These two days will likely cement Ja’Marr Chase as one of the most intriguing additions in this draft, although his name isn’t on the first page for some Bengals fans.
Still, in spring drills last week, the Bengals drafted Chase with their next pick in the sixth round. The defensive tackle, from Georgia Tech, tallied 18 sacks during his three years at the school.
Chase found his way to The NFL via the junior college ranks, piling up 37 sacks while working his way to the Georgia Tech football team.
“What I love about Ja’Marr is that he’s so technical,” said Bengals special teams coach Denny Marcin. “He understands the game so well. He’s one of those guys I can tell if he’s reading the play or if he’s making an assignment.”
On June 11, the Bengals’ team facility was flooded in the aftermath of a 90-minute thunderstorm. The players and coaches split up and moved to a nearby complex in the suburban area. Then they reassembled inside the facility where Marcin had Chasers putting his 40 time on film.
“At that point I knew that this could be a good player,” Marcin said. “Chase only played three years, and at Georgia Tech he’s going to learn some offenses and defenses here. So it was a good fit for him.”
Chase is still getting up to speed, but he found a way to find room to roam.
“If I was an offensive lineman, maybe I wouldn’t want to block me right now,” Chase said. “But I play my style of game. If I’m going to take up so much room then I’m going to have to have a pass rush in order to take my opportunity.”
