Bears rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon has made a strong impression since he was drafted by Chicago, which has many excited about his potential in this defense.
Gordon has established himself as quite the ballhawk, which has been evident as he’s split time between outside and nickel cornerback this summer.
Defensive backs coach James Rowe praised Gordon’s ball skills, especially when it comes to generating takeaways.
“[Gordon] has a good knack of being around the ball and then has the athletic ability to finish the play,” Rowe said, via ChicagoBears.com. “He has real natural hands, so we’re excited about him going forward in that way.”
Gordon played nickel cornerback during last Thursday’s preseason game against the Seahawks. Gordon was all over the field and showcased his speed and instincts, which included an almost-sack on quarterback Geno Smith.
“One thing that stands out about him is he works hard,” Rowe said of Gordon. “He’s in here at 7 a.m. every morning meeting with coach [David] Overstreet, going over the nickel stuff, and then meets extra time with me going over the corner stuff. He’s putting in the time to be able to do both. I think that’s one key. And then he did it in college. He’s done it before. It’s easier to transfer to the NFL if you’ve done it in college.”
The Bears have played Gordon both outside and in the slot this summer, but it certainly feels like Gordon will start at nickel, which is the most important position in Matt Eberflus’ defense.
