Bear Digest

Senior Bowl Cornerbacks for Bears to Study

The Bears' switch to a cover-2 base on defense from their 3-4 will create the need for more cornerbacks but they needed some anyway, and the Senior Bowl this week has some of the top cornerbacks in the nation.
Gene Chamberlain|
Senior Bowl Cornerbacks for Bears to Study
Senior Bowl Cornerbacks for Bears to Study

In this story:

Chicago Bears

 The process of finding players who fit better for a 4-3 defense begins with Senior Bowl week.

New Bears coach Matt Eberflus deploys a 4-3 defense with plenty of cover-2 zone against the pass. It's definitely not new to Chicago, but it's been a while—tracing all the way back to the end of the Lovie Smith era a decade ago.

"It's an uphill pressure defense, No. 1," Eberflus said. "You can create a lot of takeaways. You can create a lot of negative plays for the offense. And you can play guys early."

By early, Eberflus means as soon as they come in the door of the practice facility. It's here where personnel acquisition can see immediate returns.

"It's simple in terms of the techniques and fundamentals," Eberflus said. "And you can play guys early that way. So to me that way you draft a guy, like for example, Darius Leonard, you draft him, you play him in there and he succeeds.

"Or you get a guy and you acquire a guy. You can bring him in and he can play right away. Free agents, it doesn't matter if it's free agents or it's drafted guys. It doesn't matter because it's simple and it's player-friendly."

With this in mind, the Bears will begin the 2022 run up to the NFL draft by looking at cornerbacks, among other positions. Jaylon Johnson is a solid all-around cornerback but they need help.

THE NFL DRAFT BIBLE'S CORNERBACK RANKINGS

"The key positions are the Will (weak-side linebacker), the three technique (defensive tackle) and the nickel (cornerback)," Eberflus said. "You go way back (to Tampa Bay) and that's the Warren Sapp, that's the Derrick Brooks and that's the Ronde Barber."

The Tampa Bay version was mimicked by the Bears with Will linebacker Lance Briggs and three technique Tommy Harris, although they also had a middle linebacker who could range far and wide and made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Brian Urlacher. They never found a nickel of Barber's impact, although in 2006 Ricky Manning did a solid job of playing the position.

Now the Bears need nickel help and could another cornerback on the outside.

Here are some of the players they could look at this week in Mobile.

National Team Cornerbacks

Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

A cornerback with ideal size at 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, who also goes for the ball like a wide receiver according to NFL Draft Bible's assessment for FanNation. He is said to excel in cover-2. His brother, Christian, is on the Cardinals. NFLDB considers him the seventh-best cornerback prospect and 51st overall, which puts him in range for a Round 2 selection by the Bears. He made nine career interceptions and 35 total pass defenses.

Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State

A 6-1/2, 194-pounder, he has long 35-inch arms to help in coverage and knows how to use his reach. He made 28 pass defenses and three interceptions, but had no interceptions in his final two seasons for 15 games. Rated the 20th best cornerback in the draft by NFLDB, he could have come to the NFL last year but wanted another college season after injuries held him to just three games in 2020.

Damarri Mathis, Pittsburgh

A 5-11, 195-pounder who NFLDB projects as a slot cornerback in a nickel defense, he is rated as their 29th best cornerback in the draft. He had five interceptions and 18 pass defenses with one TD return. Overall his lack of "sudden twtich" and need for improved tackling technique could make breaking a starting lineup a challenge says NFLDB

Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State

Very long-armed 6-3, 197 pounds and athletic, he made five interceptions and 22 pass defenses. He's trying to be the first player drafted from his school. NFLDB sees him as very sound fundamentally but in need of better hand usage and more experience chasing receivers on vertical routes. He dominated Division II competition at an HBCU school, which is why he has been pursued for postseason bowls.

Gregory Junior, Ouachita Baptist

A Division II cornerback who is 6-1, 190 and showed definite athletic ability but needs plenty of seasoning. He was not entirely dominant at his level with one interception, 16 pass defenses and five tackles for loss over his career. He has a knack for playing the ball but handling swift route runners could be a challenge at the next level. NFLDB has him rated 35th among cornerbacks in this draft.

Jaylen Watson, Washington State

Played in cover-3 zones extensively and was able to take advantage of his great size (6-3, 204). He was a junior college transfer so his numbers are not impressive, with two interceptions and five pass breakups. NFLDB sees him as a late Day 3 pick or UDFA.

American Team

Roger McCreary, Auburn

A highly productive, proven SEC player who is among the most proven players in this year's Senior Bowl. He is a smooth, 6-foot, 190-pounder who made six interceptions and 30 pass defenses, along with 10 tackles for loss. NFLDB rates him as a possible first-round draft pick, but sees him as a possible slot cornerback or a corner who plays in a man-to-man system of coverage rather than zone like the Bears will use.

Mario Goodrich, Clemson

A 6-foot, 190-pounder who made five interceptions with 15 pass defenses. NFLDB puts him in the top 15 among cornerbacks for the draft. His stats weren't as impressive as some as he didn't emerge as a high-profile player in the defense until his final season. As a result, some scouts consider him a prospect who could be a late riser. He has an excellent reach and ability to use it.

Derion Kendrick, Georgia

A transfer from Clemson who had been dismissed from the team following an arrest, but charges were later dropped after he went to the Bulldogs. He picked off seven passes and broke up 14, while making six tackles for loss and in his only Georgia season he had a career-high four interceptions. He's good at fighting for the ball and pulling it down, and should be as a former receiver. He's rated a possible first-round pick at No. 6 overall among cornerbacks by NFLDB.

Akayleb Evans, Missouri

A versatile 6-2, 188-pounder who has the size and speed to be on the outside but also has been versatile enough to go into the slot. His career started at Tulsa and he has been adept at breaking up passes but not intercepting them. He had one career interception and 17 pass breakups, to go with three forced fumbles and three tackles for loss. He might be at his best in press coverage because he plays very physical, according to NFLDB, which ranks him 15th overall among corners in the draft.

Josh Thompson, Texas

A cornerback who could test out well for speed at the combine and knows how to use it, he is good in man-to-man coverage as a result of this and the ability to play receivers' hands. He made two interceptions, seven pass defenses and five tackles for loss for the Longhorns. He's not at his best in zone coverage, in part because he doesn't show the best closing speed despite having good straight-line quickness. NFLDB puts him at No. 23 on its cornerback board.

Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston

A wild card from a non-power school, he dwarfs some other DBs because he is 6-foot-4. Teams using cover-3 extensively might be more intrigued by him than the Bears, who will be in cover-2 more. He used these physical advantages well at a lower level with 13 interceptions, 54 pass defense and six forced fumbles. NFLDB sees im as having potential to succeed in the league if put in the right scheme. He's ranked 30th among corners in this draft by NFLDB.

Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska

A 6-foot, 205-pounder who some see as a potential safety in the NFL but who really needs deep zone improvement to play that position. He has played some safety and is at his best in press coverage. He has been a sound coverage cornerback with five interceptions, 22 pass defenses and four forced fumbles, while also making 10 tackles for loss. NFLDB rates him the 22nd best cornerback in the draft.

Alontae Taylor, Tennessee

Quality pass defender who had four intereptions and 15 pass defenses, to go with five tackles for loss and three forced fumbles for the Volunteers. He's viewed by NFLDB as a potential immediate starter who has technique and toughness but lacks fome of the explosiveness to be a standout. He is 6-foot, 192 and viewed as a potential Day 2 pick as NFLDB's 13th best corner.

 Digest@BearsOnMaven

Published
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.

Home/News