People didn’t want to believe Austin Booker was anything special in his debut against the Houston Texans last week. The evidence was there. He generated heat on the quarterback multiple times, threw tackles out of the way, and looked like an NFL pass rusher from the jump. Still, the common excuse was immediately made. He didn’t play anybody. It was all against backups. Just wait until he runs into actual starters. They’d show everybody this kid is nothing but a preseason hype job.
Well, the Buffalo Bills got the opportunity to prove this point. Booker played with the Chicago Bears‘ starting defense in the first quarter and happened to get matched up against three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins twice. Both times, the rookie drove him backward so sharply that it opened a lane to the inside. Fortunately for Buffalo, Josh Allen took off running on the first play and Mitch Trubisky threw it quickly on the second. Both could’ve ended with sacks.
Booker ended the game with 2.5 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss, and three QB hits, terrorizing the Bills offense for all 60 minutes.
Austin Booker is not a fluke.
You only have to watch him for five minutes to realize this. The guy is 240 lbs but hits with the power of somebody closer to 300. He’s quick, nimble, athletic, and has serious closing burst. What truly stands out the most is his motor. Every single snap is played at 1,000 miles per hour. The only reason people aren’t buying in is because he’s a 5th round pick. Players taken that late aren’t supposed to have an impact this quickly. That is especially true for somebody with so little playing experience.
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Don’t forget Austin Booker spent the first two years of his college career on the bench in Minnesota. It wasn’t until he transferred to Kansas last season. There, he promptly posted eight sacks and 12 tackles for a loss. Most experts agree he would’ve likely ended up at least a 2nd round pick in 2025 had he stayed in school for another year. That trade by the Bears to jump back into the draft to get him is looking more and more brilliant by the day. It is getting easier to see why the team is in no hurry to sign a veteran pass rusher.
After Poles wins GM of the year that TGena chick can take him to court and point to a doll and show the world where she was touched by him. Maybe she’ll get a good settlement.
@jack60616 — If an NFL GM can’t do “a great job with the roster” — blessed with the unearned benefit of back-to-back overall first selection in the NFL Draft — clearly he shouldn’t survive long enough in that position to get back-to-back-to-back 1st-rounders. Right? Luckily, Caleb Williams made the point moot with a glimmer of what might be coming to Soldier Field, this season. Unfortunately, Ryan Poles is still the primary influence at Halas Hall. And that means “bums” like: Chris “C-Mo” Morgan; Velus “BallHateMe” Jones Jr.; Nate “Where’s Waldo?” Davis, and others will still be on the payroll. Winning… Read more »
Most people who can put together a reasonable thought realize that 4th-6th grade rule has a lot of inaccuracies by the time they hit high school.
(i before e, except after c and sometimes w and y) –4th-6th grade learning Jethro.
@TGena It’s laughable that you would suggest that it seems a good player drafted by the Bears must have been Cunningham….but every bad draft pick is Poles guy… that really makes your other points you make lose its credibility by being a Poles basher… Has Poles made a couple of fuck ups…yes….just as every great GM has… you want to go through the list of great Gms draft picks that have gone bad?… you mentioned Steelers?…who can’t get the QB right since Ben R. …49ers?… with that Trey Lance pick debacle….GreenBay?…didn’t they have like 10 picks in 2018 and only… Read more »