Chicago Bears: Round 3 targets in 2019 NFL Draft
By Ryan Heckman
Safety Amani Hooker, Iowa
This offseason, the Bears had a shakeup within its secondary. For starters, they began free agency by making former New York Jets cornerback Buster Skrine one of their first signings. That meant that nickel corner Bryce Callahan would not return.
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Secondly, the Bears saw Adrian Amos sign with the Green Bay Packers and, funny enough, replaced him with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Next to Eddie Jackson, Clinton-Dix makes the safety combination one which will likely come up with several game-changing plays.
Clinton-Dix is only on a one-year deal, though, which probably means he will get paid next year. The Bears likely won’t invest a ton of money into his spot, which means they’ll replace him with one of their own. That may come this year in the form of Amani Hooker, or another guy in next year’s draft.
As for Hooker, he is an admirable athlete at the position, running a respectable 4.48 40-yard dash and posting a 37.0-inch vertical jump at the Combine. He has fantastic footwork, too, as shown by his 3-cone drill time — 6.81 seconds.
Hooker plays well in run support, which is something the Bears defense hangs its hat on as of late. He finishes tackles with force and wraps up. Hooker sees the field well, and with strong instincts, and learning for a year behind the starters would be phenomenal for his growth and potential to start next year.