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Entire Bears Secondary Lauded

ESPN analyst Matt Bowen sees entire Bears cornerback group as an aggressive group.
Gene Chamberlain|
Entire Bears Secondary Lauded
Entire Bears Secondary Lauded

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Chicago Bears

Bears second-round draft pick Tyrique Stevenson has drawn high praise from one of ESPN's well-respected analysts, one who should know all about defensive backs' skill sets.

Miami's Stevenson, chosen 56th overall after the Bears traded up to get him, was a pick praised by former NFL safety Matt Bowen in a post about ideal landing spots for rookies.

"It's the play demeanor and the coverage fit in Matt Eberflus' defense that have me excited about this match," Bowen wrote for ESPN.

Bowen, a Glenbard West and Iowa product who played seven years in the NFL, saw in Stevenson skills that match any defensive scheme to be honest.

"Stevenson shows the physical coverage skills to match up with boundary X-receivers in the Bears' nickel sets, which would allow Kyler Gordon to stay inside at the slot position," Bowen wrote. "Plus, Stevenson can reroute in cover-2, jamming and sinking. And he will hit in the run game, too. He had 68 tackles and three interceptions over the past two years."

The Bears now have three second-round cornerbacks at the three starting cornerback spots: Jaylon Johnson at right cornerback, Stevenson on the left side and Kyler Gordon in the slot.

"Chicago is building a secondary with urgent and aggressive defensive backs, and Stevenson fits that profile," Bowen wrote.

The Bears showed last year there's a need to have as many top cornerbacks as possible as Gordon missed three games with injuries, Johnson six games and 2022 left cornerback starter Kindle Vildor six games.

Even backups Josh Blackwell and Josh Jones missed a game apiece.

The Bears also drafted fifth-round pick Terell Smith from Minnesota and he immediately showed what he's capable of by making an interception at his first practice. He stood his ground in cover-2 and leaped for the pick.

"Great pride just going up there and high-pointing the ball," he said. "Just showing everyone what I can do out there, felt good."

The Bears could have one of the deepest cornerback groups in the conference after the two additions this year.

It can't hurt with Johnson entering a contract year, either.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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