The interior offensive line is the Chicago Bears’ biggest need on the roster. With Teven Jenkins likely leaving the team, the Bears need to invest in starters at both guard spots. That said, Pro Football Focus listed an ideal Day One or Day Two draft target for the Bears that should excite fans: Tyler Booker.
PFF Lists Tyler Booker as an Ideal Bears Draft Target
To be clear, Tyler Booker shouldn’t be drafted with the 10th pick. It’s not that he’s a bad player, but he’s also not worthy of going in the top 10. However, Booker is projected to be a late first-round pick, meaning the Bears may need to consider the following moves:
- Trading back from the 10th pick
- Trading up from picks 39 or 41
Could Booker slip into the second round for the Bears? It’s possible, but unlikely. As one of the top interior offensive line prospects, it’s hard to imagine him falling that far. While there are other interior linemen available, if the Bears are set on Booker, they will need to make a move to draft him.
Meet Alabama OL Tyler Booker…future #Bear ?
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(@LastWordOnBears) September 20, 2024
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Tyler Booker’s Career at Alabama
Above all, Tyler Booker was the leader at Alabama post-Nick Saban. He became a stabilizing presence for his teammates and quickly earned the trust of first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer. “He might be one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around,” DeBoer said. “I know that’s saying a lot because I’ve been around a lot of really good ones. When you put guys in that category, he’s really special and it’s because he takes care of his business 100% of the time and he’s pushing others to make sure that they’re at their best too and I think that’s what great leaders do is they bring the best out of everyone else around them.”
After learning this, Booker has quickly become a fan-favorite among Bears fans, and the hope is they draft him in April.
Here’s what PFF had to say about Booker to the Bears: “The Bears probably won’t want to spend a top-10 selection on a guard, but Booker could be available in the second round when they come on the clock. The Alabama guard has excelled in pass protection throughout his college career and allowed just 10 pressures from 395 pass-blocking snaps in 2024.”
Booker was a two-year starter at left guard with an immense build at 6’5″ and 325 pounds. His low center of gravity allows him to maximize his power to knock defenders out of the equation. What Booker needs to work on is his lateral quickness and ability to climb up to the second level, but he has all the makings of an All-Pro guard.
Time to Invest on Offensive Linemen
The Bears ended up with one of the worst offensive lines because of the mindset. The mindset that getting by with cheap free agents and justifying draft inaction by claiming no linemen were available at their picks is the result of the poor offensive line performance. It’s time to end that. They need to address the offensive line, even if it means sacrificing money or extra draft capital.
There’s plenty of talent at offensive line in the NFL Draft, but they don’t all possess the same leadership and physical traits as Tyler Booker. He’ll be the perfect predecessor to Teven Jenkins and can become a cornerstone of the Bears’ offense. Whether the Bears decide to trade down, trade up, or stay put, they should make it a priority to draft Booker.
Read More: 2025 NFL Draft: Bears’ Day Two Running Back Targets
Main Image: Will McLelland – USA Today Sports
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