches as good as this one.

I'm with you pix, I really like this pick and we could't put our faith in benson next year. The way the rbs were coming off the board there wouldn't have been a solid competitor for benson left to take. Ray rice was still there , but that's it, and I wasn't too high on charles ability to be a three down back. People need to realize benson's injury was career threatning, and considering his work ethic, I don't see him being better afterwards. I mean he sprained his knee two years ago and his running was different. Now that he broke his ankle can we be optomistic he won't be even worse. I really like forte, his video shows a rb with power,speed, and I'd have to say he can make cuts with the best of them. Looks like the total package and if we wouldn't have picked a rb in the second we'd be setting ourselves up to finish last in the league in rushing yardage. People who think it's too premature to call benson a bust should look at this fact. He ave. the same ypc as peterson last year. I don't care how bad the o-line was. With the 4th overall pick come better expectations than the same stats as a player who was drafted much later. That alone makes him a bust. It may be unfair, but it's life and top ten picks that aren't considered busts put better stats up than their back-ups.

[adam]

It seems that RB was at the top of their board compared to WR or OL.

 

With the addition of Booker and Lloyd, and the return of Bradley, Hester, and Davis. The Bears probably felt that RB was a greater need. Also, it seems like there is more value in the 3rd for WR than the 2nd. I would rather have Doucet or Caldwell in the 3rd than some of the WRs that went in the 2nd. Also, Forte would've been long gone by pick 70.

[madlithuanian]

Good comparision I think...

 

I do like Forte, I just like Mendy better. I think he has the greater upside.

 

I think the main difference between Mendenhall and Forte are their running styles.

 

Mendenhall runs like a thoroughbred; very smooth and yet powerful.

 

Forte runs like an angry bull, yet he has very good feet.

 

Matt Forte

 

Mendenhall

[balta1701-A]

Good comparision I think...

 

I do like Forte, I just like Mendy better. I think he has the greater upside.

Mendenhall likely does have the better upside, that's why he went in the first. Here's the question though...which upside is better...Forte + a first round LT, or Mendenhall + a 2nd or later round OLineman?

 

If your RB is on the ground, his upside doesn't matter.

[madlithuanian]

I like option 3...take the LT at 14 and trade up and still get Mendy low in the 1st!

 

Mendenhall likely does have the better upside, that's why he went in the first. Here's the question though...which upside is better...Forte + a first round LT, or Mendenhall + a 2nd or later round OLineman?

 

If your RB is on the ground, his upside doesn't matter.

[clnr]

To jump Pittsburg means trading with at least Dallas. Looking at the value for trading up to 22 you would have needed to give up our 2nd, our first 3rd and our 4th (774 points for Dallas 780). Would you still make that trade? I wouldn't.

 

(Used the value chart from nfldraftcountdown.com, first I found on Google.)

 

Edit: typos

[nfoligno]

I like option 3...take the LT at 14 and trade up and still get Mendy low in the 1st!

 

How about option 4. Take the LT. Take Forte. Then trade up from the 3rd and take Brohm. That would not have cost much, and then we would have had our LT, RB and QB prospects.

[clnr]

That I have no objection to!

[madlithuanian]

I still like option 3...but given that I like your drafting...I'm more than OK with 4...

 

How about option 4. Take the LT. Take Forte. Then trade up from the 3rd and take Brohm. That would not have cost much, and then we would have had our LT, RB and QB prospects.

[adam]

How about option 4. Take the LT. Take Forte. Then trade up from the 3rd and take Brohm. That would not have cost much, and then we would have had our LT, RB and QB prospects.

We probably could've traded down in the 2nd, picked up Brohm 1st, then traded up to pick up Forte late in the 2nd without even giving up anything. Same, same.