Austin Booker just finished his second season after being drafted in the 5th round alongside Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in 2024. That year, the **Chicago Bears** did not have a second-round selection because they had [traded it](/chicago-bears-discussion/110919/chicago-bears-question-of-the-day-was-the-montez-sweat-trade-worth-it) for Montez Sweat, but after two other draft picks, they did go ahead and trade back into the draft in order to make another defender.
If they had a second-round pick and had spent it on a fresh Edge Defender instead, by now they could have expected an average of 26 games (8 starts) with 2 defended passes, 6 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for a loss. Here is how that fictional selection would compare to Booker’s work to date.
In other words, Austin Booker is playing like an average second-round edge defender, if not a little bit better. At this point in his career, Booker’s profile resembles that of Yetur Gross-Matos and Uchena Nwosu.
Note that at this point in his career, Gross-Matos had only 10 quarterback hits, whereas Booker (16) is much closer in production there to Nwosu (17). If Booker continues along that path, he should develop into a solid rotational player and borderline regular starter with 24 starts, 6 PDs, 16 sacks, and 20 TFLs. That would be closer to Gross-Matos than Nwosu, but would still represent a solid player and a phenomenal return on a Day Three pick. If he matches Nwosu? Then he would be an absolute steal.
My guess is that while he continues to perform well, his production levels off, and he ends up closer to “average,” if only because it seems likely he will compete with other players for snaps.
**_However, now it’s your turn. What do you think is Austin Booker’s ceiling? Sound off below!_**