No NFL team can have enough quality defensive backs.
That belief rings even more true if you’re a team like the Chicago Bears in the NFC North and you have to face guys like Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Kirk Cousins twice a year. Indeed, premium play from members of the secondary is a must in modern football (especially because of the many offensive advantages gained by these new-fangled rules), so I’ll always support the Bears pursuits in this arena.
With that in mind, let’s keep an eye on how the Bears go about bolstering their secondary this offseason. Specifically, let’s keep tabs on whom they are working out and visiting leading up to the NFL Draft – which is just 21 days away.
Toledo CB Ka’dar Hollman visited the Bears, per source. 6-0, 190-pounder tied for the MAC lead with 12 pass breakups last season.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) April 3, 2019
As you can see, the Bears have hosted Toledo cornerback Ka’dar Hollman for a visit – prior to his visit, Aaron Wilson (Houston Chronicle) reported that the Bears were one of the teams who had visits and private workouts with the Mid-American Conference standout.
Hollman collected 43 tackles, an interception, and a MAC-leading 12 pass breakups as a senior in 2018. He was essentially a three-year starter at cornerback for Toledo, picking up eight starts as a sophomore in in 2016 and 14 more during his junior season in 2017.
In addition, Hollman tested well at his pro day – which is important, considering he wasn’t invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month. Hollman reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds and had a vertical that measured 39 inches. The 4.37-second 40-yard dash time would have tied for the fourth fastest among defensive backs, while the 39-inch vertical jump would have been tied for the 13th best among his peers in the secondary. Those are impressive numbers, so it’s no surprise teams are taking notice and checking in.
But the Bears are not alone. The Browns, Colts, Dolphins, Eagles, Lions, Saints, and Texans have also met, scheduled workouts with, or plan to connect with Hollman ahead of the draft. That’s how it goes, unfortunately.
In any case, Chicago and the league’s other 31 teams each have 30 official visits, so Hollman is one of many for the Bears. But for what it’s worth, Roquan Smith and James Daniels both received similar visits before being drafted by Chicago. Obviously, they aren’t going to draft all of the players they host leading up to the draft, but the visits they take offer a glimpse at the type of prospect the front office could be targeting.