Chicago Bears: History With Each of the Top 5 Picks
By Erik Lambert
#5 Pick
- Mike Dikta (TE, Pitt, 1961)
- Jim McMahon (QB, BYU, 1982)
- Curtis Enis (RB, Penn State, 1998)
This selection has also been fairly kind to the Bears in the past. Of course Mike Dikta is the name that stands above the rest. A Hall of Fame tight end who actually made the position relevant in the sport back in the 1960s. At that time nobody was using it as a pass catching weapons. They were just extra blockers. Then he went off for over 1,000 yards as a rookie and everything changed. Ditka helped Chicago win the championship in 1963, then returned years later after retirement to become their head coach.
Ironically it was that #5 overall pick who had a hand in selecting the other successful #5 pick. Jim McMahon is easily the best drafted quarterback of the Super Bowl era in Chicago. Though he never lived up to his full potential he did reach a Pro Bowl and led the Bears to their only championship in the past 31 years. As for Curtis Enis. He came in with plenty of potential at running back but could never shake health issues that plagued him.