The Bears on Saturday signed fourth-round pick Tory Taylor, a punter from Iowa, to a four-year contract.
The Bears selected the 6-4, 223-pound Australian with the 122nd overall pick in the draft, a selection they acquired last year from the Eagles in moving down in the first round from No. 9 to 10, where they chose right tackle Darnell Wright.
Last season, Taylor won the Ray Guy Award as the nation's best punter and was named First-Team All-American after averaging 48.2 yards on 93 punts, placing 32 inside the 20 with seven touchbacks.
"Really excited about Tory," general manager Ryan Poles said after picking Taylor. "One of the best punters I've ever seen, just in terms of his placement as well as his leg strength to be able to flip the field."
Taylor appeared in 49 games the past four seasons for the Hawkeyes, averaging 46.3 yards on 295 punts, placing 127 inside the 20 with 32 touchbacks.
He set NCAA single-season punting records last year with 4,479 yards and a 48.2-yard average. He also established career marks with a 46.3-yard average and 43 games averaging at least 40 yards per punt.
"Tory is a weapon for the whole football team," coach Matt Eberflus said after the draft. "The punt and pins are huge. This guy is a big talent, so we're excited to have him."
Taylor is the first member of the Bears' 2024 draft class to sign his rookie contract.
With the 122nd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears select Iowa punter Tory Taylor. Take a look at photos of Taylor in action. (Photos via AP)
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
Iowa punter Tory Taylor
