Rehabbed defensive end Corey Wootton could be a steal

Had Northwestern defensive end Corey Wootton not torn his knee up in the 2008 Alamo Bowl, he likely would have entered the draft a year ago and been a late first- or early second-round choice according to the NFL's Advisory Committee.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Wootton rehabbed so diligently that he returned to the playing field for the start of the 2009 season, several months ahead of the normal schedule after he tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee. But he wasn't the same player as in 2008, and his draft stock plummeted, which enabled the Bears to get what may be one of the steals of the 2010 draft in the fourth round.

In the fifth round, the Bears went back to the secondary, which they have made an off-season priority, adding Kansas State cornerback Josh Moore with the 141st pick after having taken Florida safety Major Wright with their first pick at No. 75.

In the seventh round, the Bears made their usual half-hearted effort at improving the offensive line when they took West Texas A&M's J'Marcus Webb with the 218th pick. Since 2003, with his 64 selections, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo has drafted just nine offensive linemen, six in the seventh round.

But the Wootton pick could turn out to be a stroke of genius.

He started 11 games last season, even though he was nowhere near 100 percent. The Bears are betting that he will be full strength and back to his junior-year form by training camp, which is why they were thrilled Wootton was still on the board at 109.

Even though defensive end isn't considered an area of need for the Bears, they couldn't pass on a guy who had 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a junior. They see him as a left end, although he spent the past three seasons on the right side.

Wootton doesn't see any reason to lament the past, choosing instead to focus on the positives he was able to take from the situation.

"I think everything happens for a reason," he said. "I wanted to become a more complete player and work on my skills, get stronger, a year smarter."

Wootton's numbers plummeted as a senior, when he says he was maybe 70 percent for much of the season. He had 42 tackles as a junior but just 21 last year when he was playing only about 15 snaps a game early on but was able to triple his workload by the end of the season.

"It was very tough," he said. "I didn't have the same burst I had back in 2008. I just didn't have the leg strength. I didn't get an off-season of strength training. But it made me appreciate the game that much more. It made me a better film studier."

The knee is no longer as issue.

"He's healed," Angelo said. "He needs to continue to get stronger, particularly in his quad area. Hopefully, he goes to camp at 100 percent."

Kansas State's Moore left school with a year of eligibility remaining, but he possesses good cover ability and started all 24 games the past two seasons, making 140 tackles with 23 pass breakups and 5 interceptions. While his 4.07 time in the 20-yard shuttle at the Scouting Combine was impressive, the 5-foot-11, 188-pound Moore benched 225 pounds just twice, and he lacks strength in run support.

"There will be a transition period, but he has the skill set for cornerback," said Bears defensive backs coach Jon Hoke. "He played well on big stages and has very good man-to-man instincts."

However, Pro Football Weekly's Nolan Nawrocki said Moore is, "lazy, immature and (his) character needs to be evaluated."