Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus found himself drawn into the show his rookie was performing at a June minicamp practice at Halas Hall.

Fourth-round pick Tory Taylor, the punter who became a fan favorite at Iowa, turned the special teams period into a must-watch event with his ball placement.

“He’s like a trick-shot guy,” Eberflus said. “It’s like, ‘Wow.’ … He had a couple on the 1(-yard line) of course, but the spin he could put on it, really amazing. So it’s fun to watch.”

Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods watched those talents for four years after recruiting Taylor out of Australia, and he has many stories about the development of a player Bears general manager Ryan Poles called one of the best punters he ever has seen.

Woods spoke with the Chicago Tribune about Taylor’s transition to American football, some of his most impressive feats and the fanfare he created in Iowa City.

How did you first become aware of Tory in the recruiting process?

Through his group that he works with, his coaches — Johnny Smith and Nathan Chapman — from Prokick Australia. They had reached out about him. We made contact and had a chance to connect via FaceTime, so that was my first introduction to Tory.

Then you went to see him in Australia. What was that experience like and what was your first impression?

Good experience, very unique. Hadn’t ever been there. But it was great. He was an awesome young man, fun to be around, very talented, you could see that right away. Sometimes you can’t see those things on FaceTime or on video, but I got a chance to see it firsthand and see his leg strength and ability.

What was his transition to American football like?

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