LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears used their top draft choices Sunday, as promised, to shore up holes in their aging and depleted defense.
They used their No. 11 pick to select Donnell Woolford, a cornerback from Clemson, then used their No. 12 selection on Trace Armstrong, a defensive end from Florida.
'I'm excited,' said Coach Mike Ditka. 'It's probably as good as we could have expected. We think we went with two excellent, young football players with great attitudes -- character outstanding on both these young men, our kind of players who will come in and play for this football team. And they fit a tremendous need for us.'
The Bears, the only team with three first-round selections, traded their No. 25 pick to Miami for the Dolphins' second- and third-round picks.
Hot and heavy trade rumors that had Chicago dealing quarterback Jim McMahon to the San Diego Chargers for their No. 8 draft pick did not develop. McMahon, in an interview just prior to the Bears' first selection, talked as though he already had been traded.
Ditka said the rumors did not originate from Bears camp but did not deny that talks had taken place.
'You ought to call McMahon's agent (Steve Zucker) and San Diego about that,' said Ditka, 'because the Bears didn't initiate it, never started it and never said it was even going to happen.'
'We talked to San Diego about a lot of players,' said Bill Tobin, Chicago's vice president of player personnel. 'We talked to Green Bay. We talked to Minnesota. We've talked to San Diego, yes. ... We operate with company facts and business here, and we think some certain phone calls are private and confidential.'
Asked if a trade could still occur, Ditka replied: 'Anything can happen in life. That's why it's America. What a great country.'
Chicago had a league-high 21 selections in the draft, which continues Monday. The 25th pick in the first round was their own, the No. 11 pick was obtained from the Los Angeles Raiders from the Willie Gault trade, and the No. 12 pick came from Washington when linebacker Wilber Marshall signed with the Redskins as a free agent.
The Bears lost nine of its unprotected players to free agency this offseason, including former defensive starters Otis Wilson (linebacker), cornerback Mike Richardson and defensive end Al Harris. Both Woolford and Armstrong could find themselves in the starting lineup their first season.
'None of these guys are penciled in as starters, (but) we think they eventually will work themselves into the starting rotation and be longtime contributors,' said Tobin.
Armstrong underwent two knee surgeries in the past year but said he has fully recovered. He said he admires veteran Bears' lineman Dan Hampton, whom he could find himself working next to, and is best suited for Chicago's four-man defensive front.
'I'm ecstatic,' said Armstrong, 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds. 'I don't think it could have worked out any better for me. I'm going to a great organization.
Armstrong played all last year at left defensive tackle and recorded 59 tackles (41 solos) and seven sacks. He missed the 1984 season under the NCAA's Proposition 48 rule but said he is scheduled to graduate from Florida in two weeks.
'All along I was hoping to fall into a situation like this,' said Armstrong, who played three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to Florida. 'I want to be a great player in the National Football League, and I want to do that right away.'
Woolford, 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, was rated second at his position behind the flashy Deion Sanders of Florida State, who was selected fifth by Atlanta.
'I'm a quiet guy. I do all of my talking on the field,' said Woolford. 'I don't have to wear a lot of jewelry and that.'
Also a top punt returner, Woolford described himself as 'a guy who will go out there and give 100 percent, 110 percent everytime.'
Recently timed at 4:48 in the 40-yard dash, Woolford finished his senior year with 61 tackles (40 solos), a sack, caused three fumbles and had an interception. He was named first team All-American by UPI.
The Bears were the only team to have three first-round selections, the first time for them since 1965, when they took Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers and Steve DeLong. Tobin said the Bears would have kept their 25th pick in the first round to select wide receiver Andre Rison of Michigan State. Rison, however, was taken 22nd by Indianapolis.
The Bears' last draft pick from Clemson was defensive lineman William Perry (22nd overall) in 1985. Their last draft pick from Florida was running back Neal Anderson (27th overall) in 1986.
