Chicago Bears: Mark Fields will make you forget about Bryce Callahan
Draft Profile
For a Bears team looking to bring in not just talented players, but winners with outstanding character, Mark Fields should be at the top of the list. Fields, the son of former nine-year veteran NFL linebacker of the same name, grew up around the game of football. He learned a lot of valuable lessons from his father, including how to play the game the right way, and how to be a part of a team.
No doubt he leaned on some of those lessons when he chose to attend Clemson University and play for head coach Dabo Swinney. During his four years there, Fields was an integral part of two National Championships for the Tigers, playing in high stress/high leverage situations — including the second half against Alabama in the championship game last year in which he shined bright.
So how about his skills on the field? Well, for starters, he’s incredibly fast:
Mark Fields throwin' down the second-fastest time of any DB at the 2019 NFL Combine 🏃♂️💨💨
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) March 4, 2019
4️⃣. 3️⃣7️⃣ 👀🐅 #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/cXr8X3hdeZ
How fast? Well, at the Combine, the 5-foot-10, 192 pound Fields ran a 4.36 40-yard dash. Translation — he can keep up with any wide receiver and has closing speed for days. Despite his stature, he is also a very strong corner. In describing where Fields would stack up against his peers at the NFL Combine, Swinney said, “pound for pound he’ll be one of the strongest guys at that position for sure.”
Fields is also fantastic (and wildly underrated) in coverage. In fact, some scouts believe he is the best cover cornerback in the entire southeast. That’s pretty impressive when you consider the amount of talent coming out of that area, e.g. Greedy Williams. He also has the versatility to excel out of the slot position since he can cover a variety of wide receiver types.
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With respect to a position that is becoming increasingly important in the league, the Bears would be wise to invest in a long-term solution. Fields would be the ideal player to draft and allow to develop this year while rotating in with Skrine and Sherrick McManis. We recently sat down with Mark to discuss his versatility, championship pedigree, and why he’s got the ideal skills for the nickel corner position.