Bears excited about getting Oregon State safety Hardin

For the third straight year the Bears drafted a safety in the third round, taking Oregon State's king-sized Brandon Hardin with the 79th overall selection. It's the eighth straight year that the Bears have taken a safety as some point in the draft.

Last year they took Cal's Chris Conte in the third round (93rd overall), and in 2010 went for Florida's Major Wright with the 75th overall pick. Conte started nine games at free safety last season. Wright started 10 games at strong safety and two at free.

The 6-foot-3, 222-pound Hardin has tremendous size for a defensive back, but he missed the entire 2011 season with a fractured shoulder that required surgery. He returned in time to play in the East-West Shrine Game in January.

“He is medically sound,” said Bears GM Phil Emery. “We went through those procedures. We brought him in (to Halas Hall) to make sure that he's ready for minicamp. This is a big, fast, physical, dynamic athlete.”

In 2010, Hardin started 12 games at cornerback but did not have an interception, although he is considered excellent in coverage, especially as a safety. Considering his 4.55-second 40 time, Hardin possesses an excellent size-speed ratio. He played in a cornerback rotation in 2009 and started three games with 1 interception.

“We feel like we're going to get a lot of miles out of Brandon right from the get-go in terms of special teams and working as our third or fourth safety,” Emery said. “With the physical upside — and this is a very smart, athletic player — we feel he can push it up into the starter level over time. But he has to earn that and he knows that. Where we see him helping us even further is matching up against some of the tight ends that we face.”

Hardin can't wait to get back on the field with his new team.

“The one thing I know is they're a physical defense, and they pride themselves on that,” he said. “I'm beyond excited.”