Ryan Poles focuses on field position when discussing the Tory Taylor draft pick
In the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears selected punter, Tory Taylor. This move shocked a lot of people, including Bears fans. There were still premium defensive line players the Bears could have selected at the time. An area that was obviously of need heading into the draft. the Bears got a defensive edge eventually, but not before their new starting punter.
Tory Taylor was the highest-ranked punter in the 2024 class. He has a strong leg that he showed off at the University of Iowa. His punt accuracy is also very good. He tends to pin opponents deep. Few of Taylor’s punts are returned as he can get good air time under his kicks. Allowing the coverage team to get downfield.
Poles explains the Tory Taylor pick
Why did Ryan Poles decide to draft a punter before addressing the holes on the defensive line? Poles answered that question today on The Pat McAfee Show. McAfee brought on Ryan Poles as a guest. They discussed the NFL draft, Caleb Williams, and Tory Taylor among other things.
Poles was asked why he decided to draft Taylor 122nd overall, here was his response:
“To make anyone worth playing uncomfortable. I didn’t play much in the NFL but I know running onto the field and having the ball spotted inside the10-yard line is a very uncomfortable feeling, it’s disheartening at times and I love taking advantage of field position.”
Here, Poles is explaining exactly why you get a good punter, to take advantage of field position. Offense becomes much harder when a team has to drive 90 yards to score instead of 75 or less.
Defense becomes easier in a short field situation. When the opposing offense has their heels on the goal-line, their playbook is limited. Defenses can affords to be a bit more aggressive in these scenarios. The threat of a safety will often keep the offense conservative. The last thing you want to do is allow the opposing team to score points on defense.
Example of why having an elite punter is paramount
The following example is completely hypothetical. It is being used to help paint a more clear picture of why having a top shelf punter is important.
Imagine it’s week 16 of the NFL season, and the Chicago Bears are playing the Green Bay Packers. The Bears are up by 3 with one minute remaining in the game. The Bears drive has stalled just outside of field goal range, they need to punt.
If the Bears win this game, they win the NFC North, and lock up a top two seed in the NFC.
This is where Tory Taylor comes in. Taylor has been pinning Green Bay inside the 10 yard line from this spot all day. If he does it again, it gives the Bears the best chance to win the game on defense. Leaving Jordan Love anymore room to operate may prove to be costly.
Takeaway’s
Ideally, an NFL team plans to never use their punter. in the situation that they do need him, they want him to be elite. An elite punter forces opponents into tough situations. Long drives can be hard, especially in the dying minutes of a game.
Ryan Poles is right on the money with his explanation of picking Tory Taylor. Taylor should quickly become one of the best punters in the NFL. If he consistently can pin the opposing team deep in their own territory, the Bears can win a lot of games. Field position is one of the most important factors in football. Using a fourth-round pick to help make your team significantly better at playing field position is a smart move.
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