The Bears are listed as the best fit for a great cornerback prospect
PFF Draft named their best fits for each of the top 8 cornerbacks prospects in the 2022 NFL draft.
The Bears were listed as the team for Auburn Tigers CB Roger McCreary.
Let me tell you something, this has me pumped. There are not a lot of players I would like the Bears to select more than him with the 39th pick. Now, I know that he has a good chance of getting selected in the first round. However, the depth at the cornerback position is really high so it's a certainty that at least one or two of the top 8 corners will fall to the 39th spot. McCreary may very well fall in that category.
He is not the biggest in size. He is listed at 5"11 190 pounds. I wouldn't call him undersized, but he may not be as lengthy as you would like for your dream prototypical cornerback. However, what he may lack in size, he makes up for it with intensity and athleticism.
What I like the most about him is that he played so well against the best competition at the University of Auburn, in the SEC. During his stint at Auburn, one could argue that there wasn't a more consistent producer on the back end of SEC defenses. He didn't have the crazy interception numbers of other cornerbacks, but McCreary was always around the football and he literally shut down some of the best receivers in the nation.
Here is what Anthony Treash of PFF had to say on the cornerback prospect:
The good with McCreary is that he is an advanced corner prospect from a technique standpoint and has proven elite collegiate production. This past season, he was the highest-graded cornerback in the FBS and led the Power Five in pass breakups with 13. Since 2019, he is second to only Ahmad Gardner among FBS corners in coverage grade playing press. The physical traits are concerning, but McCreary has the experience, technique and mindset to succeed in the NFL.>/q>
I think this is a fair evaluation of McCreary and he would be such a great fit in Matt Eberflus' defense!
Check out his highlight tape:
