NEWSLETTER
It’s over.
Done.
We’ve reached the finish line.
And so have the Chicago Bears.
The 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books. All 259 picks.
Here are the Bears’ selections:
Round 1, Pick 10: Darnell Wright, Tennessee OT
QUICK HIT:
Wright is one of the best offensive line prospects in this class. And the 6-5, 333-pound lineman figures to be an immediate starter on this offensive line at right tackle.
Wright’s name popped up a ton in connection with the Bears in April. And with good reason, too. One of the world’s worst-kept secrets was Chicago’s need for offensive line help. Specifically at right tackle, where the team started multiple players at the position — none of whom made a great impression. Hence, it is easy to understand why Chicago ultimately took Wright with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Round 2, Pick 53: Gervon Dexter Sr., Florida DT
QUICK HIT:
Dexter’s role figures to be as a 1-technique defensive tackle. This is more of a run-stuffer role, but that isn’t to say it won’t be an important spot to fill. Chicago’s defense let opponents run wild on them all year long. Even before Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn were sent away in trades. Hopefully, Dexter’s presence helps plug some of those gaps.
Round 2, Pick 56: Tyrique Stevenson, Miami (Fla.) CB
QUICK HIT:
Stevenson, 22, measures in at 6-feet and 198 pounds after a college career that saw him spend time at Georgia (2019-20) and Miami (2021-22). Things ended on a high note at The U, where Stevenson earned third-team All-ACC honors for the Hurricanes. In his final collegiate campaign, Stevenson came away with a pair of interceptions, 7 passes defended, 25 solo tackles, and 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Cornerback wasn’t a huge need for the Bears, but I had a sneaky suspicion they’d try to add one on Day 2. Stevenson’s NFL Draft profile by Lance Zierlein has him drawing James Bradberry as a NFL comparison. Considering Bradberry’s excellence, I’d consider that solid praise.
Round 3, Pick 64: Zacch Pickens, South Carolina DT
QUICK HIT:
Pickens, 23, was a standout defender for the Gamecocks. As a senior, Pickens came up with 42 total tackles, 4 tackles-for-loss, and 2.5 sacks. The year prior at SC, Pickens put up 4 sacks and 5 tackles-for-loss. Both of those numbers represent the most for Pickens in a single season while on campus.
Round 4, Pick 115: Roschon Johnson, Texas RB
QUICK HIT:
Johnson was giving off Miles Sanders at Penn State vibes as I was going through the pre-draft process and digging into running backs. Because just like Sanders was the understudy behind Saquon Barkley at PSU, Johnson was the man behind The Man at UT. Going into Day 3, my hope was for the Bears to land a running back who could contribute in the passing game and possibly as a returner. Johnson appears to check those boxes.
Bonus clip — They went international with the pick!
Round 4, Pick 133: Tyler Scott, Cincinnati WR
QUICK HIT:
Scott ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. And college defenses saw that speed go full throttle at Cincy last year as Scott caught 54 passes for 899 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. That production earned him second-team All-AAC honors. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said on the television broadcast that Scott reminded him of Darnell Mooney. That’s a fun comp.
Round 5, Pick 148: Noah Sewell, Oregon LB
QUICK HIT:
Sewell racked up all sorts of accolades at Oregon:
It’ll be interesting to see how he is deployed among the linebackers.
Round 5, Pick 165: Terell Smith, Minnesota CB
QUICK HIT:
Smith made the most of this final year in college, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention recognition after a season in which he was a starter for all 13 games. The Golden Gophers standout corner made 34 solo tackles (38 total), contributed 4.5 tackles-for-loss, 2 sacks, and two interceptions. I don’t make player assessments solely based on stat lines, but I love that there are numbers in the sack, TFL, INT, forced fumble, and pass breakup categories.
Round 7, Pick 218: Travis Bell, Kennesaw State DT
QUICK HIT: The new guy has quite the workout routine:
Round 7, Pick 258: Kendall Williamson, Stanford S
QUICK HIT:
Williamson joins Chicago as a heady football player. Ther Stanford product was Pac-12 All-Academic Honor Roll player for four seasons and earned first-team Academic All-American honors in 2022. We’ve been asking for the Bears to play a smarter brand of football, right? Well, there we have it.
Every year we reach this point and I find myself hopeful for the future. This year is no different. Now, this isn’t to say the Bears don’t have work to do. That is hardly the case. I’m sure GM Ryan Poles would say the same. But it looks like the franchise is heading in the right direction. Making a volume of picks is a good start to build out a roster that was stripped to the studs. Soon, we’ll see how the new guys perform.
Are you sure we can’t fast forward to training camp?
