Austin Booker, Defensive End
In the long run, Austin Booker could end up being a big steal for General Manager Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears. He has the skills to have a long, successful career. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end is an athletic freak. He explodes off the snap and has a variety of moves to get past would-be blockers.
Booker can become a huge star. He is putting all his tools together and is very impressive. The question with him is when he becomes a star. He has very little college experience. In fact, he has just 580 total snaps over 18 games under his belt. It is incredible that he got drafted.
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To Poles, though, it was incredible that Booker was available in the fifth round. After he used the four picks he had, he traded a future pick to get back in the draft and select Booker. He was very impressed with the young man and wanted him on the Chicago Bears roster.
There is a lot to like about Booker. Despite his inexperience, Booker has been incredibly impressive. In 2023 with the Kansas Jayhawks, he led the team in sacks and tackles for loss. That was despite him not being a starter. When you look at his tape, you don’t see a player with so little snaps. He looks like a seasoned player.
Many draft analysts felt that if Booker waited one more season he could have been a first-round pick in 2025. They believed that just a little more seasoning was what he needed to break out. Booker decided he could not wait and declared for the draft.
Now he finds himself with the Chicago Bears. He could continue to open eyes and make a big impression. During OTAs and veteran minicamp, he showed off his skills. He held his own when going up against the first-team blockers. He did not feel overwhelmed by them.
When Booker went against the second and third-team players, he dominated. He blew past offensive linemen and was nearly unstoppable.
Of course, he did that while wearing a T-shirt and shorts. The players were not wearing pads. There is a difference between playing in shorts and playing in full pads. While we saw that he was impressive in the offseason camps, he now needs to show he can do the same with pads and going full speed.
In addition to gaining experience, Booker can also gain some weight. He is strong and athletic, but he has plenty of room to gain another 15-20 pounds on his frame. If he can continue to do well with the added weight the NFL needs to watch out. Booker can be a multiple All-Pro. It all starts at training camp next week, however.
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