Two years ago, Bears GM Ryan Poles took charge of the 2022 NFL Draft with a limited number of picks. Despite that, he managed to trade and acquire additional selections. One of the most significant picks from that draft turned out to be a fifth-rounder Braxton Jones. Jones started all 17 games for the Bears during his rookie season and was widely regarded as a hidden gem discovered by Poles and his team. Jones had another strong performance in his sophomore season, despite dealing with a hamstring injury. Overall, Jones has proven to be incredible value for where he was drafted and the impact he’s had. Now, in the 2024 NFL Draft, it seems Poles might have struck gold again with the selection of edge rusher Austin Booker.
Booker has shown potential in the games against the Texans and Bills.
In the game against the Texans, Booker played 24 snaps and recorded one sack and one QB hurry, earning a PFF pass rush grade of 73.6—the third-best among players from both teams. He then delivered an even stronger performance against Buffalo, finishing with three sacks and five total pressures in just 22 pass-rushing snaps.
It’s still early in the preseason, and although Booker faced some of the Bills’ starters, it’s encouraging to see this level of performance. The true test will come during the regular season, but it’s hard not to be excited about what we’ve seen from the Kansas product.
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