Chicago Bears newly drafted DB Tyrique Stevenson praised by ESPN
Following the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears have added a plethora of young talent to an already young roster. GM Ryan Poles made sure to address the defensive and offensive line’s early, as those were two areas of dire need. From most of the fanbase’s perspective, Poles nailed this draft and checked most of his boxes, which was a welcome sight for Bears fans.
One of their more surprising selections was that of Tyrique Stevenson, the cornerback out of the University of Miami Florida. He was picked at the end of the second round at 56th overall. Stevenson was one of the higher regarded defensive backs in the NFL Draft, and lasted a bit longer on the board than some draft experts thought he would. I personally gave the Chicago Bears a C+ for this pick, you can see the rest of my grades linked here.
While you can never have enough corners, to me it was surprising because they just took Kyler Gordon in last year’s draft. I didn’t think they’d do it again. However, it does make some sense, if they have no plans on eventually resigning starter Jaylon Johnson.
Recently, Stevenson has been receiving praise from the national media. Today, Louis Riddick of ESPN had high praise for the newly drafted corner.
"I really like Tyrique Stevenson. This is a Matt Eberflus type of guy. This guy will absolutely knock your teeth out. He's a thumper as a corner. He does not back down. Super aggressive, plays strong, good tackler, and strong at the catch point."
– Louis Riddick on @ESPN1000— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) May 1, 2023
Tyrique Stevenson could be the next great DB for the Chicago Bears
Pretty impressive words there from Riddick, just days after being drafted into the NFL. I couldn’t agree more, this selection makes more sense now when you look at Stevenson’s all-around game. He just fits the Eberflus mold, and even more importantly he fits the Chicago Bears mold. I’m quite excited to see how his game translates to the next level.
Stevenson’s speed and length give him a fantastic opportunity to become great in the National Football League. He started his collegiate career at the University of Georgia and finished it at Miami, where he eventually had his two best seasons. Last year, Stevenson grabbed two INT’s and had a collegiate high seven pass deflections. Very good production for the speedy corner.
Tyrique Stevenson Jaylon Johnson Kyler Gordon Jaquan Brisker Eddie Jackson it’s a NO FLY ZONE 🔒 pic.twitter.com/Y2EHZ8RlE1
— Lex 🎱 (@RipEnvious) April 29, 2023
Some social media accounts think Poles wanted to create a ‘no fly zone’, and really bulk up the secondary that was picked apart in some games last year. While they addressed the run defense with multiple defensive line picks, it was nice to see the Chicago Bears make the most of every selection.
Looking back on it now, they really maximized the haul they got from Carolina in the DJ Moore trade. It’ll be even sweeter if the Panthers have a bad season, as Chicago now owns their number one pick in 2024.
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