The Chicago Bears are hoping to get a high-end contributor from Jaquan Brisker after selecting him 48th overall in the 2022 NFL draft. While it would be fun to realize the team drafted the next Troy Polamalu, there are some more realistic outcomes for Jaquan Brisker.
Looking at his athletic profile from the NFL combine, Brisker is tall, and a bit thin, but has plenty of athleticism. He also did the 3-cone and shuttle drill at his Pro Day, so we have a full athletic profile. Using his athletic testing measurables, and his draft capital, who are the most comparable draft picks to Jaquan Brisker?
Below you can see starting safeties that are 6 to 6’1″ and 195 pounds to 208 pounds. These players are between 4.45-4.54 in the 40, and 34-40 in the vertical. Lastly, they are all below 7 in the 3-cone.
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In the case of Jevon Holland, Marquise Blair, and Eric Rowe, they were all second-round picks, going from picks 36 to 47. Morgan Burnett went pick 71, and Chuck Clark went in the sixth round, but both had roles in the NFL that can be resembled by Jaquan Brisker.
Jevon Holland
Jevon Holland was one of the steals of the draft last season and a respected defender, He lived in the box, moving from the slot to the strong safety role, and the team took advantage of his versatility. A similar rookie season for Holland would be stellar.
Eric Rowe
If the best outcome is Holland, Rowe is the intermediate outcome. Rowe is a specialist in coverage against bigger slot and tight end options. He also has the size to stick his head in the running game. Brisker was a bit more of a playmaker, but the role and athleticism do add up.
Marquise Blair
Blair may be the downside outcome. He still has a role but could be viewed as a poor man Jamal Adams for the Seahawks. He is physical but can miss as many tackles as he makes, and that is one small with Brisker from last season.
Morgan Burnett and Chuck Clark
These two may not have the same draft capital and are not on the spectrum of outcomes like the three above, but they may be the most realistic outcomes. Both of these athletes spent time as the green dot, the play-caller, and the leader in the middle of the defense. They both live primarily in the box but thrive on versatility.
Neither was gaining All-Pros and Pro Bowls, but every team they were on trusted them like quarterbacks for the defense. That is probably not only a likely outcome for Brikser but one that he would embrace in the NFL.