Bears Sign Fourth-Round Punter Tory Taylor
The Chicago Bears have chosen Australian punter Tory Taylor with their fourth-round pick, 122nd overall, in the NFL draft. This pick was part of a trade with the Eagles from last year when the Bears moved down from the ninth to the tenth pick in the first round, selecting right tackle Darnell Wright.
Taylor, standing at 6-4 and weighing 223 pounds, has had an impressive collegiate career at Iowa. Last season, he clinched the Ray Guy Award for being the nation's top punter and earned a spot as a First-Team All-American by averaging 48.2 yards across 93 punts, with 32 landing inside the 20-yard line and only seven resulting in touchbacks.
General Manager Ryan Poles expressed his enthusiasm for Taylor, noting, "He's one of the best punters I've ever seen, not only in terms of his precision but also his ability to dramatically change field positions with his powerful leg."
Over his four years with the Hawkeyes, Taylor played in 49 games, averaging 46.3 yards on 295 punts, and successfully placing 127 inside the 20 with 32 touchbacks. Last year, he set NCAA records for the highest single-season punting yardage with 4,479 yards and maintained an average of 48.2 yards. His career statistics also include an average of 46.3 yards per punt and 43 games with an average of at least 40 yards.
Coach Matt Eberflus praised Taylor's skills post-draft, stating, "Tory is a strategic asset for our team, especially with his pinpoint punt placements. His exceptional talent is a significant addition, and we're thrilled to have him on board."
Taylor has the distinction of being the first player from the Bears' 2024 draft class to sign his rookie contract, marking a promising start to his professional career.
| POLL | ||
11 MAI | 80 ANSWERS Bears Sign Fourth-Round Punter Tory Taylor Do you think Tory Taylor will improve the Bears' special teams performance? | ||
| Yes | 78 | 97.5 % |
| No | 2 | 2.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
