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Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles finalized the 2024 draft class on Saturday by trading a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills to select Kansas defensive end Austin Booker with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round.
Booker finished the 2023 season with 56 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defensed. Prior to his one season at Kansas, Booker was in Minnesota for two seasons but only played in 2022. He played in six games and made two total tackles.
According to “The Beast,” Booker has only played 505 career snaps in college, but the 6-foot-4, 253 pound defensive end knows he has the traits that will benefit him as a pro.
“I’ve got speed, I’ve got length, I’ve got strength and being able to use all those at once is a gift that I have,” Booker said. “I’m gonna use it at the next level.”
Booker wasn’t an every down player at Kansas and lined up at times in a two-point stance and also with a hand in the dirt. In Chicago under head coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Eric Washington, Booker will be asked to play with a hand in the dirt primarily. The 21-year-old rookie believes he is a fit as a 4-3 defensive end.
“I’ve played a 4-down my whole career, college and high school,” Booker said. “But I also know I have the athleticism to play on that three-down. Just having the versatility is only a plus for me moving forward. I’m excited to run in the 4-3, get my hand in the dirt again. Just looking forward towards that.”
Bears’ southwest area scout John Syty has watched a lot of Booker’s games, but his performance against Texas stood out above the rest. In the 40-14 loss against the No. 3 ranked Longhorns on the road, Booker ended with seven total tackles, five solo and 0.5 sacks.
“Probably Texas and the big stage,” Syty said. “I think when you think about some of the best ones of the year, I thought that was it. I thought he did a really good job against a couple really good tackles on the other side. When the lights were brightest, this kid stepped up.”
Here are some of Booker’s top plays from his game against Texas.
Booker shows off his quick hands and is able to beat the left tackle right off the snap. Then Booker positions himself to make a tackle on the running back at the line of scrimmage on this second-and-goal play.
Booker makes another run stop in a goal line situation. This time Booker lines up against the tight end and fights through the block by using his hands to disengage with the Texas player. Booker finds the ball carrier in the backfield and brings down the running back for a tackle for loss.
Below are three different reps with each one showing a different type of pass rush move. In the first clip, Booker uses a quick move to get to the inside of the right tackle. On the second rep, Booker shows off his power with a bullrush that knocks back the left tackle, but the edge rusher was unable to locate the quarterback, who steps up and avoids Booker. For the final rep, Booker uses a spin move to get by the left tackle. Notice on each of his pass rush reps Booker lined up in a two-point stance
Just based on the Texas game alone, Booker fits the “H.I.T.S” principle that Eberflus covets. Each of the three reps shows Booker fighting off blocks and keeping plays alive to make a tackle on the ball carrier. In the third rep, Booker starts his pass rush and once he sees the ball in the air, he rushes over in the direction of the receiver and helps tackle the Texas player near the goal line.
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