Chicago Bears Keeping Tabs On Ball-Hawking Linebacker

The Chicago Bears decided to overhaul their entire linebacking corps when they traded Roquan Smith to Baltimore. It appears they already have something cooking with Jack Sanborn. The undrafted free agent played like a long-term starter before an injury ended his season. It's reasonable to expect the team will look to add more bodies at that position in the coming months. An interesting name has surfaced of late down at the Tropical Bowl. He is Virginia Tech standout, Dax Hollifield.

He was a mainstay on the Hokie defense for five years. Reports are he is the defense's emotional leader, playing with energy, urgency, and intelligence. The guy always seems to be around the football. That is emphasized by his 30 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, four interceptions, and three forced fumbles. The tape doesn't lie. Hollifield doesn't show hesitation running the alley and has good awareness in zone coverage. His versatility is hard to miss. His teammates love him.

The Chicago Bears are sticking to their profile.

One thing that caused Sanborn to drop out of the draft last year was his questionable athleticism and speed. He quickly proved that great instincts and effort can make up for such things. Hollifield falls in that same category. There will be questions about his range. Sideline-to-sideline speed might not be his calling card. However, he can make up for it with preparation, toughness, and a keen sense of the moment. Types like him often become mainstays on special teams. That is never a bad thing to have.

Hollifield has the profile of what you'd call an overachiever. He doesn't have the pure talent of guys like Smith, but his toughness and relentlessness will carry him far in the NFL, regardless. Guys like him are always good to have on a roster. They do a lot of the dirty work and often become unheralded leaders in the locker room. Don't be surprised if the Chicago Bears end up signing him to an undrafted contract just like Sanborn this April.