LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Once a prized prospect at Georgia, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson felt he had been cast aside after his sophomore season. The Georgia program was reloading, so Stevenson made a move to Miami knowing the competition that was on the horizon.
Stevenson felt a sense of frustration at the time. Looking back on the decision, he holds a different perspective now. The choice to transfer from Georgia to Miami in early 2021 helped shape him for the NFL, where he landed with the Bears in the second round at No. 56 overall.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles recognized Stevenson's sense of humility during his pre-draft visit at Halas Hall.
“The one thing I look for is just ownership of maybe some situations early on in terms of talking about maybe it’s a guy that was a five-star, four-star or any star that came in with a sense of entitlement in that the job should just be handed to him,” Poles said. “And maybe they didn’t handle a certain situation the way that they should’ve, and they’ve grown from it – but they own it, and they say, ‘You know what? I messed up there and that’s on me.’ And then apply that to going to a different school and getting to know his teammates, meshing with that culture, learning from his past and then improving and playing at a high level."
A Miami native, Stevenson also sought to be closer to his family during the COVID-19 pandemic, which influenced his decision to transfer.
For Poles and the Bears, Stevenson’s candor in discussing his past helped solidify the team’s impression of him as a player and person whom they were eager to select.
At Miami, Stevenson emerged as a playmaker and solidified his place as one of the best cornerback prospects in this draft class. He started 22 games for the Hurricanes, posting three interceptions and 14 pass deflections.
The Bears believe in Stevenson’s fit as an outside cornerback in head coach Matt Eberflus’ defensive system. He’s an aggressive player who’s also strong against the run.
“He can run, he's intelligent, he has instincts,” Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams said. “In a nutshell, we go, 'Did this guy love football?' And then, 'Does he have instincts, does he have quickness and does he have strike?' He has all of those. We love the things that he can do in that package in terms of body size, hands, arm length.”
The Bears envision Stevenson being a starter for them, perhaps as early as Week 1 of the upcoming season. Eberflus, Williams and the Bears' entire coaching staff have often expressed their willingness to use rookies in key roles.
Stevenson projects to slot in at outside cornerback opposite of Jaylon Johnson and alongside nickelback Kyler Gordon, which should give the Bears a strong secondary. Still, Stevenson knows well that he has to earn his opportunity.
“It’s a marathon, not a race,” Stevenson said. “Just understanding that there’s guys who’ve been here who’ve been working for this opportunity just as I have, and understanding that they have knowledge and the game slowed down for them, so they have a couple of steps on me.
“Sit back, be a rookie, learn, but also come in and challenge them too to get me better so I could be able to become a starter as well.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
Listen live to 670 The Score via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker