Getty Ex-Sooners linebacker Brian Asamoah had a top-30 visit with the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears need another young linebacker to pair with Roquan Smith long-term, and they just hosted an intriguing young candidate for a top-30 visit.
Every year leading up to the draft, each team is allowed to bring up to 30 players in to their facilities for private workouts, interviews and physicals, and according to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, the Bears brought former Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Brian Asamoah in for a visit on April 6.
The Bears hosted Oklahoma LB Brian Asamoah on a Top 30 visit today, per source.
Versatile LB that checks a ton boxes at the second level.
The Bears signed former Indianapolis Colts LB Nicholas Morrow to a one-year, $5 million deal in March, but Morrow missed his entire 2021 campaign with injury, and remains a question mark despite his previous connection to Bears coach Matt Eberflus.
Based on the skill set he possesses, Asamoah would make an intriguing pairing with Smith.
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Draft Analysts Like Asamoah’s Potential Fit in Bears’ New Defensive Scheme
The Bears are switching to a 4-3 defense this season, but Eberflus has noted he plans to tailor his scheme around the talent he has. Asamoah has experience playing both Mike (middle) linebacker and Will (weak-side). Eberflus has said Smith will fill either the Mike or Will role, so Asamoah could fill the other.
Brian Asamoah, Linebacker
– Sideline to sideline LB
– Looks like a safety
– Played MIKE in college, but will be a WILL at the next level
– Allows him to use his athletic ability to cover TEs, RBs, and Slots in pass coverage
Reminds me of Kyle Dugger
A primary concern about the 6-foot, 226-pound Asamoah is his size, but if he put on 5-10 pounds of muscle, he’d be around the same weight as Smith and he’s just an inch shorter. PFF called him a “violent tackler,” and that feels like an accurate description after watching plays like these:
This play is probably OU LB Brian Asamoah II (#24) in a nutshell. Seek and destroy.
Big hit on the QB here by Oklahoma LB signee Brian Asamoah.
The young LB also appears to be quite an agile athlete:
Brian Asamoah will be jumping over your child this season.
The Bears will be looking for someone to fill the recently-departed veteran LB Danny Trevathan’s shoes, and considering Smith is just 25-years-old, adding another young backer in the middle seems like the next logical step for Chicago, particularly one as fluid and good at changing direction as Asamoah.
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Asamoah: Stats & Likely Draft Projection
Some draft analysts, including Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron, see Asamoah as a late Day 2, maybe an early Day 3 pick:
The #Bears need speed at LB alongside Roquan Smith, and one guy I like is Oklahoma’s Brian Asamoah.
He has legit closing speed and plenty of range in run support. Consensus stock is all over the place, but I like him on late Day 2.
Asamoah showed vast improvements in his three years with the Sooners, with the leap from his sophomore to junior year being the most noticeable. His overall grade from PFF jumped from 57.1 in 2020 to 76.3 last season. In his 2021 campaign at Oklahoma, Asamoah finished with a career-high 80 total tackles (56 solo, 3.5 for loss), two forced fumbles and 1.0 sacks in 12 starts. He missed seven tackles in 2021, an improvement over the 12 his missed the season prior. He allowed opposing quarterbacks a 108.2 rating when throwing his way.
The speedy LB also impressed at the scouting combine, running a 4.56 40-yard dash while also leaping for a 36.5-inch vertical.
The Bears have just six picks this year, but they have two in the fifth round (No. 148 and No. 150) and Asamoah could still be available then. GM Ryan Poles also confirmed he’s very open to trading down in order to attain more draft capital this year, so it’s entirely possible the Bears will have more pics later on Day 2, or earlier on Day 3 than they currently have now.
Based on the team’s recent interest and his logical fit, Asamoah is a definite name to watch.
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