There was something that felt wrong about Bears legend (and University of Miami product) Devin Hester announcing a pick who played their college ball at Florida.
But there was something so right about Hester returning to the podium in Kansas City to announce that Chicago had (1) made a trade to get back up into the second round and (2) used the pick to take Miami cornerback Tyrique Stevenson:
And here are the details of the trade, via ESPN NFL insider Field Yates:
The Bears still have pick No. 64 in the third round, as well as picks No. 133 and 148 on Day 3 of the draft. So they’ve got some wiggle room to work with if they feel a need to recoup some picks. But we can cross that bridge when we get to it. As for the player the Bears moved up to get, I think they landed a good one.
Stevenson, 22, measures in at 6-feet and 198 pounds after a college career that saw him spend time at Georgia (2019-20) and Miami (2021-22). Things ended on a high note at The U, where Stevenson earned third-team All-ACC honors for the Hurricanes. In his final collegiate campaign, Stevenson came away with a pair of interceptions, 7 passes defended, 25 solo tackles, and 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Cornerback wasn’t a huge need for the Bears, but I had a sneaky suspicion they’d try to add one on Day 2. Stevenson’s NFL Draft profile by Lance Zierlein has him drawing James Bradberry as a NFL comparison. Considering Bradberry’s excellence, I’d consider that solid praise.
I’m looking forward to diving more into this pick. The Bears’ secondary just got a little more crowded. And a bit more talented, too.