One of the somewhat overlooked aspects of the NFL draft is how certain schools are strongly connected to certain teams. It’s no different for the Chicago Bears. History shows they’ve had much stronger ties to one program versus another. For example, no college has sent more players to Chicago via the draft than Notre Dame at 41 prospects dating back to 1939.
In that time they’ve had some moderate success, landing a couple stud like safety Dave Duerson and quarterback Johnny Lujack. That begs a more interesting question. What about the schools they drafted from this year? Have they had success with any of them in the past or could it actually be a first-time experience for one or two of them?
Fans may be surprised by some of the information that was uncovered.
Georgia (Roquan Smith and Javon Wims)
Though the Bears have drafted extensively out of Georgia dating all the way back to 1940, now sitting at 20 players, they’ve still yet to score a major hit. Their biggest success to date is longtime kicker and member of the 1985 Bears, Kevin Butler. Then again it shouldn’t be a surprise they’ve had so little success. Of the 20 picks made from that school, only six of them came in the fourth round or high. Here’s hoping Leonard Floyd and Roquan Smith can move the needle a little bit.
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Iowa (James Daniels)
Incredibly, Daniels is the first player the Bears have selected out of Iowa since 1990 when they grabbed Bill Anderson in the seventh round. Even more amazing is that with Daniels as their 13th pick from that school all-time, seven have been offensive linemen. The good news is they’ve enjoyed some good fortune from that school. Mark Bortz, two-time Pro Bowler, and 1985 Bears alum was an eighth rounder for them in 1983. Yet their best get from that college, ironically, was Jay Hilgenberg who they signed as an undrafted free agent. He went to seven Pro Bowls.
Memphis (Anthony Miller)
Needless to say, the history isn’t nearly as extensive for the Bears at Memphis. Not in football anyway. The Bulls have a greater legacy there than them. The highest pick they ever made prior to Miller was a third round running back in 1974 named Cliff Taylor. He ran for a grand total of 65 yards. Their most successful pick was Rich Coady, an 11th round center in 1968 who started four years for them.
Western Kentucky (Joel Iyiegbuniwe)
Only once before did the Bears make a draft pick out of Western Kentucky before the arrival of Iyiegbuniwe. That was Virgil Livers way back in 1975, also a fourth rounder. He proved to be a nice little find for them. He managed over 1,000 return yards as a rookie and then became a productive starter on defense at cornerback with 12 interceptions in five years. He helped them reach the playoffs in 1977 and 1979.
Delaware (Bilal Nichols)
Another school that’s not exactly a hotbed of activity for the Bears. Nichols is just the fourth ever player they’ve taken out of Delaware and also, as a fifth rounder, the highest to date. Before that, it was wide receiver Jamin Elliot in the sixth round back in 2002. He appeared in three games for the team but never made a catch. Nichols has a chance to become the first ever player out of Delaware who actually makes it onto the field in a Bears uniform.
Utah (Kylie Fitts)
Get ready for a genuine shock. Kylie Fitts is the first player out of Utah that the Bears have drafted since….wait for it….1958. Yep, it’s been 60 years since Chicago saw a player join the roster out of that school via the draft. Unbelievable considering 47 players have come out of that programs since 2000 alone. That pick was also the most notable in fullback Merrill Douglass. He was a backup behind star Rick Casares during that time, though he helped the team win the NFL championship in 1963.
