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The 'Vanilla Gorilla' and 2 Other Bears UDFAs Who Have Already Caught Ben Johnson's Eye

Not every impressive rookie at Chicago's rookie minicamp has draft pedigree and coach Ben Johnson cited three he noticed even before practices began.
Gene Chamberlain|
Former Iowa tight end Hayden Large talks to media members about his pro day experience. Large is with the Bears as UDFA.
Former Iowa tight end Hayden Large talks to media members about his pro day experience. Large is with the Bears as UDFA. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears
Bears DB Dillon Thieneman warms up during Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Bears DB Dillon Thieneman warms up during Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

When you’re a connoisseur of offense like Bears coach Ben Johnson, it doesn’t take much to make a connection with guys who can bring something to that side of the football even if they haven’t been drafted.

Johnson described what he like about three undrafted free agents who had caught his eye even before they took the practice field Friday for the first rookie camp workout. Of course, one of them is a tight end. Johnson knows tight ends, as a former tight ends coach.

Former Iowa tight end Hayden Large built quite a reputation for as a leader of his team even without being much of a pass catcher. His blocking, special teams and overall attitude preceded him so much that Johnson even made a phone call ahead of the draft to talk to this player who wasn’t even going to be a draft pick, and even though they knew they might draft Sam Roush in Round 3.

“He was one of the guys that we identified well before the draft that he's a player that we really liked,” Johnson said Friday before work began. “Quick story about him, the guys (in personnel) do a great job of trying to recruit some of these guys we think might fall through the cracks and go undrafted.  I actually called him before the draft and let him know that we had a vision for him.

“When you take a tight end in the third round you’re kind of like, well, shoot that might take us away from Hayden coming here but he didn't bat an eye This is where he wanted to be.

Roush’s selection didn’t cause Large to look elsewhere.

“To me, that speaks volumes about how he's wired and it has something to do with how he came in as a walk-on at Iowa, and earned playing time and going through it the long, hard,  road. I really appreciate that and I really think we got a good one there.”

Large caught only 14 passes at Iowa playing tight end or fullback but his blocking stood out on film.

Another player who impressed the coaching staff was running back Coleman Bennett from Kennesaw State, who had 792 yards rushing and 27 catches for Rice and Kennesaw State.

The Bears could have an opening for another back after Travis Homer in free agency.

“I think (running backs) coach (Eric) Studesvill did a great job identifying a player that, he’s a darned good football player,” Johnson said. “Instinctively, he has a knack about him that we like to use this term—trim the fat. And you kind of see that when he runs the football.”

There’s no nonsense.

“He stays tight to his blockers,” Johnson said. “When you do that it’s more glancing blows (by tacklers). So it's a skill that translates to this level. So we're really hopeful that we'll be able to see that here over the weekend and over the curse of the spring.”

It might be difficult now with no contact, anyway. The same is true with other UDFA Johnson identified as impressive, Wyoming offensive lineman Caden Barnett.

“I think he plays the game the way we want to play it, so there's a physical demeanor about him,” Johnson said. “That’s what stands out first and foremost. I think we got a couple really good offensive line coaches  that when we have a guy that has traits like that that are harder to coach, that you can help clean up the technique and things of that nature.”

The 6-foot-4, 316-pounder could be either a guard or tackle.

“We'll probably line him up initially (inside) but with all the guy the best way to make the roster if you’re not going to be a starter is to showcase versatility,” Johnson said.

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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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