Bears' fifth round pick Austin Booker is aiming to be a 'first-year starter' at the next level

The Chicago Bears defense ended the 2023 season playing like a Top-5 unit in the NFL and have now added some juice after the 2024 NFL Draft.

After selecting three straight offensive players and then a punter with their original four selections, the Bears moved back into the draft in the fifth round to add some help on the defensive side of the ball.

With the 144th overall pick, the Bears drafted Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker, who already has high goals of wanting to be an immediate difference-maker in the NFL.

"I want to be a first-year starter," Booker said during a pre-draft interview with Justin Melo from The Draft Network. "That's the goal. I'm going to bring a bunch of energy and hard work to the table. I love chasing after the ball. I'm going to keep playing with terrific effort at the next level.

Booker's motor, character, and celling made him a perfect target for the Bears to jump back into the draft in order to select him. The Bears brought Booker in on a late pre-draft visit and obviously loved what they saw in him.

Despite averaging 40.2 snaps per game while coming off the bench, Booker led the team with 8.0 sacks along with having 13.0 tackles for a loss. With his instincts and skillset, Booker has all the tools to excel early on for the Bears.

"I think I've proven that I belong at this level," Booker added "I've shown NFL evaluators that I can hang. I've showcased my football IQ throughout this process. I love this game. It's going to come together very well for me at the next level."

After finishing either last or second to last each of the previous two seasons in total sacks, the Bears needed to find another promising pass rusher to add to the defense. With Booker, the Bears are hoping they have found that guy with more development.

"He's a guy that has a lot of upside," head coach Matt Eberflus explained. "He' long, he's fast and he's got a lot of burst to close. He plays an aggressive style and we're excited to have him... I'm most impressed by his hustle and disposition."

If Booker makes his way onto the starting roster for the defense, he will play opposite of three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat. Since being drafted by the Bears, Booker has already heard from the Bears' defensive leader he will soon learn from.

"It's just a great opportunity," Booker said. "We've already DM'd on Instagram and already said we're about to get to work. "I'm just excited to get there in Chicago, learn from him and just keep getting better."

Off the edge, the Bears will also have veteran DeMarcus Walker who recorded 3.5 sacks in 2023 and third-year pass rusher Dominique Robinson who's had 2.0 sacks total so far in his career. The Bears could still look to add to this position in free agency but if they don't, it'll be a telling sign for Booker's expectations as a rookie.