North Carolina A&T running back Tarik Cohen was taken by the Chicago Bears with the No. 111 pick in the fourth round of the 2017 Draft on Saturday.
Cohen, a three-time Offensive Player of the Year in the MEAC, had 1,588 rushing yards, 19 touchdowns last season.
He also rushed for a conference record 5,619 yards in four seasons, with 61 total touchdowns.
Cohen, who has been compared to Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles because of his size, measured only 5-foot-6, 179 pounds at the NFL Combine in March, but ran a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash.
Bleacher Report NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller on Cohen:
“Despite his small frame, he never gives up, continuing to drive his legs and try for extra yardage. He can make defenders miss in space and use his speed to explode by them. He averaged 7.5 yards per carry his senior year, consistently showing his big-play ability. He is also lethal out of the backfield, using his lateral quickness to break linebackers down in space and consistently get open. Additionally, Cohen projects as a dangerous returner given his speed and lateral quickness, even though he did not fill that role in college.”
Cohen will join a Chicago backfield that includes Pro Bowl running back Jordan Howard, Jeremy Langford, Ka’Deem Carey and Benny Cunningham.
