Justin Fields Leaves an Impression

Former Justin Fields teammates have no doubt Bears will keep their starting quarterback.

One thing entirely obvious at the NFL combine is the ultimate respect players from Ohio State have for Justin Fields.

It's more like actual reverence.

Cornerback Cam Brown had to take issue with the thought the Bears would even consider trading Fields.

"I don't think they're going to do that," Brown said. "I think that they believe in Justin and I believe he's a great player. So that would be, I would say, a mistake. He needs hmm..."

A reporter finished, "You can say it. He needs help. We all know."

"But I just don't believe that they will do that," Brown said.

Buckeyes safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. compared Fields with Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud.

"Another quarterback that can put the ball wherever he needed to put

 it," Hickman said. "Luckily we really couldn't tackle him (at practice), so he didn't run too much.

"So we didn't see that. We just seen his arm capabilities. Like I said earlier about C.J., he's just a guy who can put the ball anywhere it needs to be. Far hash to the sidelines on a 25-yard comeback. Just throws you have to tip your hat to. At the end of the day, he made us better."

Surprise Three Technique

If anyone came through the workouts on the defensive line as a big surprise, it had to be Northwestern's Adetomiwa Adebawore.

He turned in the fastest time of anyone in combine history weighing 280 pounds or more. He was far faster than Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was a few hours earlier and faster than 295-pound Mario Williams had been (4.66) in 2006. He ran an official 4.49 seconds at

The reason "Tomi," as he's known, didn't get as much immediate attention as Kancey is he was running with the defensive ends and not the tackles. There were other edge players and linebackers running faster, but not at 282 pounds. And the thing about Adebawore is he could play either position of need the Bears have on the defensive line.

At his size, he can be a three technique and actually was, even though he started out at end in a 4-3.

"So for my entire career I was a majority defensive end, but I would say the last half of my senior year it was like 50-50 between three technique and six technique (end)," he said.

His ideal fit?

"I feel comfortable playing defensive line," he told combine reporters. "So wherever a team needs me I'll be very comfortable because I've done it for four years and another four years in high school. So I've just done it kind of my whole football career."

Considering some of the offensive linemen Adebawore faced in practices, it's little wonder he's thought of highly by scouts.

"I started my career it was Rashawn Slater and then you have Peter Skoronski, who's

also in this draft class," Adebawore said. "So both are very talented, both got me to elevate my game, especially you've got to bring it with those guys every day.

"I bring it with whoever I go against. But especially those guys kind of helped my game and they've made me a better player for sure."

Adebawore tore up Senior Bowl practices to enhance his draft status, but people should have been paying attention all along.

"The stuff from the Senior Bowl didn't happen over the last three months," Adebawore said. "It happened over my last seven, eight years playing ball, just continuing to work every day."

A Fit for HITS

One thing combine players need to address when they talk with the Bears is their ability to mesh with the HITS principle of coach Matt Eberflus.

B.J. Ojulari, an edge rusher who is the brother of Giants pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, said he met with the Bears. He has an answer to whether he can fit an intense style of play like the HITS principle requires.

"My mentality is great on finishing plays," he said at the combine. "My playing style is based on a lot of effort. Sideline-to-sideline plays. Chasing stuff down. A lot of pursuit. Constant strain to the ball is a thing I take a lot of pride in."

If Ogulari came to the Bears, in practice he might be facing the toughest offensive lineman he's ever played.

When asked who it was, he said, "probably Alex Leatherwood."

Another Jones, Another Jaylon

The Bears already have Justin Jones, Velus Jones Jr., Jaylon Jones and Braxton Jones.

And now they've talked to another Jones. They'd only make the roster even more difficult to decipher by drafting this Jones because they have one by the same full name already, Jaylon Jones.

The Texas A&M prospect even plays the same position as Bears cornerback Jaylon Jones and confirmed the Bears spoke to him.

This Jaylon Jones could wind up being a slot cornerback in the NFL, though, because it's said his strength is playing press coverage and he agrees.

"I like to be in your face, I like to get hands on, things like that," he said.

It's easy to see why the Bears would be interested in Jones. At 6-2, 205, he'd be a much bigger slot cornerback than most who play there.

"Just being a big physical corner, man, having my length and range as an advantage, it's a blessing," Jones said.

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