ESPN analysis of Chicago Bears pick Dan LeFevour

Written By: mike on August 30, 2010 No Comment

A sixth-round steal or a not-ready for prime-time selection in the nfl Draft…

In need of a quarterback to provide depth behind Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears drafted Dan LeFevour at pick No. 181. LeFevour passed for 12,905 yards and 102 touchdowns, while running for 2,948 yards and 47 scores at Central Michigan University

Mel Kiper Jr., Mr. nfl Draft, is certainly high on the hometown kid who played at Benet Academy in Lisle, Ill. Predicting LeFevour could be a factor in the league in three or four years, Kiper compares him favorably to Dolphins QB Chad Pennington in size and smarts.

Of course, Kiper is the same analyst who on Draft Day 2007 forecast JaMarcus Russell as one of the elite top five quarterbacks in the nfl, and compared his talents to those of John Elway. We all know how that worked out.

Less “le-feverish” about the Bears’ selection is Kiper’s main foil, Todd McShay , who isn’t shy about challenging Kiper’s expert opinions. In fact, the two of them sparing regularly makes for great television, and their debate over LeFevour is proof.

McShay engaged in high-profile disputes over the nfl-ready talents of more notable college QBs Tim Tebow and Jimmy Clausen, so his analysis of the Bears pick just follows suit. Where Kiper sees LeFevour as a very athletic player with a better-than-average arm and underrated accuracy, McShay questions the accuracy of the QB who racked up his statistics in the Mid-American Conference. To his credit, LeFevour is the only player in NCAA history with 12,000 career passing yards and 2,500 career rushing yards, and he holds the MAC career records for total offense, passing yards, touchdown passes, completions and attempts.

Ron Jaworski, who knows a little about quarterbacking, makes note of the fact that new Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz is “a great evaluator of quarterbacks,” and apparently liked LeFevour for his potential to improve his mechanics and accuracy, Jaws labels him a project for Martz.

Of course, Martz already has his work cut out for him this season as he looks to reshape Jay Cutler, whose much-anticipated first year in Chicago saw him throw just one more touchdown (27) than interception. It didn’t help that the QB he was traded for, Kyle Orton, records better stats, including a higher passer rating, for the Denver Broncos in 2009. Besides LeFevour, the QB depth chart behind Cutler includes Caleb Hanie and the much-traveled Todd Collins.

Trey Wingo is left to introduce the usual heartwarming draft scene filmed at the LeFevour household as news of his sixth-round selection is made. Wingo exhorts, “Those are the moments that make the draft.” Fortunately, Wingo drops the schmaltz and gets in a dig at McShay for his negative analysis, suggesting he made the kid “sweat it out” over three days. And Kiper chimes in that “unless you’re a No. 1 pick overall at quarterback, McShay won’t like you.”

McShay sticks to his guns while acknowledging he’s being made to look like a jerk: “In the third round he’s not worth drafting. You can get other players at other positions is my point. In the sixth round, of course,