Oct 25, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Rice Owls cornerback Bryce Callahan (29) plays defense during a game against the North Texas Mean Green at Rice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
With the draft just roughly a month away Bear Goggles On will be breaking down a wide range of options for the Chicago Bears 2015 draft. We’ll profile different positions and different rounds where players who might fit with the Bears new management regime.
Bryce Callahan, CB, Rice
Measurables – 5′ 9″ | 183
Attributes (40 / vertical / broad jump / 3-cone) – 4.47 | 43″ | 11′ | 7.00
College: Bryce Callahan burst onto the college football scene as a redshirt freshman in 2011, when injuries forced him into an expanded role. He had 6 interceptions that year, the best number in the conference as well as 6th best in the nation, and was voted to the C-USA All Freshman team. His numbers cooled off after that, but he was still a good player for the Owls. Bryce Callahan recorded 13 interceptions in his college career, good for second best all-time at Rice. He also averaged 7.0 yards per return as a punt returner while he was in college.
Strengths: Bryce Callahan is a superb athlete. He is stronger than his size might imply, and jams receivers surprisingly well. He shows good instincts for the position and is rarely fooled by route-running trickery. His experience as a returner is a plus. Bryce Callahan is a competitive player.
Weaknesses: The first and foremost concern on this list is size. At 5′ 9″ 183, Bryce Callahan is far from the prototype NFL teams are looking for. His tackling ability can be questionable as well, meaning playing in a nickel role might be difficult for him as well. He needs to be more aggressive in the run game.
Bears Fit: I like the idea of the Bears drafting a player like Bryce Callahan in the later rounds. He could compete for playing time as a return man early in his career, while he adds some weight and works on his tackling. The bottom line is, athletes like Bryce Callahan don’t grow on trees and the Bears defense could use one of his caliber.
Draft Projection: Late rounds.