Tag: Austin Booker

Dane Brugler believes Bears had the best NFL draft class

There’s no denying the Bears were among the biggest winners following the 2024 NFL draft.

The Chicago Bears welcomed five new rookies to the roster during the 2024 NFL draft, a group that prompted general manager Ryan Poles to call this an “impact” draft.

That starts with the selection of quarterback Caleb Williams at first overall, giving Chicago their best quarterback prospect maybe ever. But then the Bears also managed to snag an elite wide receiver in Rome Odunze at ninth overall, pairing this young quarterback and receiver together for the foreseeable future.

Chicago then shored up key positions along the offensive line with tackle Kiran Amegadjie (Round 3), pass rush with Austin Booker (Round 5) and even landed a generational punter in Tory Taylor (Round 4).

Draft experts agree that the Bears were among the biggest winners following the draft, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler actually ranked them higher than any other group.

Brugler’s favorite draft pick was, of course, Williams — although he did also consider Odunze. Amegadjie also got a shout-out.

Obviously, teams with multiple early-round picks have a decided advantage for this exercise over those with fewer selections. But the Bears aren’t No. 1 merely because they had two top-10 picks. They’re here because of what they did with those picks — and I went back and forth on my “favorite” between Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze. The answer, though, has to be the quarterback who can be a franchise-changing player for Chicago. I am also a fan of third-round OT Kiran Amegadjie, who has the talent to be Chicago’s left tackle of the future.

As for a player he believes could surprise, Brugler singled out Booker, who Chicago traded back into the draft to land as a piece of their defensive line.

Chicago only had two Day 3 choices, and I’m not going to pick the punter (Tory Taylor). The Bears used a 2025 fourth-round pick to trade back into this draft (at No. 144) and scoop up Booker, who easily could have been drafted on Day 2. Although he isn’t ready for a meaningful role as a rookie, Booker has the promising pass-rush savvy to be a steal when we look back at this selection in two or three years.

When looking at this 2024 draft class, the Bears landed two elite prospects in the top 10 to help take their offense to the next level. Adding Williams and Odunze to a group that already includes playmakers like DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift and Cole Kmet was a slam dunk.

Even with the addition of Booker, there are still some concerns about the defensive line. Will DeMarcus Walker and Booker prove to be a viable tandem opposite Montez Sweat? Is it Gervon Dexter’s time to shine at three-technique? Will they add another edge rusher and/or defensive tackle?

There are still moves to be made this offseason. But it’s shaping up to be a promising year.

Highlights of new Bears EDGE Austin Booker

The Bears traded into the fifth round to land EDGE Austin Booker, who has an incredibly high ceiling. See him in action:

The Chicago Bears need help with their pass rush and they didn’t address with any of the four picks that they had scheduled coming into the 2024 NFL Draft. Because of this, Ryan Poles took a risk and traded into the fifth round to select Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker.

The Bears traded a 2025 fourth-rounder to the Buffalo Bills for their original No. 144 pick (traded to Buffalo for Ryan Bates), which tells you Poles must’ve thought highly of Booker.

Kansas isn’t exactly a football powerhouse, but they are very capable of producing good NFL talent from time to time. The Bears are hoping that this is something that happened with Booker, who has a limited sample size but extremely high ceiling.

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It’s unclear how much playing time he’ll have as a rookie, but Booker will have a star like Montez Sweat to look up to as he begins his NFL career. Having Sweat and defensive coordinator Eric Washington should be great for Booker as he develops.

These highlights from Kansas show exactly what Booker has been able to do in his career:

The Bears traded to get back their own, previously traded draft pick

The Chicago Bears traded the 144th pick to the Bills, then traded with Buffalo to bring it back to Chicago

Day 3 of the NFL draft is always chock full of trades. More than half the picks in the fourth through seventh rounds every year wind up being traded at some point during the path to the end of the draft.

Sometimes, those trades can look a little funny. That’s the case with the 144th pick of the 2024 NFL draft. It’s a pick the Chicago Bears traded…and then traded once again to reacquire.

Back in March, the Bears sent the No. 144 pick to the Buffalo Bills for center Ryan Bates. On Saturday in Detroit, the Bears and Bills made another trade that sent the pick back to Chicago. The Bears sent a 2025 fourth-round pick to Buffalo to reacquire that fifth-round pick.

With the 144th pick that they traded away and then traded for, the Beas selected Kansas EDGE Austin Booker.

Grading the Bears’ selection of EDGE Austin Booker in fifth round

The Bears traded into the fifth round to select EDGE Austin Booker. Here’s how we graded the pick.

The Chicago Bears made waves when they traded back into the fifth round to select Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker with the 144th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Chicago acquired their original fifth-round selection that they sent to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for offensive lineman Ryan Bates. The Bears traded a 2025 fourth-rounder to the Bills to select Booker, their first defensive player in this draft class.

Booker has a rather limited sample size having played just one full season (with one start) at Kansas. But he has high upside with explosiveness, athleticism, length and pass rush talent that makes him a really appealing developmental prospect in Matt Eberflus’ defense.

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NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said Booker could have been a late first-round pick next year, if he’d gone back to Kansas. So it certainly feels like Chicago landed a potential steal in Booker in the fifth round.

Booker has received NFL comps to Maxx Crosby, who’s an absolute game-wrecker. It certainly helps he’ll have the opportunity to learn from one of the best in Montez Sweat and new Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington, and we could potentially have Sweat and Booker book-ending the edge in the future.

Overall, the Bears made a move for a guy that they believe can develop into a key piece on their defense. While Booker is inexperienced (he has just 505 snap counts, per PFF), his upside is incredibly high and he has the potential to develop into another fifth-round steal for general manager Ryan Poles.

Grade: B+

Bears select EDGE Austin Booker with 144th overall pick in 2024 NFL draft

The Bears traded back into the fifth round for Kansas EDGE Austin Booker. We break it down.

The Chicago Bears made a trade with the Buffalo Bills to move back into the fifth round to select Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker with the 144th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Chicago traded back for their original fifth-round selection that they traded to Buffalo for offensive lineman Ryan Bates earlier this offseason. The Bears sent a 2025 fourth-rounder to the Bills to move into the fifth round this year.

The Bears finally added a defensive player to their rookie draft class with Booker, 21, who has high upside with his explosiveness, athleticism, length and pass rush talent.

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According to Pro Football Focus, Booker had nine sacks, eight QB pressures and a 14.8% pass-rush win rate in 2023. He added 12 tackles for loss.

Per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler: “Although he is still figuring out how and when to access his bag of tricks, Booker instinctively uses his rangy frame to create various leverage points and surprise blockers with his forceful hands.”

Chicago’s biggest need, outside of quarterback, heading into the draft was pass rusher, and they finally addressed it on Day 3. While it certainly helps to have Pro Bowler Montez Sweat (who was acquired for the No. 40 pick), there were depth concerns behind him and DeMarcus Walker. Now, Booker has a chance, as a developmental prospect, to learn from one of the best in Sweat.

Commanders to host Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker on top 30 visit

The Commanders will host a raw but talented pass rusher next week.

The Washington Commanders are using several of their 30 pre-draft visits on specific positions, such as offensive tackle and defensive end. Outside of Penn State’s Chop Robinson, none of the edge rushers the Commanders are bringing to Ashburn ahead of the 2024 NFL draft are considered potential first-round picks.

Washington general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn are bringing in players with high-quality athletic traits on visits. The latest is Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Booker will visit Washington next week.

After beginning his college career at Minnesota, Booker transferred to Kansas. In his one season with the Jayhawks, the 6-foot-4 1/2, 240-pound Booker played in 12 games with one start and finished with 56 tackles, including 12 for loss and eight sacks. He was named first-team All-Big 12 Conference and was the Big 12 top newcomer.

There was some buzz around Booker entering the NFL combine, where he ran a disappointing 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash. The good thing for Booker is teams love his film. He plays much faster than his speedwatch time. However, his lack of overall snaps may concern some. He is extremely raw and could be a boom-or-bust pick.

The Commanders signed Dante Fowler Jr., Dorance Armstrong and Clelin Ferrell this offseason, and re-signed veteran Efe Obada. Washington returns second-year players K.J. Henry and Andre Jones Jr.

Booker is expected to go sometime in the second or, most likely. the third round. The Commanders currently have three third-round picks.

Kansas pass rusher Austin Booker to visit Dolphins next week

Austin Booker earned Big-12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors in his first and only season with Kansas.

Kansas Jayhawks pass rusher Austin Booker has already visited several NFL teams and is set to meet with the Miami Dolphins next week, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Booker played two seasons with Minnesota before transferring to Kansas in 2023. In his only season with the Jayhawks, he tallied 12 tackles for loss and eight sacks on his way to Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors. While he was still just a redshirt sophomore last season, Booker opted to forgo his remaining eligibility to enter the 2024 NFL draft.

“The diversity of his rush approach is unheard of for a player with so little playing time,” Lance Zierlein wrote in a scouting report on NFL.com. “He can stride and dip at the top of the rush or beat tackles back inside with a Euro step or spin counter. He can stab and long-arm tackles into the pocket or stay separated from them at the point of attack. He chases quarterbacks and running backs with agility and burst but can be inconsistent dealing with a downhill running game.”

At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Booker measured in at 6’5, 240 pounds and recorded a 4.79 40-yard dash and 32.5-inch vertical.

In a recent seven-round mock draft from ESPN’s Matt Miller, Booker landed in the fourth round at No. 114 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. As it stands now, the Dolphins don’t own any picks between Nos. 55 and 158 overall. As that more than 100-pick span is where Booker is largely expected to get picked, the Kansas rusher may only make sense if Miami finds a way to add more selections.

The Dolphins could use more edge rushing help, though. The team replaced Emmanuel Ogbah on the roster with Shaquil Barrett, but both Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips may not be healthy for Week 1 after suffering season-ending injuries in 2023.

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Intriguing edge rusher prospect Austin Booker attends Colts’ local Pro Day

Intriguing edge rusher prospect Austin Booker from Kansas attended the Colts’ local Pro Day earlier this week. Here’s what you need to know.

The Colts held their local Pro Day this past Monday, and one of the more notable prospects in attendance was Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker–a potential Day 2 draft pick, as Tom Pelissero noted.

As part of the pre-draft process, each NFL team is able to hold a local Pro Day, where teams invite players who have a “local” tie to the area, whether that be attending college or from a nearby hometown that is within the league-defined parameters that meet the distance criteria.

Booker measures in at just under 6-5 and weighs 248 pounds. He has good length with nearly 34-inch arms and posted a Relative Athletic Score of 7.05, which includes a 4.79-second 40-yard dash.

Booker began his career at Minnesota and red-shirted as a freshman in 2021. During the 2022 season, he would play just 23 defensive snaps. He transferred to Kansas for the 2023 season, where he became a key player along that defensive front. In total, Booker has played only 505 defensive snaps.

With Kansas last season, Booker totaled 38 pressures and nine sacks, according to PFF. Out of 200 edge rushers, Booker ranked 25th in pass rush productivity and 30th in run-stop rate.

For more on Booker’s game, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote in his pre-draft report. I’ll also point out that Zierlein’s comp for Booker is Maxx Crosby:

“Truly unique prospect combining tremendous upside with an extremely limited sample size. A more conservative approach on Booker’s grade might be prudent, but it becomes a difficult route to take when observing his length, explosive athleticism and rush talent. Booker needs to get bigger and stronger, but that will come. The diversity of his rush approach is unheard of for a player with so little playing time. He can stride and dip at the top of the rush or beat tackles back inside with a Euro step or spin counter. He can stab and long-arm tackles into the pocket or stay separated from them at the point of attack. He chases quarterbacks and running backs with agility and burst but can be inconsistent dealing with a downhill running game. His reps against talented Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. could be the springboard to push this gifted edge defender with monster traits up the draft board toward an exciting NFL career.”

Edge rusher is a need for the Colts in the upcoming draft. While they did finish fifth in sacks last season, they ranked 23rd in total pressures and, in general, need more consistency from the pass rush, especially with how little Gus Bradley blitzes.

Booker could see some playing time as a rookie as a back-end member of the rotation, but 2024 will likely be more of a developmental year for him. While he possesses many of the traits a team looks for in a pass rusher, with only 505 career college snaps, there is a bit of rawness to his game.

Booker is PFF’s 11th rated edge rusher and 77th ranked prospect overall.

Packers host Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker on top-30 pre-draft visit

The Green Bay Packers hosted Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker on a top 30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers hosted Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker on a top 30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Teams are allowed to host up to 30 prospects on visits ahead of the draft. Packers Wire is tracking all the reported visits here.

Booker, a transfer from Minnesota, produced 8.0 sacks, 38 pressures, 12 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup over 12 games with Kansas as a redshirt sophomore in 2023. He was on the field for only 482 snaps (only one start) but was a first-team All-Big 12 pick. His entire collegiate experience finished around 500 total snaps.

Booker is expected to meet or visit with at least eight teams before the draft.

Booker (6-4, 244) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds, hit 32.5″ in the vertical leap and covered 10-0 in the broad jump. His Relative Athletic Score — without running agilities at the combine — is 7.05. Booker weighed 253 at the Kansas pro day and ran the short shuttle in 4.47 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.28 seconds, per Dane Brugler of The Athletic.

Booker is the No. 77 overall prospect at Pro Football Focus and the No. 86 overall player on the consensus big board, making him a potential Day 2 possibility for the Packers, who hold picks No. 88 and No. 91.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Booker to Maxx Crosby, calling him a “truly unique prospect” with “monster traits.”

The Packers could see Booker as the perfect developmental player at a premium position. Most evaluators see Booker as being capable of adding weight to his frame and continuing his rapid development with added experience on the field. The Packers have Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness as long-term fixtures at edge rusher, but five picks in the top 100 could give Brian Gutekunst a chance to take a chance on a high upside player at a truly valuable position.

Report: Kansas pass rusher Austin Booker visiting Panthers today

Per NFL Network, the Panthers are getting a look at Kansas DE Austin Booker today.

Bank of America Stadium is a pretty busy place today.

According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Carolina Panthers are hosting University of Kansas defensive end Austin Booker on Wednesday. Per Pelissero, the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder has also met with the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots and has visits set with the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders next week.

A Greenwood, Ind. native, Booker began his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota in 2021. After not seeing the field in his first season, he appeared in just six games for the Golden Gophers in 2022.

Booker made the switch to Kansas for the 2023 campaign, where he’d receive many more opportunities. He played in 12 games for the Jayhawks—amassing 56 total tackles (12.0 for a loss), 8.0 sacks and two forced fumbles.

He was named the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and earned a first-team All-Big 12 nod.

Along with Booker, the Panthers also seem to have Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott and Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan on hand today.

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