One of the coolest moments of the NFL draft weekend for the Chicago Bears came in the 6th round. Head coach Matt Nagy placed a call to former Oregon cornerback Thomas Graham. He was informing the young man that he’d just been selected. Graham had endured a long and frustrating past couple of days. When the news hit his ears, the emotions came flowing out in one big avalanche. The celebration could be heard most audibly throughout the entire Bears war room.
That offered a glimpse of the type of passion Graham has for the game of football. Passion that shows up quite often on tape. The cornerback is only 5’11 and not known for blazing speed. Yet he is constantly around the football. He sniffs out screens, tracks where quarterbacks look to throw, and puts himself in a position to make plays. That is why he had eight interceptions and 32 passes defended across three seasons.
Yet that alone isn’t what drew him to the Bears.
Their west coast area scout David Williams explained. One thing that stood out with Graham almost immediately was his attitude. Let’s just say the young man wasn’t known for being the most humble guy in the world.
“He’s got this swagger and this charisma that when you talk to him…there’s something about NFL cornerbacks that stand out compared to any other position and I think that drives him. One of the sources that I talked to at Oregon said it’s his cockiness and his confidence that drives him, and it’s a good thing.
I think for a young man that he’s not 6’3, he didn’t run a 4.3 (in the) 40, but he believes he’s the fastest. He believes he’s the toughest and I think that’s led to a lot of success for him at Oregon.”
The nature of the cornerback position is an interesting one. A player must be ready and able to accept one reality. They’re going to get beat at some point. How they handle that reality often separates the best from everybody else on Sundays.
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Think of those like Jalen Ramsey, Patrick Peterson, and Richard Sherman. There is nothing subtle about those guys. They think they’re the best on the planet and aren’t afraid to tell everybody about it. By believing such things, it helps them play with unshakable confidence on the field. By the sound of it, Graham is made of similar stuff. Talk about his size and speed all you want. If you throw the ball in his direction, be prepared to pay a price.
Thomas Graham enters the picture at a fascinating time
It appears like the Bears defense is on the cusp of a youth movement. Already two of their number in the secondary have departed who were on the older side. Kyle Fuller (29) and Buster Skrine (31) were both released. Desmond Trufant did sign a one-year deal to hold things together but the situation at nickel corner appears to be a wide open competition. One that Graham is perfectly suited to enter.
His style of play from the quickness to the instincts is made for a classic slot cornerback. He should provide serious competition for that job alongside Duke Shelley and Kindle Vildor among others. GM Ryan Pace has demonstrated a good eye for players in that particular spot. He signed Bryce Callahan as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Then he signed Skrine two years ago. Both held down the job quite well. Thomas Graham could be his latest bargain find.
It depends on what he does over the next several months.
By the sound of things, it’s not a challenge he fears in the slightest. Graham is going to be one of those guys in training camp who delights in driving Bears receivers crazy. Both with his play and his mouth. It wouldn’t be shocking if one or two fights are started because of him. Every good defense needs swagger. This kid has plenty to spare.