Chicago Bears rookie minicamps took place over two days this past week. It featured most of their 2024 draft class and all of their undrafted free agents. However, they weren’t alone. Several tryout players were in attendance, hoping to do enough to get noticed and earn a training camp invitation for later this summer. Three names ended up crossing that threshold. One was veteran tight end Tommy Sweeney, most recently of the New York Giants. Another was Arkansas State defensive back Leon Jones, who had an interception during drills. Perhaps the most interesting and unexpected of the trio was Arizona State defensive tackle Dashaun Mallory.
Speed trainer Lamont White announced the news on his Instagram. Mallory was a terror at Bolingbrook High School. During his senior season alone, he had 12 sacks and 20 tackles for a loss. Unfortunately, things never seemed to click through his first three years of college at Michigan State. The coaches didn’t seem to know how to use him. So, in a last attempt to salvage his career, he transferred to Arizona State. There, he finally blossomed with two sacks and 10 tackles for a loss. He also tied for fourth on the team with four pass deflections.
They remain on the lookout for defensive line help, especially along the interior. Mallory demonstrated on several occasions that he can wreak havoc in the backfield, shooting gaps either to make tackles or get heat on the quarterback. It doesn’t hurt he was developed by defensive coordinator Brian Ward. This is the same man who helped linebacker Zaire Franklin get to the NFL. Head coach Matt Eberflus worked closely with Franklin for four years in Indianapolis. He likely has a good idea of the coaching Mallory got.
It is a great story for the local kid getting the chance to work for his hometown team. The Chicago Bears will afford him every opportunity to make the roster. It won’t be easy. Gervon Dexter, Andrew Billings, and Zacch Pickens are already roster locks. That leaves one or two spots at most left up for grabs. Mallory will battle veterans like Byron Cowart and Michael Dwumfour, along with touted undrafted signing Keith Randolph, for one of those spots. He can’t afford to take things slow.
