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Bears make trade with Bills, select Kansas DL Austin Booker in fifth round

Published: Apr 27, 2024 at 01:40 PM Updated: Apr 27, 2024 at 04:55 PM

Gabby Hajduk

Writer

The Bears on Saturday traded into the fifth round of the draft, sending a 2025 4th-round pick to Buffalo in order to select Kansas defensive lineman Austin Booker at No. 144 overall.

The Bears originally traded the 144th pick to the Bills March 4 in exchange for offensive lineman Ryan Bates.

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Booker played in all 12 games and started in one for the Jayhawks last season. The 6-6, 245-pounder totaled 56 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles in those contests. His 8.0 sacks were the most by a Jayhawk in a single season since 2016 (Dorance Armstrong Jr.).

Booker was selected to the First Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, AP, PFF) in 2023 and was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, earning him invites to the 2024 NFL Combine and the Reese's Senior Bowl.

Booker started his collegiate career with Minnesota. After redshirting his freshman season, Booker appeared in six games in 2022.

Booker attended Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Ind., where he helped lead his team to the 2020 Class 6A Indiana State title. He was a consensus three-star recruit and also played basketball for his high school team.

Athletic talents runs in his family as Booker's father, Duane, played college football at Liberty University and Taylor University while his mother, Katie, played college basketball at Taylor University.