Roush could be an immediate star for the Chicago Bears and is getting high praise from his former Stanford coaches.
In just a few short months, former Stanford Football tight end Sam Roush will make his NFL debut for the Chicago Bears, becoming yet another Cardinal alum to play at football’s highest level. A third-round pick in this year’s draft, Roush’s dominant college career made him a very intriguing prospect, proving throughout his four-year stint at Stanford that he a wide range of skills.
While the Bears have a crowded tight end room that also features Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, the Bears clearly see Roush as a vital piece to their roster puzzle.
An elite blocker and pass catcher, Roush brings a lot to the table. While he may have to fight for playing time as a rookie, his skillset will make it hard to keep him off the field. From what Roush’s college coaches are saying, the Bears should be very excited about the player they are getting in Roush.
Speaking to The Athletic recently, Stanford tight ends coach Nate Byham raved about Roush’s blocking, saying that he makes plays that will open up an offense in unprecedented ways.
“He pancaked two guys in one play,” Byham said. “He hit the guy square, rolled his hips, snapped through him and sent him launching into a 300-and-some-pound d-lineman and knocked him over as well.”
Amassing 119 catches for 1,201 yards and four touchdowns in total over his four seasons at Stanford — including career highs of 49 catches for 545 yards en route to being a second-team All-ACC selection last year — Roush is capable of being a game-changing playmaker. He uses his 6-foot-5, 260 pound frame well and is very physical, a trait that can take any player far in the NFL.
Roush will add a lot to the Bears, but for Stanford, his departure is a big loss. The face of the offense last season, the Cardinal will now rely on the unproven Benji Blackburn to fill Roush’s void, while also needing to figure out an overall identity offensively. In a season where the Cardinal have an urgency to win now, they need to figure it out as quickly as possible.
Done with spring practice, the next time the Cardinal take the field as a whole team is for training camp that begins in late July, where full preparation for the 2026 campaign begins. In for a tough slate of games, the Cardinal need to be laser focused if they want to be successful. Their first game is set for August 29 at home against Hawaii.