[CBFF] CB - Wofle the 1st NFL Pick to sign

[Jerry Madsen]

May 15, 2007

Bears sign rookie running back to four-year deal
By Larry Mayer

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears rookie running back Garrett Wolfe enjoyed a
profitable day at Halas Hall Tuesday, working with his veteran
teammates for the first time and signing a four-year contract.

The third-round pick from Northern Illinois is the NFL's first 2007
draft choice to put his name on the dotted line.

"I'm not a numbers guy, so I wouldn't have been too worried about it
anyway," Wolfe said. "But it's a great opportunity for me with the
Chicago Bears.

"The one thing that I'm excited about is that I'm here and I'm working
out with the guys. I get to get a feel for what's going on and that's
just going to put me that much more ahead. Going into training camp,
I'll be ahead of the learning curve."

To Wolfe, who grew up in Chicago cheering for the Bears, signing his
first NFL contract wasn't nearly as monumental an experience as being
drafted by his hometown team April 28.

"That contract is only what I make of it," he said. "I have to make
that contract work for me as opposed to getting caught up in the
figures and not producing or not playing. If you don't play and you
don't produce, the contract's not important anyway."

After signing his contract Tuesday, Wolfe insisted that he wasn't
going to make any extravagant purchases.

"I plan to save my money and watch it grow," he said.

Wolfe begins his NFL career as a situational running back who will
complement starter Cedric Benson and backup Adrian Peterson. The 5-7,
186-pounder could eventually be elevated to the No. 2 spot on the
depth chart, which would enable Peterson to continue to play all four
phases on special teams.

Wolfe impressed Bears coaches with his speed, elusiveness and
pass-catching ability during the team's rookie minicamp May 4-6 at
Halas Hall.

He joined the Bears after being named the MAC Offensive Player of the
Year in his final two seasons at Northern Illinois, leading the nation
in rushing last year as a senior with 1,928 yards and 18 touchdowns on
309 carries.

A three-year letterwinner at Northern Illinois, Wolfe finished 11th
all-time in NCAA Division I-A history with a school-record 5,164
rushing yards. He completed his collegiate career ranked fourth
all-time in Division I-A annals with a rushing average of 156.5 yards
per game, surpassed only by Ed Marinaro, O.J. Simpson and Herschel
Walker.

Wolfe also ranks seventh in NCAA history in career points per game
(10.4) and career all-purpose yards per game (181.3). His career
average of 6.4 yards per rushing attempt set an NCAA Division I-A
record (minimum 780 carries), while he also set NIU marks for career
touchdown runs (52), total touchdowns (57), 100-yard rushing
performances (22) and 200-yard rushing performances (10), while
ranking second in all-purpose yards (5,983) and points scored (344).

Tuesday marked the first day that NFL rookies were permitted to return
to their team's facility since the rookie minicamps ended (providing
that they had completed final exams or graduated), and Wolfe took full
advantage of the opportunity.

"It was good to get around those guys and get a feel for the other
running backs, and it was just good to be out here competing again,"
Wolfe said. "Those guys are all very talented football players. The
one thing that was good to see is that they're excited to help us
learn and help us get better and in turn help the football team get
better."

-- 
http://bloggeddrain.typepad.com/thedrain