Brad Biggs has this story on Kiper's conference call this morning about directions the Bears could go in the draft. Kiper discussed Darrius Heyward-Bey:
Still, there are some other options and the Bears are known to be interested in Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey, who Kiper slots more in the second round. Whether he makes it down to No. 49 in the second round remains to be seen. Some mock drafts suggest Heyward-Bey could be a late first-round selection.
And, for those who want an OT, here's some good news:
Right now, Kiper has three offensive tackles going in the top eight picks as there are some standout talents like there were a year ago. Alabama's Andre Smith, Baylor's Jason Smith and Virginia's Eugene Monroe could all be long gone before the Bears' turn comes at No. 18.
That doesn't mean they are not going to have interest in a tackle high in the draft. Kiper lists Ole Miss' Michael Oher as the next prospect, and puts him in the 15 to 25 range in the first round, and has him going No. 28 in his most recent mock to Philadelphia. The Bears also like Oklahoma's Phil Loadholt, who projects as a right tackle. Kiper calls him a second-round pick right now. Kiper also says Arizona's Eben Britton could gain some momentum moving forward.
Again, drafting is not an exact science and a lot will change between now and the 2009 draft. But for those who want Oher, this is great news nonetheless.