The NFL's Top 50 Draft Classes of the Decade: No. 36 Chicago Bears, 2003

The Bears' 2003 Selections: Michael Haynes, DE, Penn St. (No. 14) **
Rex Grossman, QB, Florida (No. 22) *
Charles Tillman, CB, LA-Lafayette (No. 35)
Lance Briggs, LB, Arizona (No. 68)
Todd Johnson, S, Florida (No. 100)
Ian Scott, DT, Florida (No. 116) *
Bobby Wade, WR, Arizona (No. 139)
Justin Gage, WR, Missouri (No. 143) ***
Tron LaFavor, DT, Florida (No. 171)
Joe Odom, LB, Purdue (No. 191)
Brock Forsey, RB, Boise State (No. 206)
Bryan Anderson, G, Pittsburgh (No. 261)
* Traded No. 4 pick to Jets for No. 13, No. 22, and No. 116 picks.
** Traded No. 13 pick to Patriots' for No. 14 pick and 6^th round pick.
*** Swapped picks with Jaguars to draft Justin Gage.

Class Accolades: Michael Haynes - 4 starts, 5.5 sacks in 3 NFL seasons.
Rex Grossman - 19-12 during the regular season as the Bears' starting QB, 13-3 in 2006, 33 passing touchdowns and 36 interceptions in 6 seasons with Chicago.
Charles Tillman - 6-year Bears' starter, 22 career interceptions, 548 total tackles.
Lance Briggs - 5 Pro Bowls, All-Pro in 2005, 774 total tackles, 10 interceptions, 4 touchdowns during seven seasons as Bears' starter.
Todd Johnson - 18 starts, 143 total tackles during 3 seasons with Bears.
Ian Scott - 2-year Bears' starter, 2 sacks and 96 total tackles.
Bobby Wade - 64 receptions, 698 receiving yards in 40 games with Chicago.
Justin Gage - 16 starts, 64 catches, 908 receiving yards in 49 games with Chicago.
* Grossman, Briggs, Scott, and Tillman Super Bowl XLI starters.

Overall Draft Analysis: The Bears' 2003 draft class significantly contributed to the team's appearance in Super Bowl XLI, as well as back-to-back, double-digit win seasons in 2005 and 2006. Although the Bears should consider the first-rounder, Haynes, a bona fide draft bust, the remainder of the class provided tremendous depth to compliment its headliner, All-Pro linebacker Lance Briggs. Collectively, the class started an impressive 23 seasons in Chicago since 2003, while Briggs and Tillman remain formidable fixtures of the Bears' defense. Undoubtedly, the Bears' defense in 2005 (12.6 points allowed per game) ranks amongst the decade's most dominant defenses, along with the Titans and Ravens in '00, Bucs' in '02, and Steelers in '08. Briggs has performed the most consistently of any Bears' defender during the decade, recording 100+ tackles for the sixth consecutive season in 2009. Similarly durable, Tillman has not relinquished the role as the team's most reliable defensive back, since starring as a rookie in 2003. The fourth-rounders, Johnson and Scott, also performed respectably, as regular members of Chicago's vaunted defense.

The Super Bowl, ultimately remains the most significant measure of team success in the NFL. Irrefutably, the enigmatic Rex Grossman quarterbacked the Bears' offense to its first Super Bowl appearance in two decades. Such a feat should not be undersold, even in light of Grossman's "consistently-erratic" play, below-average arm strength and accuracy, and subsequent struggles in the NFL. In retrospect, Grossman's career easily outshines each of the lackluster quarterbacks selected afterwards, such as David Ragone, Chris Simms, Seneca Wallace, Brian St. Pierre, Drew Henson, Brooks Bollinger, Kliff Kingsbury, and Ken Dorsey. Even the two other quarterbacks available at No. 4, Byron Leftwich and Kyle Boller, do not remain considerable upgrades, compared to Grossman. The team smartly traded down; however, Haynes proved an expensive disappointment. In addition to the former Gator gunslinger, the late rounders, Gage and Wade, also provided serviceable productivity during stints in Chicago.

The Bears' Perfect Draft in Retrospect
(Keeping Actual Picks, Only Players of Same Position Eligible)
No. 14 - DE Robert Mathis, No. 22 - QB Rex Grossman (Tony Romo, Undrafted), No. 35 - CB Asante Samuel, No. 68 - LB Lance Briggs, No. 100 - S Yeremiah Bell, No. 116 - Kindal Moorehead, No. 139 - WR Justin Gage, No. 143- WR Kevin Walter, No. 171 - DT Langston Moore, No. 191 - LB Cato June, No. 206 - RB Earnest Graham (Undrafted), No. 261 - G Kris Dielman (Undrafted).

References: All statistics and draft results as reflected on NFL.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com.