The Chicago Bears enter 2017 having accomplished two rare franchise feats. They finished the season 3-13, their worst record ever in a 16-game schedule. As a byproduct of that, they ended up with the third overall pick in the NFL draft this coming April. It will be the first time in 44 years the team has held a selection that high.
That was 1972 and the choice was Lionel Antoine out of Southern Illinois. He proved to be a bust, one of several made by the Bears brass during that dark stretch between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Naturally the organization is hoping their luck will be much better than it was back then. Given the state of things, it's hard to be optimistic.
Nonetheless the speculation has already begun. Most had already begun to single out certain prospects who would be the prime targets for Chicago. Maybe it was a quarterback like Mitch Trubisky or Deshone Kizer. Then again there are potential pass rushers like Myles Garrett and Jonathan Allen. Even a stud running back in Leonard Fournette to pair with Jordan Howard is being discussed.
All of that will change now thanks to the singular decision of one young man.
Next to quarterback, there is no bigger need on the Bears roster than the defensive secondary. The cornerback position was overrun with injuries and inconsistency. Somehow though the safeties were even worse. Adrian Amos, Harold Jones-Quartey, Deon Bush and Chris Prosinski took turns showing how inept this team remains at that position. Between the four of them? They managed a total of one interception in 16 games.
The team hasn't had a true stud at the position since Mike Brown was patrolling the back end 10 years ago. Since then it's been low round picks and unimpressive free agents. People are tired of watching the parade of sadness every year go through those spots. Would the team dare find a solution worth the #3 overall pick?
Despite a strong crop of talent, the answer was no. That is until a young man from Ohio State decided to join the party.
https://twitter.com/BenAxelrod/status/816011911368179712
The buzz around Malik Hooker started months ago. Even while the Jabrill Peppers hype train was in full steam, the scouting community began to grow in consensus that the best safety in the country played across the state line in Columbus. This young man has every tool possible in the arsenal from size to speed to instincts, vision and intelligence. Few things stand out more than his ball skills.
https://twitter.com/biffmila/status/815958455924228096
https://twitter.com/MusikFan4Life/status/802640057291010048
It's amazing to think Hooker is just a sophomore because he plays like a battle-hardened senior. This 2016 season was his first as a full-time starter and his stat line was ridiculous. In 13 games he delivered 74 tackles (5.5 for loss), a half sack, seven interceptions and three defensive touchdowns. At 6'2" he brings premier size to the position as well, allowing him to go full throttle downhill and deliver some pretty vicious hits when given the opportunity.
https://twitter.com/deionmarco/status/800099551239512065
If seeing that weren't exciting enough, then hearing his primary pro comparison is bound to put it over the top. Albert Breer first caught wind of it a couple months ago. Suffice to say it was the loftiest of praise for a young kid coming out of college.
"It’s pretty heavy to compare a college safety to Ed Reed, but I’d heard the name evoked a few times over the last few months in reference to Hooker. So I kept asking people. While some pumped the brakes, I haven’t found anyone yet who shot it down out of hand, which says plenty."NFL Network colleague and former scout Daniel Jeremiah later confirmed that same assessment after digging into some tape from Hooker's 2016 season. https://twitter.com/MoveTheSticks/status/815571139837698048 For those who need a brush up, Ed Reed is considered one of the last true great safeties in the NFL along with Troy Polamalu. He went to nine Pro Bowls in his career, won Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, helped Baltimore win the Super Bowl in 2012 and finished with 73 career interceptions. Not to mention eight defensive touchdowns. Experts don't compare college prospects to players that accomplished unless they're reasonably certain. Thus the question becomes a big one for the Bears. If they were guaranteed a decent chance of getting the next Ed Reed with the third pick in the draft this April, would the risk be worth it? General rules state defensive backs shouldn't go that high. Only nine defensive backs in NFL history have ever gone in the top three picks dating back to 1936. The good news? Six of those nine ended up reaching at least one Pro Bowl. Put simply, the decision-making process for GM Ryan Pace and his front office just got a lot harder over the next four months. A Chicago Bears Malik Hooker union could change the entire landscape of this young defense.
