LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — New Bears receiver Tyler Scott has always been a gifted athlete. He was running track at the age of 5 and was a Junior Olympics sprinter before he was 10.
But there’s more to Scott’s game than his ability to accelerate past a cornerback in coverage, and he wants that to be clear.
“It's great to have speed, but at the end of the day, you have to learn how to get in and out of your cuts efficiently,” said Scott, a fourth-round pick of the Bears on Saturday. “You've got to learn how to read defenses. You've got to learn how to get to the blind spots, learn how to set up the DBs. You have to be a really good actor when you're playing receiver.
“Speed is my No. 1 thing that pops off the film, but I always like to stress not just that but just how I get open as well.”
The Bears took notice of Scott and the way he became a more rounded receiver throughout his three years at Cincinnati.
Scott was a running back in high school who studied the elusive stylings of Gale Sayers, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson and Reggie Bush. But when Scott arrived at Cincinnati as a freshman, he was converted to receiver. Since making that transition, he has scouted the route-running abilities of Davante Adams while also gaining an appreciation for how undersized receivers like Terry McLaurin and Tyler Lockett have a natural sense of how to get open in coverage.
At 5-foot-11, Scott recognized that his best chance to succeed at Cincinnati – and ultimately in the NFL – was to become a polished product. The Bears realize Scott is still raw in some areas as he hones his craft, but they have a strong belief in his potential.
“That’s where coaching comes into play,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said. “Do you have the tools that you can’t teach? And that’s speed. So, yes, that’s one box checked. Then the player himself and the work ethic and the time they’re going to put into the details. I think that’s what this level is all about. It’s the details on how to do things the right way so that you have proper timing, proper separation, all of that. So, he checks all of those boxes.
“He can take that next step and add the details of route-running with the speed, and that will be a deadly combination. But the beautiful thing is, when you have top-end speed, that buys you time to get that detail in and become a pro in your skill set and how you approach the game.”
Growing up south of Cleveland in Norton, Ohio, Scott followed the Ohio State football program and came to appreciate then-Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields.
Scott continued to follow Fields after he was drafted by the Bears, and Scott admired the way Fields fought through his team's struggles in his first two NFL seasons. As Scott emerged as a mid-round draft pick, he hoped that Chicago would come calling.
The Bears envision Scott as a difference-making target who can help Fields continue to grow. Ten of Scott's 14 touchdowns over the last two seasons went for 30 yards or more.
“He can really take the top off,” Bears scout Ryan Cavanaugh said of Scott. “Justin is going to like throwing to him deep. He does that well. I think he surprises us with route running and quickness and just everything about him. He's a tough kid. He's tough at the catch point. He's really good with the deep ball, getting open deep as well as fighting for the ball deep. Good at tracking it. Good hands downfield. Just an awesome kid.”
Scott will strap on a helmet for the Bears on Friday as the team holds its two-day rookie minicamp at Halas Hall. It will mark the continuation of Scott’s journey to grow as a player as he now pursues his dream at the NFL level.
Scott and the Bears both understand that he’s a raw-but-promising player. They embrace that.
“For me, that's a positive as well for me as well knowing that I still have a lot to learn to improve,” Scott said. “So many things (to improve). Just my ceiling, I can't even put a statistic or a number or accomplishment on it.
“I just want to be the best at what I do. I just want to have a hand in helping the team win a championship. So, actually as far as my abilities and how high they go? The sky's the limit. It's cliche, but it really is – the sky is the limit to what I can do.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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