A tragic Chili’s meeting and a Hester fan: What to know about the Chicago Bears third-round choice. Kiran Amegadjie.

Lake Forest, Illinois – Kiran Amegadjie is a Chicago Bear.

The newest third-round pick at Halas Hall spoke with the media via Zoom teleconference on Friday evening.

He’s a devoted Bears supporter. He appeared alongside Devin Hester in Madden 2008. He’s a strong player.

“I don’t even know if this is real or if I’m dreaming,” Amegadjie admitted.

He also got on the Bears’ radar through a Chili’s.

Here’s what you should know about the Hinsdale Central alum, Yale product, and current Chicago Bears offensive lineman:

Amegadjie caught the Bears’ attention… Thanks to Chili’s?

The story seemed nearly unreal.

Amegadjie was at O’Hare International Airport, about to catch a flight, when he noticed he was at the wrong gate.

As he turned to find the right gate and not miss his flight, he was stopped outside the Terminal 1 Chili’s at O’Hare.

A Bears scout who happened to be eating at the Chili’s stopped him and talked to him. That’s how Amegadjie got on the Bears radar.

It was a crazy happenstance. Although, maybe it was fate?

The Bears visited Amegadjie at Yale after that multiple times. He was officially on their board.

That paid off Friday, when the Bears drafted him 75th overall in the third round.

The Bears value Amegadjie for his versatility.

The Bears brought Amegadjie in for a visit to Halas Hall, and he clearly appreciated the opportunity.

“It’s always fun when you can bring in a guy who grew up being a Bears fan,” Bears co-director of player personnel Trey Koziol said. “You could see it on his face when he went into Halas Hall for his visit. “He’s very excited to be here.”

Amegadjie joins Cole Kmet, Doug Kramer, TJ Edwards and Jack Sanborn as local natives who earned spots on the Chicago Bears.

That local tie makes it mean more for Amegadjie. But the Bears saw something more in him as they did their homework on the Yale offensive lineman.

“As a player, I mean, he’s a special talent,” Koziol said. “He’s got really rare physical traits.”

Amegadjie considers himself a tackle, but possesses versatility.

During college, Amegadjie played both guard and tackle. In 2023, he was a left tackle.

When asked, Amegadjie stated that he prefers to play tackle. He sees himself as a tackler. However, if the club requires him to play another position, he will not remain at tackle.

“I prefer tackle,” Amegadjie explained. “But I will play wherever. “I am a football player.

There’s a big difference between playing guard and tackle. Not just the alignment, but in how those players play, the opposition they go up against and how they figure into the offense.

The Bears are not concerned. They’re putting their trust in offensive line coach Chris Morgan to out Amegadjie in the best position possbile.

“The goal is to get your best five on the field,” Koziol explained. “Whoever these five are. Obviously, he has prior experience playing guard. I believe he has the physical characteristics to do it. Obviously, he’s a really bright child, so I don’t have any concerns about his mental abilities.”

Amegadjie’s strengths lie in his

Of course, offensive linemen must be powerful. However, Amegadjie stated that this is where his strengths lie.

“No. 1 is length,” Amegadjie said. “You got athleticism, power, those are kind of my superpowers I feel on the field.”

When asked what he wants to improve on, he said he wants to marry toughness with technique.

Because of that, he believes he has the highest ceiling of any player in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“I think I’m a very confident person,” Amegadjie said. “I’m not a finished product. I’ll never be ashamed of that.”

Amegadjie told Matt Eberflus he’d be a Bear one day

Friday was a full-circle moment for

During a Zoom interview, he recalled how he met Bears head coach Matt Eberflus last summer at a golf club his father is a part of.

Amegadjie promised Eberflus that one day he will be sitting in his office as a draft pick for the Bears.

Eberflus brought the occasion full circle by reminding Amegadjie of what he said last summer when the Bears called to formally choose him.

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