Matt Eberflus on Jaquan Brisker: ‘Man, he likes to hit’

Chicago Bears rookie safety Jaquan Brisker introduced himself to the NFL in a big way in Saturday’s preseason victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. He flashed the top-shelf instincts, range, and thumper’s mentality that should make him a fan favorite in Chicago for a very long time.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus is one of those Brisker fans already.

“The tackling, deflecting the ball,” Eberflus said of Brisker after the game. “I think he should’ve had maybe a takeaway or two. He was high-energy. Man, he likes to hit. I really liked that aggressive style for him, how he’s playing right now.”

Brisker was a surprise second-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft by general manager Ryan Poles, who was expected to pick a wide receiver at No. 48 overall. After taking cornerback Kyler Gordon earlier in the round, the Bears’ need at wideout led many to believe Chicago would lean in that direction. But Brisker’s upside was too high to pass up, and he showed why on one series during his debut. Check it out:

jaquan brisker just forced a three and out by himself.

he’s the real deal. pic.twitter.com/m14lXnauiu

— Dave (@dave_bfr) August 13, 2022

Jaquan Brisker spoke with NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock after the game and expressed the same kind of confidence he displays on the field.

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“They brought me in here to make plays, create turnovers, make big hits, and great tackles and lead them to a championship,” he said.

Despite Brisker’s impressive play on the grass, Pro Football Focus issued him a modest 50.8 grade. It was the seventh-lowest grade of all Bears defenders and was hurt by his 46.6 mark as a tackler.

Regardless of the analytics, there’s no denying the juice Jaquan Brisker brought to Chicago’s defense in his NFL debut. He’s a lock to begin the season as a starter, and he has a chance to become one of the NFL’s best all-around safeties as the game begins to slow down.