Chicago Bears Undrafted CB Claims He’s Best In 2016 Class

The Chicago Bears know it will take more than their top draft choices to get their defense turned around.  Some lucky breaks in undrafted free agency will be needed too.

Seems one of their recent signings believes he will make the rest of the NFL pay for doubting him.

Oklahoma State cornerback Kevin Peterson was among a short list of players that experts and evaluators were surprised didn’t get drafted.  The reasons that happened were the typical ones.  At 5’10” he’s undersized for a cornerback and then followed that with a pedestrian 4.66 in the 40-yard dash.  This creates the perception that he’s not only small but slow, two things that make a player destined to fail at the pro level.

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However, history also shows that timed speeds and size can be misleading.  Sometimes a good football player is a good football player regardless of what the numbers say.  Peterson himself has never lost confidence in the belief he can be the best.  Even before playing a single snap in Chicago, he’s ready to prove he will make the team and become one of their top corners.

"“So I’m out here trying to prove everybody wrong — that I should have been drafted; should have been one of the high [picks]. I feel like I’m better than the guys who got picked…”"

Why does he believe this?  Basing it off of how well he’s played against the best as the Chicago Sun-Times lays out.

"“But you don’t have to search too deeply into his profile to find a number of intangibles and non-measurables that tell personnel evaluators this kid has a chance. Peterson, one of 23 rookies participating in the Bears’ offseason OTAs this week at Halas Hall, comes to the Bears with some classic sleeper indicators: “plays faster than his timed speed”; “plays bigger than his size”; “high football IQ”; “physical, aggressive”; “not afraid to fail”; “embraces any challenge”; “very self-motivated”; “attention to detail”; “good teammate”; “plays with a chip on his shoulder”; “a very, very self-confident kid.”And Peterson has some impressive tape against top-notch competition in the Big 12 — including Baylor’s Corey Coleman (drafted 15th overall by the Browns), Texas Christian’s Josh Doctson (22nd overall by the Redskins), Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepherd (40th overall by the Giants) and West Virginia’s Kevin White, the Bears’ No. 1 draft pick (seventh overall) in 2015.“You look it up and see what I’ve done against the top guys — clearly dominated,” Peterson said. “I played against the Biletnikoff [Award] winner last year, Corey Coleman — he had no catches. Played against Josh Doctson — he had one catch.”"

Over the final 25 games of his college career in 2014 and 2015, Peterson was productive.  He made 101 tackles including six for a loss, deflected 17 passes, and snagged three interceptions.  It’s clear from that stat line alone that he takes every responsibility of being a corner seriously.  That is what the coaches look for.  Leave it to his position coach at Oklahoma State to back up that assertion.

"“He’s one of those kids with an innate ability to play fast and process information at a fast rate,” said Oklahoma State cornerbacks coach Tim Duffie. “I was shocked at some of the combine times he ran, because he’s plays extremely quick and fast — a reactionary deal he’s blessed with.“Part of it is the work he puts in to learning and studying opposing defenses and understanding the playbook and knowing where he can cheat and take some chances. And he’s a tremendous teammate. Sometimes guys that are so confident in themselves, they only think about themselves. But he’s a special player, a special kid. I think the Bears got a steal in him.”"

The situation at cornerback for the Chicago Bears defense is a fluid one.  At the top are Kyle Fuller and Tracy Porter.  Both are locks to make the roster, as should 4th round pick Deiondre Hall.  That leaves two or three more spots wide open for a competition.  Peterson has the ability and certainly has the confidence.  He’ll have to show it on the field, first and foremost on special teams if he wants to fulfill his promise to prove that once again the NFL failed to measure the heart of a player.