DRAFTS NUB HAS MADE PETERSON MORE HUNGRY
CB Peterson might not have the size, but he has the résumé
“You look it up and see what I’ve done against the top guys — clearly dominated. I played against the Biletnikoff [ Award] winner last year, Corey Coleman. He had no catches.” Kevin Peterson, Bears rookie cornerback
Bears cornerback Kevin Peterson sounds like just another undrafted rookie who wants to prove the world wrong.
“I’ve always wanted to be the best,” the cornerback from Oklahoma State said. “And then they took being drafted — hearing my name called, getting that phone call — they took it away from me.
“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. But it just lit a fire inmy heart. I’m actually glad it happened. It just brought the hunger back in me. I always had it, but it created a whole new animal inside of me.”
Peterson’s lament is as old as the modern- day seven- round draft. At 5- 10, 190 he has neither the height nor the length that scouts are looking for. And even Peterson knows his pedestrian 40 time ( 4.66) at the combine was a turn- off.
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 organized team activities 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”; and “a very, very selfconfident 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), TCU’s Josh Doctson ( 22nd by the Redskins), Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepard ( 40th by the Giants) and West Virginia’s Kevin White, the Bears’ No. 1 pick ( seventh overall) in 2015. Just ask him. “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.
“I guarded Kevin White my sophomore and junior year — did OK against him. He had three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown [ in 2014], but that [ touchdown] was against the other corner. When he was up against me, he had like one catch for six yards.
“There’s a whole lot of scheme that went into that. They were running the ball on us. And we had double- teams on him sometimes. But I held my own against him. So I’ve always known I was ready for the NFL. I just have to get the opportunity to get out here.”
Peterson will have to prove he can consistently play better than his time and size would indicate. But it’s not like he’s some try- hard slow guy. He was a three- time state sprint champion at Wagoner ( Okla.) High School. And he ran a handtimed 4.4 40 at Oklahoma State.
“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 plays extremely quick and fast— a reactionary deal he’s blessed with.
“Part of it is the work he puts in 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.”