3 Players in the Cotton Bowl who could be Chicago Bears after the 2024 NFL Draft
By Peter Jurich
Three potential future Chicago Bears in the Cotton Bowl
JT Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State, No. 44
Tuimoloau has yet to officially declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, although there is optimism that the star edge rusher will turn pro following the year. Tuimoloau is finishing his third season with the Buckeyes, where he played in every game and recorded 3.5 sacks or more every season. While Tuimoloau is a plus pass-rusher, his real value comes against the run, where he uses his 6'4", 270+ lbs frame to serve as a quality edge setter.
The Edgewood, Washington native will look to add to his 16.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons in Ohio State's postseason appearance, but even if he doesn't have a strong statistical performance, Tuimoloau's impact will be felt across the defensive front.
Assuming Tuimoloau declares for the impending NFL draft, it is hard to project where he would go in a relatively deep defensive end class. However, if the Bears look to add a physical, balanced player across from Montez Sweat, another large and physical player like Tuimoloau might help improve an otherwise talented defensive front in Chicago.