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Chicago Drafts Oregon Center Hroniss Grasu With 71st Pick

(CBS/AP) -- With their third-round pick, the Bears drafted Oregon center Hroniss Grasu at No. 71 overall Friday in the NFL Draft.

Grasu was a four-year starter for the Ducks who started all 52 games he appeared in and was a first-team All-American in 2013.

It's the first time since 2008 that the Bears have drafted two offensive players in the first three rounds. The took West Virginia receiver Kevin White at No. 7 overall Thursday night.

Grasu anchored an offensive line at Oregon that paved the way for a running attack that finished first in the Pac-12 for the eighth straight year.

Oregon's fast-paced offense has long kept foes off guard by forcing the defense to make decisions for them. In turn, a lot of pressure is put on the center to keep the offense moving.

"I was asked to make a lot of decisions in a short amount of time -- six, seven seconds," Grasu said. "Being able to do that with the other four offensive linemen makes it so much easier."

Grasu considers it a dream come true to have ended up with the Bears and on the same line as current Bears guard Kyle Long, who he played with at Oregon.

"I've always wanted to go to the Bears," Grasu said. "I want to play with Kyle again and such a great organization and team."

Grasu called Long his "best friend" and a "brother to me."

The Bears currently have 32-year-old center Will Montgomery on the roster after signing him in free agency. Veteran center Roberto Garza was waived in the offseason.

(Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS Radio and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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