The Chicago Bears got plenty of encouraging signs from their rookie class in the preseason opener against the Houston Texans. Undrafted linebacker Carl Jones Jr. led the team with eight tackles. Undrafted tight end Brenden Bates scored a touchdown. Surprisingly, none of their draft class played in the game, with one exception. Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Kiran Amegadjie, and Tory Taylor all sat out. Only defensive end Austin Booker was on the field, and he was the best rookie performer by a lot.
While he didn’t officially register a sack in the game, he was a microsecond from getting one and probably should’ve shared a half sack. Regardless, he was in the opposing backfield several times. Houston’s tackles could not figure him out due to his ability to beat them with both quickness and power. One person who was pleasantly surprised by Booker’s performance was former scouting director Greg Gabriel. He believes the Bears may have stolen one in the 5th round and now has high expectations for his rookie season.
Booker did some things that showed he has the tools to become a force in the League. On one of his first plays, he failed to set the edge well against an outside run, but other than that, I felt he stood out. He has a very quick first step and consistently puts pressure on the quarterback.
For a player who may not weigh 250 pounds, he plays with strength and explosion. He rocked the Texans second-round tackle Blake Fisher on one play and beat him with a quick outside-in move for a pressure. He plays with the down-after-down intensity that Flus requires and shows excellent overall athleticism. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he will be in the DE rotation this fall, and he is capable of getting four to six sacks as a rookie.
GM Ryan Poles never does such things unless he’s certain the player can have a legitimate impact. It was that way with Tyrique Stevenson last year. He finished with four interceptions as a rookie. Booker has a similar foundation of size and athleticism from which to work. Better still, he has an excellent group of teachers. Defensive line coach Travis Smith was a pupil of Rod Marinelli, one of the best of his era. Defensive coordinator Eric Washington was one of the best defensive line coaches in the league for years before coming to Chicago.
Booker should transform into a legitimate impact player if he takes their instructions. The fact he had the performance he did last week despite weighing only 240 lbs and having one year of starting experience in college should tell you a lot about his potential. The Chicago Bears were right to be excited when they got him. Many feel he went pro too soon. Had he stayed at Kansas another year, there is a strong probability he would’ve ended up a high Day 2 pick in 2025. Maybe more. Hence why Gabriel thinks this could be a steal.
