LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Monday signed the following undrafted free agents: UNLV guard Johan Asiata, Hampton guard Dennis Conley, Connecticut safety Dahna Deleston, Louisiana-Lafayette running back Tyrell Fenroy, Rutgers linebacker Kevin Malast, Northwestern wide receiver Eric Peterman, Kansas linebacker Mike Rivera, California fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou and Louisville defensive back Woodny Turenne.

Receiver Eric Peterman caught at least one pass in his final 29 games at Northwestern.

Asiata spent the past two seasons at UNLV, starting last year at left guard, after transferring from Yuba College. The 6-4, 310-pounder grew up in Hawaii, but was born in New Zealand and has a son named Auckland. Asiata did not play high school football.

Conley was a three-year starter at Hampton, where the 6-2, 305-pound guard earned all-conference honors last year as a senior.

Deleston told a Connecticut newspaper that he had offers from the Bears and Patriots, but the 6-foot, 211-pound safety felt that “Chicago was the best place for me.”

Fenroy was a highly productive running back at Louisiana-Lafayette, the same school that produced Bears cornerback Charles Tillman. The 5-8, 205-pounder became only the seventh player in college football history (and the first since former Bear Cedric Benson) to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons.

Malast was a team captain at Rutgers last season, where he led the defense with 101 tackles and returned an interception 74 yards in a win over Pittsburgh. The 6-foot, 235-pounder told a New Jersey newspaper that he chose the Bears over the Patriots and Rams.

“I had been talking to the Bears’ head scout for a while, and I met Lovie Smith when they brought me out to visit,” Malast said. “I just think it’s the best place for me. The defense is similar to what we used at Rutgers, so I think I can surprise some people how well I can play it.”

Peterman played in 49 career games with 28 starts at Northwestern. The 6-1, 200-pound receiver finished his career ranked fourth on the Wildcats’ all-time receiving list with 2,011 yards and seventh with 160 receptions.

Rivera joins a linebacking corps that includes one of his idols, six-time Pro Bowler Brian Urlacher. “It’s kind of ironic,” the 6-3, 255-pounder told the Kansas City Star. “I actually have his jersey in my closet right now. It’s the only football jersey I really owned. I got it in high school.”

Ta’ufo’ou is a powerful fullback who originally enrolled at California as a walk-on. With the 5-11, 253-pounder as the lead blocker, Justin Forsett rushed for 1,546 yards in 2007 and Jahvid Best gained 1,580 yards in 2008.

Ta’ufo’ou had durability issues, but always seemed to rebound from his injuries. “He’s a tough, tough, tough guy,” said running backs coach Ron Gould. “I can’t emphasize this enough: He’s a tough guy. You would have to kill him to get him off the field.”

Turenne was leading the Big East with five interceptions last November when he was lost for the season with a broken clavicle. The 6-1, 185-pound cornerback from Louisville suffered the injury while intercepting a pass in a 28-20 loss to Cincinnati.