Bears grab CB Bowman before Patriots can

If the Bears had not grabbed Nebraska cornerback Zak Bowman in the fifth round when they did, he wouldnt have been on the board again when their turn came again.

The Bears selected him at No. 142 overall and went back and grabbed Michigan State tight end Kellen Davis 16 picks later with No. 158, acquired in a fourth-round swap with Tampa Bay.

In fact, Bowman would have gone with the very next pick had the Bears passed on him. The New England Patriots had a deal in place with Jacksonville to move up and acquire No. 143 and their intention was to select Bowman. They were paying close attention to the Cornhuskers as they selected linebacker Bo Ruud in the sixth round. New England was going to deal its pick at No. 153 and obviously something else to make the jump.

When Bowman went off the board, the trade was nixed and the Jaguars found a partner in Dallas, who used the pick on another cornerback in Orlando Scandrick of Boise State.

Bowman has dealt with knee injuries but indications from scouts are that he was on his way to being a very high draft pick before becoming hurt in 2006. He worked out well over the winter and should be in good shape for action this summer.

“We feel comfortable with where he can go, coach Lovie Smith said. “Its hard getting corners 6-feet tall with [his] type of speed. We are anxious to get our hands on him and start working with him to see where we can help him go.

It’s as if the Bears had a camera in the Pats’ draft room … OK, that was pretty bad.