Chicago Bears: 4 notable players team has met with at Combine

2. Tight End Brycen Hopkins, Purdue

One of the hottest names amongst Bears fans is tight end Brycen Hopkins out of Purdue. Many have him as the no. 1 tight end on the board, and the Bears certainly need help at that spot. After signing Demetrius Harris to come in and fill the blocking role, Chicago still needs to find somebody to play the role of receiver — or, to be technical, the ‘U’ tight end.

On top of meeting with the Bears, Hopkins says he has met with 29 other teams — that should give you an idea of how highly he is thought of around the league.

As the son of former NFL offensive lineman Brad Hopkins, Brycen has football in his blood. He is a football player through and through. Hopkins is a competitive kid and looks to make a big play whenever he touches the football.

Hopkins stands 6-foot-4 and weighed in at 245 pounds. He is fairly quick and knows how to get in and out of his routes almost seamlessly. The athleticism is what stands out on tape, as Hopkins is somebody who can go up and high-point the football even at the tight end position.

This last year, he caught 61 passes for 830 yards and seven touchdowns. Over his four seasons at Purdue, Hopkins’ production climbed every year. He finished his collegiate career with 1,945 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on 130 total receptions.

Coming to the Bears would mean Hopkins gets on the field immediately. Would he start over a healthy Trey Burton right away? That’s unlikely, as Burton would probably get the veteran nod. But, Hopkins would find himself getting used regardless. He’d be a weapon from the get-go.