Bears see a big upside with 5-9 corner Moore

Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo doesn't mind if Vanderbilt cornerback D.J. Moore (fourth-round, 119th overall), is referred to as "short," since he is a fraction under 5-foot-9. Just don't call the 192-pound Moore, "little."

"I see him more as short, not small," Angelo said. "But he plays tall. The guy's got incredible leaping ability, and he made an interception against Georgia - there aren't three guys in the league that can make that interception going up for the ball. He's got some special ball skills, some athleticism.

"You see a lot of tall corners who play small. He's a short corner who can play tall. We've had success with those types of corners when we were down in Tampa. Ronde Barber was like that. We feel he's going to come in and compete."

Moore spent just three years at Vanderbilt, starting nine games as a true freshman, and he picked off 12 passes over the past two seasons. Moore also lined up on offense for 10-20 snaps per game, and he returned punts and kickoffs.

"He's just a special athlete with great ball skills," Angelo said. "I haven't seen a corner with this kind of ball skills since (Nate) Vasher."

Vasher intercepted 13 passes for the Bears in his first two seasons and returned them for 322 yards and 2 scores. But he has just 4 picks the past two seasons.

Big-time speed: G.M. Jerry Angelo admits he was surprised Abilene Christian wide receiver Johnny Knox was still on the board when the Bears took him early in the fifth round with the 140th overall pick.

"I thought he would be gone in the fourth round given the speed, the workout, (and he) had a real good (Texas vs. the Nation) all-star game," Angelo said. "Obviously the speed factor played heavily when we saw him on the board there in the fifth."

Knox ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he played just two years at Division-II Abilene after two years at Tyler Community College. Bears coach Lovie Smith did not share the opinion of those who downgraded Knox because he didn't play "big-time" college football.

"I know a little bit about (Tyler) because it's close to my hometown (Big Sandy, Texas)," Smith said. "It is a big-time junior college; let's get that on record. We got a chance to see Johnny at the Combine with all the big-school guys. He caught the ball well, and he looked like he was one of the guys from one of the bigger schools."

Character check: Fourth-round defensive end Henry Melton and sixth-round safety Al Afalava both had DUI's during their college careers.

"We checked into it," G.M. Jerry Angelo said. "It was earlier in their careers. Afalava is married and has two children. (He made a) dumb mistake (February, 2008). Melton, again earlier in his career (June 2007). We talked to both of them about it. Their coaches say it was very uncharacteristic of who are they are as people. We're fine with that."

More new faces: The Bears Monday announced the signing of nine undrafted rookie free agents: guards Johan Asiata (UNLV) and Dennis Conley (Hampton), safety Dahna Deleston (UConn), running back Tyrell Fenroy (Louisiana-Lafayette), linebacker Mike Rivera (Kansas), wide receiver Eric Peterman (Northwestern), fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou (Cal) and defensive back Woodny Turenne (Louisville).