LAWRENCE — It could take a little time for Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker to reach his NFL potential, but the Chicago Bears are willing to wait.
The Bears selected Booker in the fifth round (144th overall) of Saturday’s NFL Draft, but Booker is hoping to shorten the learning curve.
“I got speed, I got length, I got strength and being able to use all of those at once is a gift that I have,” Booker said. “And I’m looking forward to using it at the next level.”
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Booker had eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 12 games last year in his only season for the Jayhawks after playing two seasons at Minnesota.
At just 21, Booker is considered a little raw and is undersized as a defensive end. But last season’s Big 12 Newcomer of the Year said the time was right to make the jump to the pros.
“I felt like I was mentally and physically ready to compete at the higher level,” Booker said. “But also, it’s good to strike while the iron’s hot. You never know what’s going to happen next year, and I felt like I was ready.”
Bears general manager Ryan Poles liked Booker’s potential so much he made a trade with the Bills to move up to get him.
“He’s a guy that we thought had tremendous upside,” Poles said. “We love his length, love how hard he plays. We just see a ton of upside. He’s only 21 years old and a lot of growth and development there.”
Booker will also get a chance to learn from defensive end Montez Sweat, who had 12.5 sacks last season playing for the Commanders then Bears. Booker will likely play in a 4-3 front with the Bears, and he’s looking forward to it.
“Having the versatility is a plus for me,” Booker said. “I’m excited to run in the 4-3 and get my hands on the dirt again.”
