Craig Steltz

Don Wassall

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Here's a nice article that really praises Steltz, predicting he'll be a future Pro Bowler. Even some of the drunk white fans agree in the comments after it. He's behind Mike Brown on the depth chart right now, but Brown ranks as one of the most injury prone players of the past decade.


Craig Steltz: Chicago Bears' Best Draft Pick in 2008
<DIV =clearfix id=article->


I have read a lot of articles from the experts on Craig Steltz. I realize they aren't high on him. Most say he's good off the line, but lacks speed in coverage of faster receivers.


I've heard he will be a dependable and reliable player, but he will never be a game breaker.


I did like Chris Low from ESPN.com's comments about Steltz being a strong safety and having a kamikaze style of play. He runs like a receiver and hits like a linebacker.


I also realize a lot of fans thought he was just another wasted pick. Other fans compare him to either Doug Plank or Gary Fencik. He reminds me of John Lynch, with his style of play, and my wife says he reminds her of Gary Fencik.


But I disagree with the naysayer's. You got a 6'1", 204lb, hardworking, blue-collar type player. He worked hard to be drafted by the Chicago Bears. He can play either strong or free safety, or special teams, and will fit in nicely with the Bears' cover-two system. His playing style is a cross between Charles "Peanut" Tillman and Brian Urlacher.


This kid is amazing, and what I really love the most is how hard he plays late in games. LSU won a couple of games last year because of Steltz's late, key hits.


Now, LSU is always tremendously deep with their secondary positions. They usually have eight quality guys on their roster.


Coming into his senior year, Steltz wasn't even on the coaching staff's radar to start. Yet, through his hard work, he earned his starting position.


They also are one of the few colleges who require their safeties to learn how to play both strong and free positions.


You can't judge how good Steltz is by his one year as a starter at LSU. For his first three years there, he was stuck behind perennial All-American safety LaRon Landry.


Steltz made the best of the situation by learningfrom LaRon. He patiently waited for his chance to play and worked hard practicing like he started. For two years, he took advantage of playing in both nickel and in sub packages.


But watching LSU's games, he is simply amazing. You know he's coming, and he still became famous for hitting the receivers with everything he had. The next play he might plant a running back at the line.


In 2007, Steltz finally got to start and was able to put together an amazing season. A key player on their defense, his stellar play helped LSU win the BCS Championship Game.


Here are his 2007 stats from LSUsports.net:


GS UT AT TT TFL SACKS INT PBU QBH FR FF


14 66 35101 5-20 1-8 6-153 7 0 1-0 3


These are pretty impressive, and it's too bad he didn't start earlier in his career. He was awarded as first-team All-American, first-team All-SEC, Captain for the Tigers (one of five), and a Thorpe Award Finalist.


I know it's college, and Steltz hasn't played a down in the NFL yet. But every year, there always are guys you see, watch, and know who are going to be good in the NFL.


With the Bears using the cover-two system, I can easily see Steltz becoming a starter as a rookie. Now if they use the Tampa-2, they can retool it to fit the Bears' D, and put Steltz in the same position Tampa used John Lynch for.


I just feel in my gut this guys going to be a Pro Bowler. He will become a fan favorite here in the Windy City. He's patient, will work hard, and will listen and learn. Then, when he gets it, he'll take full advantage of becoming a permanent starter.


I asked a couple ofAuburn guys at work about him, and both said Steltz would have been athree-year starter at Auburn. He was just stuck behind a really great safety in Landry.


I also asked a LSU grad at work about Steltz. She was excited he was drafted and said he was a fan favorite and all-around great guy. She mentioned to me how LSU always reloads and replaces players with ease. But she said its guys like Steltz who you can't replace.


They just bring so much to the game and have the drive and the heart to make themselves go the extra step to stand out. Plus, she mentioned that a few on the coaching staff wished they started Steltz sooner.


Lastly, when I told her I was writing about Craig Steltz on BR, she said, "Just let them know: he's going to win over Bear Nation, the same way he did the LSU Tigers Nation."


Don't be surprised when you see a lot of LSU's purple and yellow in the stands cheering for him.


[url]http://bleacherreport.com/articles/38168-craig-steltz-chicag o-bears-best-draft-pick-in-2008 [/url]
 

backrow

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nice article. good luck to future starting safety of Chicago Bears, and hopefully fan favourite!
 

psychosid

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What happened to Craig Steltz over at LSU should be a lesson that all players, black or white, should learn from...BE AWARE OF THE DEPTH CHART!!! Laron Landry is an amazing safety, who, we have to admit, is just as good a safety as Craig, and a better athlete. But how many landry's are there in college each year, 1 or 2, so DONT pick a school that has a player like this in front of you, had he gone to NOTRE DAME, PENN STATE, IOWA, CAL, EVEN USC, he would have been a 2-3 year starter, and i believe, a late first round or early 2nd round pick. He is just as good as Eric Weddle, and he is starting for the Chargers this year. But if Weddle went to LSU, he would, most likley, have been behind Landry on the depth chart also. The moral of the story, playing 3 years as a starter at a mid level program like Utah, is better then playing 1 year at a major powerhouse like LSU. Just my 2 cents, let me know what you guys think.
 
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Steltz should have started along side Landry. He was better than the guy who had started there and had graduated with Landry.
Steltz played running back at Rummel High School outside New Orleans and was awesome. I think he played both ways which is rare at a big school like that. He was just too good to keep off the field.
Someone told me he was the fastest New Orleans white guy since Sammy Martin(NE Patriots) but I found that to be a left handed compliment. Steltz is fast regardless of race.
 

Bear Backer

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backrow said:
nice article. good luck to future starting safety of Chicago Bears, and hopefully fan favourite!

Don't look now, but alot of Bears fans are already unhappy with him. I think he has the wrong pigmentation to play Safety in Chicago or so it would seem. When he was drafted there were many fans and media who considered him a wasted pick. Imagine that? One of the best defenders in School History at LSU, A first team All-American, Thorp Award Finalist, and one of the top players in all of the black dominated SEC was a wasted pick?

Just look at some of the comments about him before he ever even stepped foot on the field.

"He is like if Adam Archuleta and Todd Johnson had a baby."
"Turtle boy can't keep up with Wide Recievers."
"He will never be a starter in this league. Everyone he covers will be faster and stronger than him."
Terrible pick, he can't cover! AA part 2."
"Too slow for me. We have enough slow safeties. I want a cover guy that can take the FS spot."
"How is he a good pick? The guy can't cover and he is a saftey. AA part deux."
"Another slow safety who can't cover, bad pick."
"really? VIA RIVALS
smiley2.gif
: He would be a liability in man coverage on all but the slowest of tight ends"
"but he can't cover, so he stinks."
"He is Adam A. Jr"

There is already plenty of hate for him in Beardom, and I think we all know why. He will have to be a perennial Pro Bowler for many of the Bears to get off his back, and even then there would most likely be a group who would still run him down every chance they get, like many of the other white Bears players in caste positions.

For all the talk of the media often saying that Chicago still harbors "deep racist feelings" towards black players, all I have ever seen out of Chicago is that is is almost squarely in the enemy camp. There are deep racist feelings in Chicago among Bears fans, but they are exactly opposite of how the media likes to paint it.
 

ToughJ.Riggins

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Well we know the types that run the media and the drunken fans follow their lead like puppets, they are of the cultural Marxist type. We should start calling them Luginbills in honor of the biggest caste whore the world has ever known Tom Luginbill (farce scout for ESPN). I wish I knew the head of Rivals scouting, obviously another United Negro College fund supporter.
 

Don Wassall

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The Bears cut ultra-injury prone Mike Brown, but none of the articles I checked out mention Craig Steltz as his possible replacement. Despite only going into his second NFL season following his great senior season at LSU, Steltz seems to have already been pegged into a racially appropriate role of White Special Teams Demon. Other than Brian Urlacher, the Bears have never met a white player they couldn't find a way to underuse or misuse completely.
<H1>Bears would be wise to pass on weak safety class</H1>



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By Vaughn McClure


Last season, general manager Jerry Angelo called the group of safety prospects "anemic" as the Bears prepared for the draft. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock would echo that sentiment for this year's class.


"It's a similar group,'' he said. "There aren't any Top-10 picks. Basically what you're looking at is late first round as a possibility, but most of these kids will fit in the second and third rounds.''


Missouri's William Moore (6-0, 228) is the most talented but Mayock is intrigued by Alabama's Rashad Johnson (6-0, 187), Western Michigan's Louis Delmas (5-11, 196), and Clemson's Michael Hamlim (6-2, 207). All participated in the Senior Bowl.


"The biggest disappointment for me was William Moore,'' Mayock said. "He had a Top-20 grade from almost every NFL team heading into his senior season. He's a big, physical tough guy who has first-round value. But you could probably get him in the second round this year. He's going to be a boom or bust.''


Mayock rates Johnson and Delmas as solid, second-round picks. They both play free safety, and the Bears need a replacement for departing veteran Mike Brown. Danieal Manning is likely to remain at nickel back as he continues to be the primary kick returner. And Craig Steltz, a fourth-round pick last season, is viewed more as a special-teams contributor than a starting safety.


"Delmas and Johnson are tough, smart kids," Mayock said. "I like them a lot. Hamlin plays free safety, too. Patrick Chung from Oregon also had a good week at the Senior Bowl, but he's more of a strong safety."


The Bears selected safeties Brown (2000) and Manning ('06) in the second round. Maybe they are on track to do the same this year.


[url]http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/huddleup/2009/ 01/bears-would-be-wise-to-pass-on-weak-safety-class.html [/url]</TD></TR></T></T></TABLE>Edited by: Don Wassall
 

celticdb15

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Of course Chicago is about as caste atskill positionsas you can get
smiley7.gif
 

ToughJ.Riggins

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Chicago is probably my least favorite team considering I have almost adopted the Packers as my favorite now. A white skill player just can't get a chance under No Lovie "for the white man" Smith.
 

Don Wassall

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According to this Chicago Tribune article, the Bears have already given up on Steltz ever being a starter for them after just one season. Also, Hunter Hillenmeyer's days of starting look to be over, and Dusty Dvoracek's job may be in jeopardy. Looks like the Bears will be a feverish contestant in this year's annual battle to field the blackest team:


Craig Steltz, SOnly a year ago, Steltz was one of four players Angelo identified as a future starter when they selected him in the fourth round out of LSU.

But he didn't look like one during his rookie season.

The Bears really should address the safety position with their first two picks and sources have indicated the team would like to add another safety in one of the later rounds. If that happens and two more bodies are added to the secondary mix, Steltz could find himself fighting for a roster spot.

Steltz did contribute capably on special teams last year and has the right attitude and approach. But the Bears signed Josh Bullocks to compete at free safety with possibly a rookie and converted cornerback Zack Bowman and have Steltz and Glenn Earl penciled in behind starter Kevin Payne at strong safety.

Hunter Hillenmeyer, OLBThe trusted veteran already finds himself behind Nick Roach at strong-side linebacker on the depth chart, with the possibility of moving Jamar Williams over to compete for the job. Hillenmeyer distinguished himself as a dependable two-down linebacker back when the defense was consistent.

That has changed.

If Hillenmeyer is going to be a backup contributing on special teams, his limited speed might make the Bears turn to a more athletic rookie. Many scouts consider linebacker among the deepest position areas in this weekend's draft, so if the Bears nab one he likely will push Hillenmeyer or Joey LaRocque, a younger and cheaper alternative, for a roster spot.

Dusty Dvoracek, DTIt didn't go unnoticed at Tuesday's news conference when, in explaining long-term draft philosophy, Angelo said if a player didn't fulfill his potential by Year 3 he probably wouldn't. Well, Dvoracek is a third-round draft pick from 2006 who has finished his first three NFL seasons on injured reserve.

That will be impossible to ignore when shaping the final 53-man roster. If Angelo takes a defensive tackle -- as often is his wont -- then that will put heat on Dvoracek as well as Matt Toeaina. Israel Idonije moving outside to defensive end probably makes Dvoracek worth keeping for protection because, when healthy, he stops the run well.


[url]http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-23-h augh-bears-chicago-apr23,0,3011500.column [/url]
 

backrow

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yeah, it sure looks like Craig will join John Howell, Cam Worrell, Jon McGraw and countless other promising white safeties that ended up playing nothing but ST...
 

Don Wassall

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There's still hope that Steltz will start this season according to this article, which is mostly about his main competitor, Corey Graham:

Craig Steltz is the only returning free safety on the roster. New Orleans castoff Josh Bullocks might be in the mix, but he has practiced solely at strong safety this offseason.



While Steltz got most of the snaps with the first-team defense during the OTAs and appears to be the early favorite, Graham might be the better option because he's more athletic and has excellent range, which is essential in the Bears' Cover- 2 scheme.


It could come down to who is more consistent and a better communicator in getting the secondary lined up properly during training camp and the preseason games.


"Craig has been there for a year, so he's a step ahead of me right now,"Â￾ Graham said. "For the first week I was just out there trying to learn what I was doing, being in the right spot at the right time. But towards the end of OTAs I was able to make plays and play a little faster. I just have to keep studying, keep watching film and I'll head into training camp ready to roll."Â￾
full article: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/billsnfl/story/714034.html
 

Jack Lambert

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Hopefully Steltz will start for the Bears, and not start Graham. At least the Bears finally gave up on Mike Brown.
 

backrow

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from rotoworld:

"Craig Steltz looks to be entrenched as the Bears' starting free safety following the indefinite loss of CB Peanut Tillman.

Corey Graham, Steltz's main competition, is switching back to corner where he'll compete for a starting job with rookie D.J. Moore, Zack Bowman, and Trumaine McBride. SS Kevin Payne remains Chicago's IDP safety to target."
 

Don Wassall

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I don't think Steltz is ever going to be anything but jerked around by the Bears:

Craig Steltz has fallen to third on the Bears' depth chart at free safety.

<DIV =s_pNewsTextMain>Steltz was talked up all offseason as the man that will replace Mike Brown. But Danieal Manning and Josh Bullocks were listed ahead of Steltz Tuesday. It may turn out that Kevin Payne slides over to free safety and Al Afalava moves to strong safety. Either way, Payne is the best IDP bet among them all.
 

Jack Lambert

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I hate the Bears, screw them and Lovie and Jerry Angelo. They have annually the worst WR corps in the league, along with the Redskins.
smiley11.gif
Eric Peterman can not compete with the unbelievable talent of Earl Bennet, Devin Hester, and Rashied Davis.
smiley11.gif
(I had to look at the Bears roster to look at recievers, I couldn't think of any after Peterman, Bennet and Hester. Steltz should be a starter. Manning and Bullocks are bums that have no business starting.
 

Colonel_Reb

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The Bears stink. I'll have to forward this to some fans of theirs that I know.
 

Taco

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Steltz was the the favorite for starting FS and now hes magically 3rd string? Hmmm i wonder what happened
 

WHITE NOISE

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I only wish the worst of season to the Blacks, I mean Bears.
 

whiteCB

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On August 10th Steltz played without his customary long sleeved Under Armour shirt one day in practice. That's when the coaching staff found out they mistakenly put a white guy in the starting secondary. "to 3rd string you go whitey" was the quote last heard as Steltz was removed from practice later that day.
 
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I think the Lovie Smith countdown should begin. I bet the DWFs get after him this year if his offense is run,run, incompletion and they suck. But I'm a Pack fan so maybe there is bias involved.
 

Don Wassall

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Jerry Angelos and the ownership are also to blame for the rabid anti-white policies of the Bears. It's not like "Lovie" has faced opposition from higher up in the organization. Whites were getting screwedin Chicagobefore he arrived and undoubtedly will after he's gone.
 
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