As is often the case, heading into the 2012 NFL Draft, everyone was focused on all the negatives that Alshon Jeffery displayed during his final season at South Carolina. Critics noticed that Jeffrey suffered a steep decline in production, catching only 49 passes after reeling in 88 the season before. Despite the drop in production, the Chicago Bears had no problem selecting Jeffery with the 45th pick in the draft, and the early returns have all been positive.
According to an interview with ESPNChicago, Jeffery has been very impressive during his short time with the Bears, leading Mike Tice to explain that the rookie will make an immediate contribution:
After the first day of rookie camp, Bears offensive coordinator Mike Tice described Jeffery "picking peanuts off some guys’ heads."
"You can tell that he’s going to be a playmaker for the Bears for 2012, and hopefully for many years to come," Tice said.
After dealing with inconsistent quarterback play throughout his time at South Carolina, Jeffery is certainly relishing the opportunity to play with a proven QB like Jay Cutler:
"Jay Cutler is a great quarterback," he said. "He’s always joking with me all the time. I just love being around him and learning from him and trying to understand the game from his mind."
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