One of the biggest surprises of the 2019 NFL draft was that Missouri wide receiver Emanuel Hall wasn’t selected. This despite blowing up the scouting combine and being one of the best deep threats in the entire class. In a league that demands speed more than ever, one would think he would’ve been picked, even late. Now he’s the newest Chicago Bears wide receiver.
So what gives? There had to be a reason. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com provided one. Most felt it had to do with his health issues he suffered the past two years including hamstring, groin, and sports hernia problems. That was part of it, but not the driving force that led to the drop.
It seems Hall, for all his physical talent, didn’t handle his interviews with teams as best he could.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Emanuel Hall does not lack for self-confidence
While the term itself can be vague, if one digs up interviews involving Hall before the draft it becomes clear what it likely meant. He is a player who has a strong belief in himself. Plenty of people will call it arrogance. He declared himself better than most of the other receivers who were picked and considers himself a freak athlete.
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It’s also important to note where his head is at. Hall is only 21-years old. He’s still a kid, and he has endured a lot in the past year. Not only did he deal with a lingering injury almost all season at Missouri, but he also lost his father to a drug overdose. Nobody can say his head is in the right place. Simply playing the humble approach isn’t what keeps him focused.
He is hardly the first player to use a self-centered drive to elevate his game. The problem is teams shy away from those personalities because they can be a headache to deal with. See Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, and Antonio Brown.
Head coach Matt Nagy isn’t unfamiliar with those types of players and thinks he can help channel Hall’s aggression in the right direction. Either way, the Bears took a low risk for a potentially high reward.
