Grading the Chicago Bears No. 48 overall pick Jaquan Brisker
The Chicago Bears decided to double down on defense with their second pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
The Chicago Bears selected safety Jaquan Brisker with the 48th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. While it was not the flashy offensive pick many fans were hoping for, it is a very solid pick. Brisker will look to be a day one starter and on paper complements Eddie Jackson very well. The Bears have been looking for an ideal partner for Jackson ever since Adrian Amos left in free agency after the 2018 season. Brisker comes in as a solid athlete who can play in the box and cover well enough.
The Bears got good value with Brisker at 48th overall, especially with the talent drop-off in the defensive back prospects after Brisker. In some mock drafts, he was coming off of the board in the late first round. While many fans might not be too happy with the pick, it is good value and it fills a need on the team, just not the most important need.
Brisker is a very versatile safety who has played in and succeeded in multiple coverage schemes at Penn State. He can hold his own in the slot and in man-to-man situations, which is a plus for any safety. While he is not lockdown in coverage, he is athletic and intelligent enough to make plays in man and zone.
Brisker’s ability to tackle and play in the box to stop the run is a perfect complement to Eddie Jackson’s free safety style of play. Brisker ideally fits in an interchangeable safety scheme, which the Bears can and will most likely run with the new defensive coaches. He can play free safety, strong safety, slot, and in the box. He is an ideal modern-day safety prospect with a very low floor.
Draft Grade: B
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While Brisker will most likely be a mainstay on the defense for a long time, the Bears could have looked to address wide receiver or offensive line at this spot to help out Justin Fields. The pick is a high floor, high ceiling type of pick and there is not much to knock on Brisker, but the grade cannot be higher than a B because the Bears had more pressing needs at this spot.