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June 10, 2009

Draft picks Gilbert, Iglesias sign four-year contracts

 
By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 6/10/2009 3:15 PM
 
 

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – It’s only early June, but the Bears already have all nine of their draft picks under contract.


Third-round draft pick Jarron Gilbert has been working at defensive tackle in OTAs.
The final two unsigned selections, third-round choices Jarron Gilbert and Juaquin Iglesias, inked four-year deals Wednesday.

Chicago’s other seven picks—Henry Melton, D.J. Moore, Johnny Knox, Marcus Freeman, Al Afalava, Lance Louis and Derek Kinder—all agreed to four-year contracts on May 29.

Gilbert was a four-year contributor at San Jose State, where he was named WAC co-defensive player of the year last season after starting all 12 games at tackle and leading the nation with 22 tackles-for-loss. The 6-5, 288-pounder is an excellent athlete who led all defensive tackles with a 35½-inch vertical jump at the Combine and ran the fastest 40-yard dash at his position.

The 68th overall pick in the draft, Gilbert appeared in 48 games with 38 starts at San Jose State, switching from defensive end to defensive tackle midway through his junior season. Gilbert is San Jose State’s all-time leader with 22.5 sacks, which ranks fifth all-time in Western Athletic Conference history. 

He also set a school record with 42 tackles for losses, finishing sixth on the WAC’s all-time list. During his time at San Jose State, Gilbert posted 145 tackles, three forced fumbles and 15 pass break-ups. A first team All-American in 2008 and two-time all-WAC performer, Gilbert was also named the conference’s co-defensive player of the year as a senior.

Iglesias led Oklahoma receivers in receptions and yards each of the past two seasons, catching 68 passes for 907 yards and 5 touchdowns as a junior in 2007 and 74 passes for 1,150 yards and 10 TDs as a senior in 2008. The 6-foot, 210-pounder ranks second on Oklahoma’s all-time receiving list with 202 receptions and 2,821 yards.

The 99th pick in the draft, Iglesias played in 54 games with 39 starts at Oklahoma. He also ranks third on the Sooners' all-time list with 19 touchdown receptions and broke a school record with 1,664 career kickoff return yards.

The Bears are the first team in the NFL to sign all of their draft picks, a feat they also accomplished in 2006. Of the 256 selections in the 2009 NFL Draft, nine of the 30 who’ve agreed to terms are members of the Bears.

In other news, linebackers Brian Urlacher, Nick Roach and Joey LaRocque, running back Matt Forte, nickel back Danieal Manning and safeties Josh Bullocks and Glenn Earl sat out Wednesday’s OTA practice with minor ailments.

 
 
 
 
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