Chicago Bears: Undrafted rookie already opening eyes in training camp
Undrafted rookie cornerback Kevin Toliver is already making noise at Chicago Bears training camp. He needs that and more so he can make the team.
Some of the best stories during training camp and the preseason are the ones about the undrafted rookies. Those players are a longshot to make a team, but some do make it. They have great stories of perseverance, and when the few make it they become feel-good stories. The Chicago Bears have had those players.
One such player was Christian Jones. He signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He worked hard to make the team and ended up playing 63 games, 31 of them being starts. In fact, last season he ended up being the second-leading tackler on the Bears defense.
Jones moved on and got a nice contract with the Detroit Lions (two years, $7.75 million). After the opening of training camp, might we have another undrafted rookie do well?
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Kevin Toliver, out of LSU, hopes he’s the one. In his first two practices, he intercepted three passes. That opened a lot of eyes, especially on a team that doesn’t quite cause enough interceptions on defense. Last season, they ranked 29th in interceptions with just eight.
Toliver’s play certainly caught the eye of head coach Matt Nagy, via the team’s official website:
"Anytime anybody has a turnover, they always flash, right? They stand out on tape, and he’s had that now. We stress takeaways on defense and having interceptions is important. He’s done that now the last couple of days."
Toliver was a highly recruited defensive back coming out of high school. He had an up and down career at Baton Rouge, never living up to the hype that surrounded him. The 2018 NFL Draft came and went without him getting chosen.
As a free agent, Toliver could sign with any team. He chose the Bears partly because he was born there and had family who could come and see him (I’m sure the Bears’ cornerback situation also appealed to him). He had a group of about 30 watching him (per the Daily Herald):
"“I was born in Chicago so I’ve got a lot of family up here. So they just came to support me.”"
Yes, I know it’s early. There are plenty of players who shined early then fizzled out (check out Tanner Gentry, who’s trying to finally get off the practice squad permanently).
Next: NFL Training Camp: One rookie who must impress from each team
However, Toliver has first-round talent. At 6-2, 192 pounds, Toliver has the size and length to harass today’s wide receiver. He just needs to keep control. He got in trouble while at LSU and that stunted his growth. If he could keep out of trouble and look to the veterans for help he could make the team and be productive just like Jones.