Shapiro’s Studs: 2024 NFL Combine Edition

On this episode of Football Night in Chicago, Alex Shaprio joins Laurence Holmes to talk about the Bears franchise tagging Jaylon Johnson, breakdown some standout performances from the NFL Combine, explain why Caleb Williams avoiding the medical exam was a smart idea, and play some mini golf.

#ChicagoBears #CalebWilliams #romeodunze

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Shapiro’s Studs: 2024 NFL Combine Edition
https://www.youtube.com/NBCSportsChicago

JUST UNDER 20 MILLION BUCKS THIS YEAR. >> LET’S @#GO ON THE BE PRESENT BY CHEVY DRIVE CHICAGO.COM. WE HAVE ALEX SCHAPIRO HERE WITH US. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO HANG OUT. LET’S TALK ABOUT JALA JOHNSON

AND THE FRANCHISE TAG. I IMAGINE THIS IS NOT WHAT HE WANTED, MAYBE NOT WHAT THE BEARS WANTED. WHY WAS A DEAL@# STRUCK? >> IT COMES DOWN TO JALA JOHNSON BETTING ON HIMSELF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON AND THAT PAID OFF.

WHETHER IT IS THE YEARS, MONEY, WHATEVER, WE KNOW JAYLEN JOHNSON WANTS TO BE A HIGH STATE QUARTERBACK IN SOME AREA. WE ARE STRONG IN TOTAL CASH AND STRONG @#IN TERMS, OBVIOUSLY THERE’S SOMETHING HE WANTS MORE. THIS GIVES HIM MORE TIME TO COME TOGETHER.

I THINK THEY MIGHT BE CLOSER THAN THEY WERE EARLIER. WHY THINGS DID NOT HAPPEN, I COULD NOT TELL YOU. JALA JOHNSON WILL BE A CHICAGO BEAR. >> HOW DO YOU THINK HE WILL REACT TO BEING TAGGED? YOU @#THINK HE THINKS THEY ARE

DOING THIS TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO GET A DEAL DONE OR I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY TAGGED ME? >> I DON’T THINK HE WILL BE THAT MAD. OBVIOUSLY NOBODY WANTS TO BE TIED, HE CAN NEGOTIATE WITH TEAMS BUT NO TEAMS ARE GOING TO

TRADE TWO FIRST-ROUND PICKS FOR JALA JOHNSON.@# NOBODY WANTED TO TRADE A ONE FIRST-ROUND PICK AND NO ONE WILL TRADE TWO. IT IS THE NONEXCLUSIVE TAG HE IS ON WHICH MEANS HE COULD GO SEEK A DEAL AND IF THERE IS ONE

AND THE BEARS ARE LIKE, THEN THEY GET TWO FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS BACK. >> THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.@ >> OBVIOUSLY HE WILL BE UPSET ABOUT THAT. I DO NOT THINK HE WILL HOLD OUT. I DO NOT THINK JAYLEN JOHNSON

IS THAT TYPE OF GUY. HE SAID I UNDERSTAND AND I WOULD PLAY UNDER THE TAG. AT THE END OF THE DAY I THINK JAYLEN JOHNSON WILL BE PLAYING WHETHER IT IS ONE YEAR, THEY COME TOGETHER BEFORE THE DEADLINE, @#HE WILL BE A BEAR.

>> REAL QUICK BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO RYAN BATES. WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF HIS SEASON LAST YEAR? >> THE TAKEAWAYS. THEY SAID YOU ARE GREAT AS A COVERAGE CORNER, BUT CAN YOU TAKE THE FOOTBALL AWAY? HE REALLY BOUGHT INTO WHAT THE

COACHES WERE TEACHING, WHAT MATT @#EBERFLUS WAS PREACHING. SAID I’M ON BOARD ALL DO WHAT YOU’RE ASKING AND HE DID IT WITHOUT TAKING A STEP BACK. >> THE BEARS DEFINITELY HAVE A NEED ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE AND THEY MOVED TO HELP IN THAT

REGARD WITH THE TRADE FOR RYAN BATES. THIS IS A GUY THAT RYAN PULLS@# WANTED A COUPLE YEARS A AND THEY COULD NOT GET HIM. WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT RYAN BATES? >> HE HAS PLAYED ALL OVER THE OFFENSIVE LINE INCLUDING CENTER WHERE THE BEARS NEED CENTER.

HE HAS PLAYED PRIMARILY AT RIGHT GUARD. LAST YEAR HE WENT BACK TO BEING A BACKUP.@# COULD HE COMPETE FOR STARTING CENTER? MAYBE, POTENTIALLY. AT THE VERY LEAST IT SEEMS LIKE HE WILL BE A DEPTH PIECE. WE KNOW THE BEARS NEED IT.

INJURIES HAPPEN ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE. JENKINS HAS MISSED A LOT OF TIME, NICK DAVIS HAS MISSED A LOT OF TIME AND TYREE CARTER WAS NOT GETTING @#IT DONE. WHITE TOOK A STEP BACK. AT THE VERY LEAST THEY BOTH STOOD THERE DEPTH ON THE

OFFENSIVE LINE AND MAYBE HE CAN COMPETE FOR STARTING JOB. >> THE COMBINE HAS COME AND GONE AND THE BEARS DID SOME INTERESTING THINGS WHEN IT CAME TO GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE. I AM @#GOING TO INVADE THE SPAC A LITTLE BIT.

WE ARE GOING TO PUTT PUTT. WE ARE GOING TO PRETEND LIKE WE ARE IN THE HOTEL ROOM WITH RYAN PULLS AND MATT EBERFLUS. >> OKAY. BEFORE WE GET TO SCHAPIRO’S STUDS, WHY DON’T WE TAKE SOME SHOTS. WE ARE BOTH TERRIBLE AT GOLF.@#

>> WILL YOU DO THE HONORS? >> I WOULD LOVE TO. HERE IS YOUR BALL RIGHT HERE. I HAVE THE LEFTY PUTTER, WE WILL FIND OUT IF I AM GOOD AT LEFTY. I AM NOT A LEFTY BUT A RIGHTY. >> YOU KNOW YOU CAN USE THIS

PUTTER. >> MAYBE THIS IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING MY @#GAME. >> LET’S SEE WE GOT. >> NOT A LEFTY. >> THAT MADE IT UP THERE, I THINK. >> WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE SAID IF ANY OF THESE GUYS HAD DECIDED

THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE? >> I THINK @#THAT IS PART OF WH MATT EBERFLUS — RIGHT OFF THE SET. >> WE ARE OFF THE SET. >> RYAN PULLS AND MET EBERFLUS BRING THIS OUT. IN ONE WAY IT GETS THEM OUT OF

THEIR SHELLS, INTERVIEWS ARE AWKWARD.@# >> ONE MORE FOR ME. THAT IS ALSO OFF THE SET. >> NEVER WORK WITH GOLF BALLS OR ANIMALS. THAT IS ONE OF THE RULES. >> THIS IS ME? >> GO FOR IT.

>> I’M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE A PUTT @#AND THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHO THE STUDS ARE. >> I FOUND THE CLOVER. >> ONE MORE THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT YOUR STUD. SEE HOW THIS LOOSENS PEOPLE UP? >> IT ALSO GIVES THE BEARS AND

INSIGHT @#ABOUT THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT. >> THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IT. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE. >> ARE THEY GETTING JAZZED ABOUT THE DARTS OR THE PUTT PUTT? WE WILL LEARN ABOUT THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT. >> WHO DO YOU GOT?

>> NUMBER ONE WE HAVE ROMA DOOMSDAY.@# MARVIN HARRISON JUNIOR WAS NOT PARTICIPATE IN, MALIK NEIGHBORS WAS NOT PARTICIPATE IN, ROMA DOOMSDAY COMES IN HIS AMAZING. YOU SAW WITH STACY ON THE FIELD WHERE HE STUCK AROUND FOR THE THREE CONE DRILL AND HE WANTED

TO GET IT RIGHT. >> HE IS LIKE I AM NOT HAPPY WITH @#MY TIME AND I WILL KEEP DOING THIS. HE HAS SHOWN THAT COMPETITIVE SPIRIT THAT THE BEARS WANT TO SEE. YOU SEE HIM RUNNING THE GAUNTLET DRILLS AND HE LOOKS REAL SMOOTH.

WE TALKED ABOUT IS HE GOING TO BE THERE FOR THE BEARS? I WONDER AFTER THE COMBINE, HE WILL NOT BE ON THE BOARD AT @# NUMBER NINE. MARVIN HARRISON IS A THERE, THEY DID NOT NEED TO SHOW WHAT THEY WOULD DO BUT HE GOT TO

STEAL THE SHOW. >> I LIKE THAT. WHO ELSE IS ON YOUR LIST? >> AFTER THAT WE HAVE COOPER BEEBE. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT INTERIOR LINEMAN AND HOW THE BEARS NEED DEPTH. THIS IS A @#BIG TIME RAZZ GUY. RYAN PULLS LOVES ATHLETES.

YOU HAVE TO MOVE AND SCOOT TO PLAY OFFENSIVE LINE. RAZZ, 9.3. IF YOU ARE SEEING GREEN ON THIS BOARD YOU ARE AN ELITE ATHLETE RELATIVE TO YOUR POSITION AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING. HE WAS MOVING AND GROOVING. I HAVE SEEN DRAFT BOARDS @#THAT

HAVE HIM AS A DAY THREE GUY. I THINK HE WILL BE DAY TWO GREEN EVEN THOUGH THE BEARS DRAFTED OR TRADED FOR RYAN BATES, I THINK COOPER BEEBE IS IN PLAY. >> DOES HE HAVE ENOUGH MEAN? >> THEY ALL HAVE MEAN AND NASTY.

HE IS THE GUY. HE IS A @#PEOPLE MOVER. I THINK HE CAN BE THAT GUY. IT WAS A BIG WEEK FOR A TON OF OFFENSIVE LINEMAN. THERE WERE A LOT OF GUYS WHO WERE IMPRESSIVE AND BEEBE WAS ONE. >> WE HAVE JARED FIRST.

DEFENSIVE AND WHAT FROM FLORIDA STATE. THERE WERE A LOT @#OF REALLY IMPRESSIVE DEFENSIVE ENDS, BUT FOR JARED WE KNOW HE IS A SPEED GUY. THEY WANT A SPEED RUSHER TO GO OPPOSITE MONTEZ SWEAT. NOT ONLY IS HE SUPERDUPER FAST,

THIS IS HIS RANK AMONG EDGE RUSHERS, HE WAS ALSO REALLY STRONG. THAT IS A PRETTY GOOD COMBO, FAST @#AND STRONG. PEOPLE HAVE SAID 250 MAY NOT BE BIG ENOUGH, BUT I THINK THE BEARS ARE OKAY WITH THAT. >> HAVING IT OPPOSITE OF MONTEZ

SWEAT COULD PAY REAL DIVIDENDS LIKE THE TYPE OF PLAYER THAT HE IS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> OUR FOURTH STUD FROM THE @# COMBINE IS CALEB WILLIAMS. >> I DON’T KNOW IF THAT IS THERE. >> HE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN

THE DRILLS, BUT HE DID NOT NEED THE DRILLS. WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO WAS SHOW HE COULD HANDLE THE MEDIA. THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE DID NOT DO MUCH MEDIA WITH USC.@# CHECK OUT THIS SOUND FROM HIM

AT THE PODIUM AT THE COMBINE. >> I DID NOT FEEL THE NEED. I PLAYED AROUND 30 SOME GAMES, I BELIEVE. GO AHEAD AND GO WATCH REAL LIVE BALL AND SEE HOW I AM AS A COMPETITOR. >> I LOVE @#THAT QUOTE. I

HATE THE COMBINE, ESPECIALLY FOR A GUY LIKE THIS. NOT A GUY WHO’S TRYING TO UP HIS STOCK. THIS GUY IS RIGHT. GO LOOK AT THE TAPE. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LEARN MUCH OTHER THAN MEET AND GREET. >> @#WHAT WE NEEDED TO LEARN IS

HOW IS THE PODIUM. HE IS LOOKING CONFIDENT. HE ANSWERED THAT PERFECTLY AND HE MANAGED THAT WELL. THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHY ARE YOU PARTICIPATING, WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE PUT NEXT TO DANIEL’S# . I THOUGHT HE CAME OFF CONFIDENT, I THOUGHT HE CAME OFF

NOT COCKY. HE UNDERSTANDS HOW GOOD HE IS. THEY ALSO PUT TO REST ALL OF THE RUMORS THAT HE WOULD NOT PLAY FOR THE BEARS. BEARS ARE IN A GREAT SITUATION. MOST FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS THEY ARE NOT VERY GOOD.

>> HE @#IS LIKE OF COURSE I WIL PLAY FOR THE BEARS AND IT WOULD BE A GREAT SITUATION. >> ANY CONCERN AT ALL THAT NOT ONLY DID HE DO THE MEDICAL IN INDY BUT THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MEETING WITH THE BEARS NOW

THAT HAS BEEN MOVED BACK. >> CALEB WILLIAMS IS MAYBE A CULTURE CHANGE OR. @# WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT LeBRON DID FOR THE NBA AND PLAYER POWER. HE IS DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER PROSPECT THE NFL HAS EVER SEEN. HE IS PROBABLY THINKING WHY

SHOULD THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS HAVE MY MEDICAL. WAS TO THE BALTIMORE RAVENS HAVE MY MEDICAL INFORMATION?@# THE BEARS, WHEN I MEET WITH YOU YOU WILL GET MY MEDICAL INFORMATION. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS, NEW YORK GIANTS YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GET

ME SO YOU CAN GET MY MEDICAL INFORMATION BUT IT’S NOT LIKE EVERY TEAM IS RIGHT. I SEE IT AS A CULTURE CHANGE OR. I DON’T THINK IT AS A BAD THING. >> THIS ONE HAS TO BE @#THE ONE >> THIS HAS TO BE THE ONE.

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