Austin Booker arrived with little fanfare in April this year. The Chicago Bears traded back into the 5th round of the draft to grab the Kansas edge rusher. Experts saw him as an intriguing talent in need of lots of work. He was considered light at 240 lbs and only started one season in college. It would probably take at least a year before he was deemed ready to play. Fast forward a few months and the rookie is by far the biggest surprise of August, posting seven pressures and three sacks in 50 pass rush reps across three preseason games. His athleticism wasn’t the big surprise. It’s the arsenal of moves he’s shown. Even new teammate Montez Sweat admitted that the rookie has exceeded expectations.
It isn’t just the natural talent that stands out. Booker’s ability to learn fast is what many at Halas Hall are so excited about this year.
“He’s a tremendous talent. Really light years ahead of where a rookie should be. I’m excited for the year and what he brings to the table…
…He’s starting to notice how guys block him. He’s trying out new moves and he’s just learning the defense and learning how to move faster within it. Real big leaps from him.”
After all, he endured the same difficult transition to the NFL. The difference was he came with much higher expectations as a 1st round pick in Washington. He had seven sacks as a rookie. Fortunately for him, Montez Sweat had some excellent mentors at the time, including Ryan Kerrigan and Jonathan Allen. Their advice allowed him to hit the ground running that first year. It appears the same is happening with Booker. Getting a chance to learn from a Pro Bowler like Sweat is incredibly valuable, not to mention necessary. The Bears don’t have a definitive #2 edge rusher. Demarcus Walker is more of a hybrid option. Dominique Robinson hasn’t shown much. Jacob Martin has been hurt. Booker seems like the only one who has stepped up. He appears ready for the opportunity.
