Scouting reports on Bears players entering draft

Story by Larry Mayer

Ever wonder what was being said about current Bears players before they entered the NFL? We dusted off some old draft previews, searched for familiar names and found out. Read the following capsules and see just how accurate they were.

Pro Football Weekly: "Outstanding body length with long arms, big hands and a wide-catching radius. Equipped to beat press. Moves fluidly. Good route runner. Extends to snag throws off his frame. Competes for the ball in traffic and is not fazed by contact. Can make the spectacular grab. Good body control to adjust to the ball. Strong and competitive with the ball in his hands—good YAC production."

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "Athletic safety prospect whose versatility and toughness will endear him to coaches during the evaluation process. Brisker continued to pick up elements of the defensive scheme and his play has steadily transformed from hesitant in 2019 to downright instinctive in 2021. He has the versatility to become a moving chess piece in a variety of coverages and has the size and talent to match up with both "Y" and "F" tight ends. Brisker is an ascending talent with the NFL traits to become a long-time starter as a Day 2 draft pick."

Pro Football Weekly: "Tall, lean and long with a well-muscled frame. Still has growth potential. Runs well and has good change of direction and body control. Plays with bend. Consistent run defender who makes plays vs. both inside and outside runs. Excellent range. Shows he can get rid of blockers fairly quickly. Very good in coverage: can play man against backs without a problem and is aware in zone."

Pro Football Weekly: "Good muscularity and looks the part. Outstanding athlete—fluid strider with graceful movement skill. Very good ball skills and body control to track and adjust to off-target and underthrown balls. Extends outside his frame and can snag the ball out of the air. Has a 37½-inch vertical jump. A lean, finesse, flex pass catcher with the athletic ability, ball skills and run creativity to factor readily in the receiving game."

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "Gordon's dynamic athletic qualities will show up in testing, but more importantly, they are all over his tape. His blend of play strength and explosive burst affects the passing game from press, off-man and zone coverages. He plays with an alpha demeanor and hitting is definitely part of his overall package."

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "A tempo-based runner with a well-built, compact frame, Herbert runs with a good blend of vision and strength. The Kansas graduate transfer made his single season at Virginia Tech count with a strong showing, ranking among the FBS' top five in rushing yards and yards per carry."

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "Boundary bully with an improving skill set to clamp down on WR1s and limit their exposure to the football. Johnson is built for press, with the size, length and athleticism to force receivers to work harder getting into their routes. He's a physical press corner with off-man ability whose anticipation and ball skills should continue to help him make plays as a CB1 and first-round pick."

The Athletic's Dane Brugler: "NFL-ready body type with room to get stronger. Large, accepting hands with excellent hand-eye coordination. Catches well in stride to become a threat as a ball carrier. Strong acceleration to quickly enter his route. Doesn't labor in his change of direction, naturally transitioning his weight at the stem. Uses his body strength and toughness to trample would-be tacklers. Enough upper body power to create movement as a blocker when he stays square and runs his legs. Extremely driven and found a way to balance two sports and two majors while at Notre Dame. Hard to find a former coach or teammate who doesn't talk about him in the highest regard, using words like "winner," "elite character" and "once in a lifetime young man."

Pro Football Weekly: "Strong and productive. Good hands. Very good runner after the catch. Best as a short-to-mid-range receiver. Adjusts well to the ball. Good-to-very good athlete; explosive. Good route runner, showing he can get in and out of cuts quickly. Knows how to use moves to his benefit. Will compete in traffic. Good blocker. Good punt returner. Thick, muscular build; looks more like a running back."

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "I see a talent, similar to Danielle Hunter out of LSU, with above-average length and a prospect who should continue to grow into his frame, allowing him to unleash his rush flashes into a consistent attack. His transition as an NFL rusher will take some time, but like Hunter, he should come out on the other side as a good, impact starter as an every-down edge defender."

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "Swift possesses the play traits and running style of a skillful NFL veteran and is the latest in an avalanche of talented Georgia backs. Tempo and decisiveness are his calling cards, making him a highly talented inside/outside zone runner. He's a cerebral runner who understands block timing and uses quick-cut agility and rare spatial awareness to read and react to defenses beyond the second level."