(670 The Score) The Bears selected Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon with the No. 39 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Friday, adding a player they believe can start immediately in their secondary.
Former Washington head coach Jimmy Lake recruited Gordon to the Huskies’ program and oversaw his development first as a defensive coordinator before being named head coach in 2020. A longtime defensive backs coach, Lake sees strong potential ahead for Gordon.
“This is the most athletic player that I’ve ever coached,” Lake said Monday on the Mully & Haugh Show. “He is a ball of energy, a ball of clay that can bend any which different way. He’s the type of guy that can just sit here and do a backflip right in front of you. He can contort his body to go defend passes, pick off passes. (The Bears) are getting an extreme athlete that can play inside and outside. This is a big-time pick for Chicago.”
The Bears were drawn by Gordon’s athleticism and also the versatility he can bring to their secondary. He projects as a starter across from Jaylon Johnson at the outside cornerback position, but he's also capable of stepping inside to the nickel spot.
Lake feels the Bears would be wise to line up Gordon on the outside.
“If I was coaching him and I was sitting there in Chicago, I would start him outside,” Lake said. “Although everybody wants the 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2 corner – you want that length and I want it as well – he doesn’t have that but what he makes up for is an over 40 (inch) vertical jump, which we had at the University of Washington, ultra speed and athleticism and he can match with his quickness. He’s going to be elite outside.”