The Chicago Bears landed two starters with their first two selections of the 2022 NFL Draft in Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon and Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker. In the third round, they added Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., who’s expected to make a significant contribution in the passing game.
But just how productive will these first-year players be?
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Rill, the Bears will reap significant rewards from their draft class in 2022. Rill has Gordon logging four interceptions in his first season, which would be remarkable for a rookie. It would’ve tied for the fifth-highest total in 2021 (11 defensive backs snagged four picks).
“One thing that Gordon has proved he’s not afraid to do is take risks, as he showed the ability to jump in front of passes at the college level,” Rill wrote. “That’s why the prediction here is he’ll be a key turnover creator for the Chicago defense in 2022.”
Turnovers are a focal point for Head Coach Matt Eberflus and his defense in 2022. If Gordon contributes four interceptions in 2022, he’ll immediately become one of the foundational players in General Manager Ryan Poles’ rebuild.
