For many athletes, playing even one down in the NFL is the ultimate goal. The endgame. The summit. Etc. So being drafted by the team you actually prefer to play for is just gravy on top – a dream scenario, if you will.
The Bears fourth-round pick, Tyler Scott, is getting the best of both worlds.
Shortly after being drafted by the Bears, he sent out this tweet:
That was exactly the type of tweet I was needing to see from a Bears newcomer. Not only is he excited about being chosen by the Bears, he is already tagging quarterback Justin Fields ready to get to work. I dig it when a young, up-and-coming player is ambitious. And it reaches another level when they show it publicly.
So of course Scott wants to get to work with Fields. There are about to be opportunities to shine for the former Cincinnati Bearcats standout. With wideouts such as DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, and Chase Claypool ahead of him on the depth chart, Scott can quickly become an under-the-radar option because teams have to focus so much energy on the other weapons on Chicago’s offense. What makes Scott’s arrival even more intriguing to me is that he drew a comparison to Mooney (NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah). Maybe Scott saw film of Mooney and Fields linking up and was quick to imagine him doing that, too.
One thing that keeps popping up in Scott’s game is his ability to create separation. And one thing about Fields’ game is that if he sees you create an opening, then he’ll try to get you the ball. Especially if that means he gets to take a deep shot down the field.
We’ve come to learn that the best draft picks aren’t necessarily the ones picked first. Instead, the prospects end up looking the best when games begin are the ones who found the best overall fit. And I’m not sure I could’ve drawn up a better fit than Fields (with his deep-ball throwing prowess) and Scott (with his down-the-field speed and separation skills).
And while we’re still months away from seeing these two hook up, that first Fields-to-Scott connection is something I’m looking forward to seeing this summer.