Chicago Bears: Pay attention to Amani Hooker at NFL Combine

The 2019 NFL Combine is nearly here, and fans of the Chicago Bears should be paying close attention to a certain safety.

The NFL offseason is in full swing as the Chicago Bears are a month and a half removed from their early playoff exit. Already, the Bears have made a couple of announcements regarding some of their own guys going into next year.

First, veteran right tackle Bobby Massie received a new deal and will be anchoring his spot for a few more years. In a league starved of enough NFL-ready linemen out of college, retaining someone like Massie was necessary.

Second, and most importantly to the fans, the Bears announced this past week that kicker Cody Parkey would be released at the start of the new league year in March.

One of the decisions yet to be made, though, could likely swing the offseason one way or another for the Bears. Safety Adrian Amos is a free agent, and the Bears may have to risk saying goodbye, should he desire too much money. Already, the Baltimore Ravens locked down slot corner Tavon Young on a big deal, making Bryce Callahan‘s value even higher.

The Bears could have to choose between Callahan and Amos, making defensive back a priority in this year’s draft.

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Without a first or second-round pick this year, the Bears are going to start their draft in the third round. Fortunately, this year’s safety class features some deeper prospects who could turn out to be gems.

One of the more exciting players in that realm, to me, is Iowa safety Amani Hooker. First off, he projects more as a strong safety, which would be great for the Bears, should they lose Amos.

Hooker is the reigning Big 10 Defensive Back of the Year from 2018, as he finished the season with 65 tackles, seven passes defensed, four picks, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He is a unique prospect in that he can play both safety and slot corner — interesting for a team like the Bears who may have to decide between those two positions, on their own roster, in free agency.

Right now, the former Hawkeye projects as a mid-round pick with many outlets grading him in the third and fourth rounds. One of the biggest reasons he may not be a top-drafted safety is due to the notion that he isn’t an elite athlete. But, for this Bears defense, he doesn’t need to be.

Hooker doesn’t possess that top-end speed which some guys have in the secondary. But, what he lacks in speed and athleticism, he makes up for in his football instincts. Hooker is one of the smarter safeties in the draft and has a knack for breaking off routes if he sees something happening ahead of time. This leads him to making a heck of a lot more plays near the football.

Around the line of scrimmage, he is great. If he’s left alone in coverage, he has a chance to get beat. But, with a front seven like Chicago boasts, he probably won’t be left too far down the field on many occasions. This is a defense that gets to the quarterback quickly.

Hooker is a very good tackler, making him valuable against the run. He can hit hard, too. He plays aggressive and, at times, can look reckless. But, with the nastiness this unit already plays with, he’d fit right in. Taking a few chances here and there will surely pay off more than once, and Hooker likes to take those chances when he sees something in the quarterback’s eyes before it happens.

I think the Bears should make Hooker one of their top targets with that third-round pick, especially if he shows out at the combine. His stock could rise significantly if he proves he is more of an athlete than his tape shows.

Next. Bears: Draft prospects to replace Cody Parkey. dark

To be able to snag a guy like Hooker who can play multiple positions and play them well, in the third round nonetheless, would be a big win for Chicago. They may be starting their draft late, but starting with Hooker would be a phenomenal beginning.

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