Bears rookie diaries with Tory Taylor, Austin Booker | Week 6
As told to Gabby Hajduk

For the final time, Bears fourth-round pick Tory Taylor—a punter from Iowa—and fifth-round pick Austin Booker—a defensive end from Kansas—share their training camp experiences exclusively on ChicagoBears.com. This series featured both players giving first-person accounts once a week throughout training camp.

I officially wrapped up my first NFL training camp and to be honest, I actually really enjoyed it. It was obviously a grind. You're here for quite awhile and it's long days, but I loved it. Just being at this incredible facility, hanging with all the guys, having fun.

First and foremost though, I was focused on trying to get better. That's the whole idea of camp — prepare yourself for the season. I know I've said it a few times now, but I'm just grateful to be here. I certainly don't take this for granted. I really love it.

I mean, this is what I do now. This is my job. For me, it beats working 9-5 in the office, and I've done that. It's a bit of a grind. Back in Australia after I graduated from high school, I worked a different range of jobs. I was at a golf course, in construction and at 21 years old, started laboring when I joined Pro Kick Australia — an academy that helps guys transition from Australian football to American football.

After high school, I thought about going to university, and in Australia, university isn't like college here. It would be like me living in Lake Forest and commuting into the city to go to school two or three days a week, rather than living on a campus.

I honestly wasted my time a bit, but I was young. I didn't know what I really wanted. I probably regretted that a couple years ago, but now I feel no regret. That point in my life helped shape me into who I am — just trying to figure out what worked for me. It helped me realize I wanted to make the jump from Australian football to American football and come here for college.

I try and tell kids now that you may be working one thing when you're 18 or 20, but you could be doing something completely different in 20 years time. To me, it's about finding what you enjoy and love because time goes quickly.

Five years later, here I am at the Chicago Bears. I've learned this is what I love. I want to keep playing for as long as I can. I know it's cliche, but that's why I've taken training camp one day at a time.

In such a competitive environment, it's easy to think, 'am I going to make the roster?' or 'who's going to be in this position?' But it's more so focusing on 'what can I get better at today?' I think that's naturally instilled in everyone when they join the Bears because coach 'Flus and his staff do a great job of that.

When it comes to punting, I think my consistency improved the most throughout camp, just narrowing the gap between my good and my bad ball. But my biggest accomplishment was just showing the team who I am and what I can do.

I'm not just here to punt. I don't just stroll on out there and punt. I like to go out there and help the team win. That really comes down to doing my job and I take pride in that.

I know not many punters are drafted in the fourth round. I understand the trust (special teams coordinator Richard) Hightower and (general manager Ryan) Poles put in me. And I know that they wouldn't ever think I'm letting them down, but my biggest thing is I want to do my thing for them. I want to showcase what I can do and prove why I was drafted that high.

That really goes back to being myself. As far as this season, obviously everyone has goals of winning the Super Bowl. That's why you play. But as I head into my first season, my main goal is to be my authentic self whether we're winning or losing.

I know when I'm myself, there's no one better. And I don't mean that in a cocky way or anything like that, but I just know if I go out there and be me, I will be successful.

I'm going to need that mentality more than ever because things are real now. The roster was cut down to 53 and in one of our special teams meetings this week, a coach said 'it's real now, boys. It's time to go.'

Experiencing that for the first time is tough. It's sad to see guys go, but at the same time it's part of it. It's what we signed up for and as cliché as it sounds, this is a business. We're in the production business and if we don't help the team win, we won't be here. That's just a fact, but it's also what makes every game and every win mean a little more.

Everything just feels real now. We're nine days away from the regular season. Obviously, the preseason is important, but it has no bearing on playoffs or who wins the Super Bowl. I'm just excited to start playing real football, be amongst the fans and play in different stadiums. Still, nothing will be better than playing in front of our home crowd.

I have one last weekend before my rookie season officially begins. My parents, 14-year-old brother, granddad and some family friends just got into town and will be here for about a month. I haven't seen them since the NFL Draft in April so I'm really excited.

They'll be able to see three or four games and spend some time in Chicago. I know they've been looking forward to it and I can't wait to be with them. It will be a nice way to end training camp and head into Year 1.

This is it for rookie diaries, then. Appreciate everyone tuning in. See you at Soldier Field!

It's been a long road, but we've made it to the end of training camp. While camp itself has been the last six weeks, the entirety of 2024 has felt like one consecutive path to reaching the start of my rookie season.

First it's pre-draft training, then it's the NFL Combine and pro days which goes straight into team visits and interviews. Then it's the actual draft, rookie minicamp and a few weeks later, you're back for training camp.

It's been cool, though, just going to work with the guys every day and getting ready for this season.

Like I said in Week 1 of camp, the defensive line meetings have still been one of the top parts of camp. Everybody is just funny. Obviously 'Tez is still up there, but BC (Byron Cowart) is by far the funniest dude.

I'd say some of the best memories were every time Jam (Jamree Kromah) had to get in front of everybody. He's a goofball, man. So whenever he had to speak in front of the room or the team, it was just super funny. Moments like those definitely helped with the long days at camp.

On the field though, I think I grew most with my get-off. That was something that changed a bit from college and honestly, it's the most important thing. At Kansas, I played in a 2-point stance, but here we're in a 3-point stance where I have one hand on the ground. There's just a different technique to that. Now, I'm firing off the ball every play when I used to kind of hop, read the offensive lineman first then make a move.

I definitely made strides with the get-off and Jacob Martin was a huge help in that. Aside from my coaches like Trav (Travis Smith), Jacob stayed on it the most and constantly worked with me to improve that.

The best part of camp from a practice perspective was earning reps with the first team. Coming in, you obviously never know what's going to happen, but I expected to earn ones reps. I have confidence in my game and no matter what, I expect to be one of the best.

My biggest thing throughout camp was making sure I did my job and made plays all while having the confidence that I could do that. Going through roster cuts day definitely gave me some more perspective on that. It's tough when you see a guy's locker gone, but you can't let it bother you. At the end of the day, you gotta get yours and be ready to help the team.

I really just focused on having the trust in myself to not be worried about getting cut. At the same time, you have to back that up. You can't have all this confidence then not make plays or not lock in on your job.

I feel like throughout camp and preseason games, I backed my confidence up by knowing my assignments, making an impact and getting to the quarterback. I just gotta keep doing it.

I know I said it before, but that confidence all comes from my childhood. Some of that was instilled in me by my dad, who played football, but part of that is you're just born with it. You don't take crap from anybody. I just always had that.

The first time I played organized tackle football was kindergarten and every year until fourth grade, I played up a level. I was a running back and even then, what separated me was my confidence. I went out there thinking I was gonna score, thinking I was gonna truck someone, thinking I was gonna throw a stiff arm. I'm a big believer in visualizing something before it happens and I started that at a young age.

My first memories of that mindset, though, came even before kindergarten — just playing backyard football with kids from the neighborhood, who were all older than me. We played this game on the trampoline where one person gets the ball and everybody else just tries to tackle whoever had it.

That's definitely where it all started. I just remember feeling some type of way after being hit. It's just an instinct. You either have it or you don't.

I even remember this crazy story from kindergarten. It was the night before the Center Grove Bantam Football League Super Bowl. I was playing indoor football with my two best friends and teammates Drake and Drew — twins who lived two houses down from me.

We got so competitive that I tackled one of them and broke his hand less than 24 hours before the game. My dad went to CVS that night and made him a club for his hand. We all played in the game and won the Super Bowl.

I finally started playing with my age group in fourth grade and I switched to middle linebacker because I was too big to run the ball in my own grade. Then the next couple years in middle school I played defensive line and offensive line. I was in a weird period where I was gaining weight but not growing taller. That's another thing that'll put some fire under you.

Finally I grew into my body and focused on defensive end when I reached high school and the rest is history. Now I'm here. Ready to show out in Year 1.

I'm actually heading home this weekend to spend time with my family and friends and go back to Center Grove High School. I'll be on the sideline for their football game Saturday and hopefully will get to talk to the team and just share my experience. I'm super grateful for all their support. It will be cool to spend the weekend before my first NFL regular-season game back where it all started.

Even with all my confidence, I know once regular games start and it's the best of the best playing, I'll face some adversity. I haven't had that big "welcome to the NFL moment" yet, but I fully expect to feel it when I'm up against starters. You always gotta fail first to succeed, so I'm prepared.

I'm just looking forward to being back on the field. My main goal for this season is to do everything the team needs out of me, whether that's pass rush, special teams or anything else. I'm here to do my job and make plays.

And of course, I can't wait for my first real NFL sack. That'll be the moment where it all feels real. An actual sack — regular season, no penalties called, not an assisted sack and it shows up on ESPN when you search my name after the game. Hopefully it comes sooner rather than later.

Shoutout to the Bears fans for reading, I look forward to our season opener with a full crowd, back in business. Let's get Soldier Field super lit.