proudhawkfan21
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Story from Bears training camp. Pretty cool Hawkeye props.
Daniels building a rapport
Coming out of the 2018 Draft, Bears interior offensive lineman James Daniels was praised as simultaneously one of the most polished prospects with a tremendously high ceiling. The former Iowa standout was selected by Chicago for his versatility, athleticism, and ability to adapt quickly.
Thus far in camp, that evaluation has bared out with Daniels consistently getting the best of Bears defenders on Thursday. There’s much work to be done, but the 20-year-old is looking and playing like a seasoned veteran. Daniels has been so good, that actual veterans like Eric Kush have bounced off ideas and technique questions off the rookie. He’s as proficient a technician as they come.
“He (Kush) asks me for help a lot of times, technique-wise,” said Daniels of his relationship with Kush. “In run blocking and steps, I do things that Kush hasn’t really done before. He coaches me and I coach him.”
It should be staggering to hear a rookie as young as Daniels is so advanced that he’s assisting a five-year veteran like Kush in improving his game. And yet, when you remember the background that Daniels came from in arguably the best offensive line school in the country with Iowa, there’s nothing he isn’t capable of right away.
The rookie Daniels is getting a ton of snaps at both guard and center. He’s being thrown into the fire, and he’s coming out without scars. That isn’t by accident, and it’s because of his background. An Iowa legacy of following in the footsteps of trench greats like Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda means everything to him.
“If I do what I’m supposed to do, I’m going to be one of the names used to recruit future classes,” Daniels said. “It means a lot to be mentioned among those guys. It’s a driving force.”
Even still, for as far along as Daniels has grown, it’ll take time before he’s an elite NFL offensive lineman. His development is a process, and he already notices the stark difference in competition from college to the NFL. The first step to fixing a problem is recognizing it and adjusting on the fly. No problem whatsoever for the young buck.
“I would get away with a lot of things in college with bad technique, like overrunning things,” said Daniels. “But if I overrun here, I’m getting pushed back. If you give a defensive lineman something, they take it. Like that.” R.
Robert is a writer and producer. He’ll be with the Bears all through training camp. Find him on Twitter @RobertZeglinski.
Daniels building a rapport
Coming out of the 2018 Draft, Bears interior offensive lineman James Daniels was praised as simultaneously one of the most polished prospects with a tremendously high ceiling. The former Iowa standout was selected by Chicago for his versatility, athleticism, and ability to adapt quickly.
Thus far in camp, that evaluation has bared out with Daniels consistently getting the best of Bears defenders on Thursday. There’s much work to be done, but the 20-year-old is looking and playing like a seasoned veteran. Daniels has been so good, that actual veterans like Eric Kush have bounced off ideas and technique questions off the rookie. He’s as proficient a technician as they come.
“He (Kush) asks me for help a lot of times, technique-wise,” said Daniels of his relationship with Kush. “In run blocking and steps, I do things that Kush hasn’t really done before. He coaches me and I coach him.”
It should be staggering to hear a rookie as young as Daniels is so advanced that he’s assisting a five-year veteran like Kush in improving his game. And yet, when you remember the background that Daniels came from in arguably the best offensive line school in the country with Iowa, there’s nothing he isn’t capable of right away.
The rookie Daniels is getting a ton of snaps at both guard and center. He’s being thrown into the fire, and he’s coming out without scars. That isn’t by accident, and it’s because of his background. An Iowa legacy of following in the footsteps of trench greats like Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda means everything to him.
“If I do what I’m supposed to do, I’m going to be one of the names used to recruit future classes,” Daniels said. “It means a lot to be mentioned among those guys. It’s a driving force.”
Even still, for as far along as Daniels has grown, it’ll take time before he’s an elite NFL offensive lineman. His development is a process, and he already notices the stark difference in competition from college to the NFL. The first step to fixing a problem is recognizing it and adjusting on the fly. No problem whatsoever for the young buck.
“I would get away with a lot of things in college with bad technique, like overrunning things,” said Daniels. “But if I overrun here, I’m getting pushed back. If you give a defensive lineman something, they take it. Like that.” R.
Robert is a writer and producer. He’ll be with the Bears all through training camp. Find him on Twitter @RobertZeglinski.
