Ryan Poles: Bears drafted Tory Taylor to 'make our opponent as uncomfortable as possible'

In the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears surprised many around the league. They selected punter Tory Taylor, who made a name for himself at Iowa in 2023.

It was an interesting decision to not only draft a punter, but to do so with a fourth-round selection. But in the eyes of general manager Ryan Poles, there was an opportunity to give the Bears an extra dimension.

Taylor became one of the biggest weapons in college football a year ago with his ability to pin defenders in the shadows of their own goalposts. While Chicago selected the overall top prospect in Caleb Williams, Poles saw a chance to bolster the special teams unit.

“To go in the direction of a punter, he had a unique ability and skillset to have a powerful leg to flip the field. … I think the biggest thing is we want to make our opponent as uncomfortable as possible,” Poles said on Hard Knocks. “He’s so good at pinning the ball inside the 10-yard line.

“People joke and say he’s like Scottie Scheffler in terms of his ability to place the ball. He has different techniques to do it, so he takes it to a whole different level.”

As Iowa’s offense struggled last season – ranking last in the FBS in total yards per game – Taylor became a sensation. He led the nation with 93 punts for 4,479 yards, and his 48.16 yards on average ranked third in the FBS.

After signing with the Bears, Poles found a rule that allowed him to free up a roster spot. Taylor, who’s from Australia, received an international player exemption. As a result, he doesn’t count against Chicago’s roster total.

But the decision to take a punter in the draft met some scrutiny. However, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. argued Taylor was a “key pick” when looking at the Bears’ draft class.

“I think, when you look, the key picks are the fourth round, taking Tory Taylor – punter from Iowa,” said Kiper. “We know he’s got a great leg. We know he was a critical entity for Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes. He can flip field position. That’s a critical thing in the NFL. So I think, when you look at Tory Taylor, he’s going to determine a lot.”

Taylor will soon make his professional debut with the Bears as the preseason comes to an end. The season opener is set for Sept. 8 against the Tennessee Titans.