Chicago Bears: Jacoby Glenn Brings a Lot to the Table

Few people have heard of rookie cornerback Jacoby Glenn.

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That’s because he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears following the 2015 NFL Draft. Most tend to focus on the top draft picks when it comes to the NFL’s newcomers–even the guys that fall to the bottom rounds of the draft. But for every player that gets invited to training camp in order to compete against the odds, there’s always the needle in the haystack of the undrafted guys that become the Kurt Warner‘s and Tony Romo‘s of the NFL.

There nothing that indicates that Glenn is a lock to reach the heights of the aforementioned undrafted quarterbacks, but he does serve as an intriguing prospect.

First off, he plays cornerback–a unit that lost longtime-Bear Charles Tillman and seems to have either aging vets or players who show little promise to be starters (with the obvious exception of Kyle Fuller).

He has also shown that he can play a fairly high level of defense. In 2014, his redshirt sophomore season, Glenn was American Athletic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year, as well as earning a spot on the Second-team AP All-American list.

Glenn was ranked among the best in the NCAA in both interceptions (seven) and pass deflections (18) in 2014. He was tied for third in the country in the former category, while being tied for fourth nationally in the latter category.

Glenn’s work ethic is as distinguishable as that of anybody in the 2015 NFL Draft class. He’s known as a true lover of the game, and displays his passion of football whenever he steps onto the field.

The UCF standout was quite the steal for the Bears. Some prospect evaluators had Glenn ranked as high as the sixth round, so to just get a look at him is a victory in itself. Now the Bears have a chance to keep and mold a player who has the chance to be a great contributor in Chicago.

While the young man deserves much praise, there is still work to be done in developing his skills at the corner. six feet in height and around 180 pounds, Glenn’s 4.55 NFL Combine 40-yard dash time can be problematic if he has to cover a speedy receiver. His instincts in reading a quarterback pre-throw is also something that can result in the picking apart of his side of the field.

Glenn is young and had the least amount of college football experience that is allowable for eligible draftees–leaving Orlando, Florida after just two football season. There is plenty of room and time for improvement for him.

Sixth-year Bear Tim Jennings and newcomer Alan Ball both bring a lot of experience to the defense, so if Glenn does make the final roster, he will have multiple veterans to help him progress as a football player.

He may not have been drafted, but Glenn has as much of a chance as any other player on the current roster to make the team. He has the tools to do it. If he can muster an offseason worthy of earning him a roster spot, and utilizes those around him, he could become a fairly crucial part of the Chicago Bears in the near future.

Next: Chicago Bears: Beginning of the End for Ray McDonald?

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