Chicago Bears Draft: Reasoning behind every 2019 draft pick

So, I gave a bit of a teaser heading into this page when I used the term “freak athlete.” If you learn anything at all about Stephen Denmark, that’s exactly what you should know.

Denmark is a 6-foot-4 corner weighing around 215 pounds with extreme length and a 43.5 inch vertical jump.

I’ll say that again: Denmark’s vertical jump is an astounding 43.5 inches — which would be one of the best the NFL Combine has ever seen, except for the fact that he did not receive an invite. That happens, though, when you come out of a smaller Division II school like Valdosta State.

Denmark also ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at his Pro Day to go with his vertical. As an added bonus, his broad jump was an impressive 130.0 inches as well.

By comparison, Denmark’s 40-yard dash time is about a full tenth of a second faster than A.J. Bouye. His vertical jump is 5.5 inches higher than Patrick Peterson. And, his broad jump is seven inches longer than Stephon Gilmore.

The Bears drafted Denmark strictly because he is absolutely a project worth taking on. His physical traits are off the charts, and he’s only played cornerback for one season. Denmark is a former wideout, and yes, that means his ball skills are better than most.

He’s aggressive, relentless even, and sometimes that gets him in trouble. But, like I said, he was selected because of his upside, especially under a defensive back guru like Chuck Pagano.