If the Chicago Bears are going to help Justin Fields become a better quarterback, they have to find him weapons. That is proving difficult this offseason with their limited spending money, and lack of draft picks. This means GM Ryan Poles will need some luck in the later rounds and even undrafted free agency to find some hidden gems. It would explain why the team is using several of their allocated top 30 visits on prospects expected to go in that range later this month.
One of them is Samori Toure. This is not a household name. The Draft Network ranks him as a 5th round prospect, while NFL.com doesn’t even have his name listed. In a deep wide receiver class, he seems somewhat overlooked. Yet that hasn’t stopped several prominent teams from showing interest in him, including the Bears. Michael Yam of NFL Network revealed as much in a recent tweet.
Got to see @HuskerFBNation WR Samori Toure in Vegas score 2tds in the @ShrineBowl. Coaches there were impressed. In a deep WR class he’s making the rounds with 5 top 30 visits so far. 49ers, Packers, Bengals, Chiefs and Bears. 21 days until the #nfldraft Lets Go!
— Michael Yam (@Mike_Yam) April 7, 2022
A pretty notable list of teams.
Green Bay, Cincinnati, and Kansas City have strong track records for finding wide receiver talent later in drafts. So their interest in Toure is noteworthy. When taking a deeper look at the player himself, it makes perfect sense. He was the best receiver in the FCS back in 2019, racking up 1,495 yards and 13 touchdowns that season for Montana. Unfortunately, his career hit a snag when the pandemic shut down the FCS in 2020. That forced him to transfer schools, ending up at Nebraska, where he led the team with 898 yards receiving last season.
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Samori Toure hit ‘em with the spin cycle for the TD
📺: @ShrineBowl on NFL Network @HuskerFBNation pic.twitter.com/KjUoDHMAlm
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 4, 2022
😏 @HuskerFBNation can score long TDs too
Samori Toure takes off for the 72-yard touchdown 😤 pic.twitter.com/hJRveTuDal
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 6, 2021
Welcome to the 2021 NFL Draft watchlist, Montana wideout Samori Touré pic.twitter.com/RN4uZ76eas
— Brad Kelly (@CoachBKelly) December 14, 2019
It isn’t hard to see the allure of Toure from the Chicago Bears’ perspective. Not only is he 6’3, but he showcases legitimate deep speed. He has a reputation for being highly competitive and fearless when making catches in traffic. His route-running isn’t great, but it’s far better than someone of his origins usually is. The talent is undeniable. He also proved he could play against top competition, posting 150 yards on Ohio State and 113 on Wisconsin.
Toure has drawn comparison to current New England Patriots receiver Jakobi Meyers. He has steadily improved with back-to-back seasons of over 700 yards despite QB issues. Toure checks all the boxes Poles and his new regime wants: smart, fast, and resilient.
