The 2023 NFL draft is officially in the books, and the Chicago Bears came out of it with some promising prospects.
General manager Ryan Poles made some moves to shore up the roster, which started before the draft when he traded the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers for two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver DJ Moore.
But focusing specifically on the draft class, Poles filled some important needs with offensive tackle Darnell Wright, defensives tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. He also added some weapons for quarterback Justin Fields in running back Roschon Johnson and wide receiver Tyler Scott. Poles also found some great value picks in linebacker Noah Sewell, cornerback Terell Smith, defensive tackle Travis Bell and safety Kendall Williamson.
Here’s a collection of all of the grades for the Bears’ draft class from various media outlets, where experts were impressed by Poles’ sneaky-good additions.
USA Today: B+
USA Today’s Nate Davis praised Poles for a solid draft, where he addressed the team’s biggest needs.
It wasn’t sexy – three of the their top four picks were linemen, most notably first-round OT Darnell Wright – and GM Ryan Poles might ultimately regret the midseason deal for Claypool, which cost him the top pick of the second round. But this was probably the draft Chicago needed to bulwark a talent-deficient roster around QB Justin Fields – and don’t forget the package from Carolina for the No. 1 pick also brought WR1 DJ Moore, who’s under contract for the next three years.
NFL.com: A-
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter is a fan of what Poles did with the first overall pick, and the draft class that resulted.
Chicago received a bounty from the Panthers for the No. 1 pick, then traded down one spot in the first round while still getting the lineman it needed in Wright. Dexter and Pickens bolster the defensive line when on their game and Stevenson could start as a rookie. The value of trading a second-rounder for receiver Chase Claypool is to be determined.
Johnson looks like a power back but can avoid defenders as well as run through their tackle attempts. Scott’s agility and burst after the catch made him a nice fourth-round find. Sewell is a much better football player than his fifth-round status might indicate. Smith has the athleticism and cover skills to contribute as a rookie.
ESPN: B+
ESPN’s Mel Kiper praised Poles for building in the trenches, where the Bears’ biggest needs were.
Chicago had been connected with Darnell Wright (9) for months — I matched this one in my two-round mock draft — mostly because of its gaping void at right tackle. Wright is the best right tackle in this class, a 333-pound lineman who started 42 games in college. He is ready to play right now. I was more down on two of its Day 2 picks, as I mentioned Friday, but I get building through the trenches. It’s just that both Gervon Dexter (53) and Zacch Pickens (64) were a round early based on my rankings. Some of this had to do with getting ahead on the DTs early in a thinner-than-normal class, but I’m grading each class on value, and so the Bears have to get dinged.
As for the rest of this class? I’m a fan. Running back Roschon Johnson (115) played behind Bijan Robinson at Texas, but Johnson probably would have started at most other FBS schools. He is powerful between the tackles. Tyler Scott (133) is a slot wideout who runs after the catch like a tailback. Linebacker Noah Sewell (148) was a tackling force in college, and now he’ll get to try to blitz past his brother, Penei, in the NFC North. Terell Smith (165) is my 14th-ranked cornerback, and the Bears got him a round later than I had him going.
Pro Football Focus: B+
Pro Football Focus appreciated the value that Chicago got on Day 3 of the draft.
Day 1: Wright fills a need for the Bears, but he is just the 22nd-ranked player on the PFF draft board. He produced a PFF grade of just 71.4 in 2022 but has some really good reps on tape where he just overpowers people. He allowed just eight total pressures in 2022.
Day 2: Dexter’s 4.88-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-6 and 318 pounds ranked in the 83rd percentile among interior defenders in PFF’s database, but he needs to turn that athleticism into more production at the next level. Dexter is young at just over 21 years of age. He offered very little as a pass-rusher in 2022 with just a 55.2 grade, but his explosiveness is evident.
…
Day 3: Johnson was overshadowed by Bijan Robinson in the Texas backfield but brings plenty to the table for a team that should run more than just about any team in the NFL next season. Johnson earned 80.0-plus PFF rushing grades in four consecutive seasons with the Longhorns.
This is great value for a player like Scott. He’s not the biggest player, and as a converted running back, he’s still learning the position. Still, he can fly, and he averaged 16.4 yards per catch with Cincinnati in 2022. He did drop 11.3% of the passes thrown his way, but the big-play ability he offers makes sense here.
Touchdown Wire: A
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar loved the work Poles did in the trenches, as well as some potential late-round steals on Day 3.
The Bears had all kinds of needs along their offensive line, and they started this start by trading down with the Eagles and still getting Wright, the best offensive tackle in this class. Wright is coming off a season in which he erased Will Anderson Jr., BJ Ojulari, and Bryan Bresee, so he projects pretty well to the NFL. On the other side of the line, Dexter is a formidable athletic prospect with some technique work to do, and Zacch Pickens is another guy with hybrid size who can get things done on the move. General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus clearly have a type here.
Tyrique Stevenson is a nice developmental cornerback, but it’s the third day where the Bears’ draft REALLY gets interesting. Roschon Johnson probably would have been a second-day guy were he not backing up Bijan Robinson, Tyler Scott is one of the more underrated receivers in this class, Noah Sewell is a fine two-down linebacker who can thump, and Terell Smith is a big cornerback who locked his opponents down in 2022 to the tune of an opponent passer rating of 68.2.
This is a great combination of guys who are ready to contribute, and guys who need a bit of work, but were drafted about where they should have been. A great haul for a team under construction.
Sporting News: A
Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer was a big fan of this draft class, which wasn’t sexy but addressed the biggest needs and added some more weapons for Fields.
GM Ryan Poles didn’t do anything sneaky. He had to jump on the offensive tackle early to better protect Justin Fields and then focus mostly on replenishing the defense on every level. The front seven may have three new starters soon in Dexter, Pickens and Sewell. Watch out for Stevenson’s shutdown potential, too. Poles also didn’t forget to further upgrade the power running game with Johnson and add more big-play receiving pop with Scott.
Sports Illustrated: B
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano also praised the Bears for addressing their biggest needs in the trenches with Wright, Dexter and Pickens, as well as getting a steal in Johnson.
The Bears wisely upgraded the protection for quarterback Justin Fields, who was sacked a league-high 55 times last season. Wright plays with an edge, and he’s a polished right tackle. He does have experience playing on the left side, but he had better results as a right tackle in college. Chicago addressed its second biggest need drafting defensive tackles Dexter and Pickens during Day 2. Johnson, who was Bijan Robinson’s backup at Texas, could be a quality change-of-pace back.
Pro Football Network: B+
Pro Football Network’s Ryan Gosling thinks the Bears put together a solid group, including the additions of Wright, Stevenson and Smith. But he remains uncertain about edge rusher.
The Chicago Bears’ second draft under Ryan Poles was very solid all around. Darnell Wright is a safe headliner to get behind, and he should protect Justin Fields for years to come. The Bears also added two quality CB prospects with plus traits and used their late-round picks well.
The main source of uncertainty is Chicago’s work on the defensive line. They notably neglected the EDGE position, and while the DTs they picked have upside, they’re both relatively raw. It’s up to Matt Eberflus to get the most out of this group, but the groundwork has been set.
The Ringer: A
The Ringer’s Danny Kelly praised Poles for his haul this draft, including bolstering the trenches, adding more weapons around Fields and shoring up the cornerback group.
The Bears added a massive amount of sheer size to both sides of the trenches. Chicago grabbed a mauling offensive tackle in Tennessee’s Darnell Wright in the first round, giving quarterback Justin Fields a talented pass protector who can also help open up holes in the run game. Chicago turned around on day two and addressed the defensive line, taking a pair of two-gapping block-eaters in Gervon Dexter Sr. (Florida) and Zacch Pickens (South Carolina), to add some much-needed beef to a run defense that gave up 157 rushing yards per game (second worst) and a league-worst 31 rushing touchdowns in 2022. The team also added a pair of highly athletic, aggressive corners in Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson and Minnesota’s Terell Smith, adding to their up-and-coming cornerback group that already includes Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Kindle Vildor, and Jaylon Jones. I also liked their selection of Texas running back Roschon Johnson in Round 4, giving the team a rock-solid and versatile back who breaks tackles, catches the ball well, and excels in pass protection. Add in Cincinnati receiver Tyler Scott, a speedster with running back-like toughness after the catch, and the Bears got better this weekend.
Draft Kings: B
Draft Kings’ Nick Simon believes this is a solid draft for Poles, as they addressed their biggest needs at offensive tackle and defensive tackle.
This was a very meat and potatoes draft for the Bears as they they decided to use their top two picks two address both sides of the lines. Wright and Dexter have a chance to contribute for the rebuilding franchise right away, as well as their Stevenson at cornerback. They probably could’ve added a receiving weapon much earlier the the fourth round, but I’ll still give them a solid B overall.
New York Post: B-
New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy wasn’t a big fan of what Chicago did after trading the first overall pick, but even he believes it was a solid haul.
Yes, those could be four starters. But trading from No. 1 to No. 9 and then to No. 10 should net more than a class dependent on the development of two defensive tackles, neither of whom had more than four sacks in any college season.
NBC Sports Edge: A-
NBC Sports Edge’s Kyle Dvorchak praised the Bears for the incredible value in trading back before and during the draft.
The Bears made no flashy picks and didn’t get any of the extreme fallers at notable discounts. They did, on the other hand, accrue an obscene amount of value by moving off of the top pick months in advance. They tacked on more value by swapping back another spot in the first round. Chicago also made a handful of picks in the middle rounds that won me over. Roschon Johnson has the skill set of a back who can do anything a coaching staff asks of him. Tyler Scott was stunningly productive in 2022 despite only recently converting to wide receiver. And Noah Sewell (6’2/246) is an elite blitzer with a build that’s hard to find.
The Associated Press: A
The Associated Press came away impressed with Chicago’s haul.
Moved down one spot and got OT Darnell Wright (10) to anchor the O-line. DL Gervon Dexter Sr., RB Roschon Johnson, WR Tyler Scott, LB Noah Sewell and CB Terrell Smith are among an impressive haul.
Walter Football: A-
Walter Football said the Bears did a “masterful job” during the draft, between trading down and landing quality prospects.
Chicago did a masterful job during the 2023 NFL Draft. In addition to trading down twice in the first round, the front office scored a “B” or higher on all seven of its selections prior to No. 165. The Bears obtained quality prospect while filling their many needs. This includes left tackle with Darnell Wright at No. 10 overall and defensive tackle with Gervon Dexter in the second frame.
My favorite value pick of Chicago’s didn’t fill a need, as the team acquired Noah Sewell at No. 148. Linebacker is a rare position of strength on Chicago’s roster, but Sewell was a steal. He was once considered a first-round pick before a down 2022 campaign.
The Bears made a couple of sketchy picks late in the draft, but those didn’t have much of an impact on this final grade. Chicago deserves to be praised for what it accomplished during the 2023 NFL Draft.
For The Win: 8th best draft class
For The Win’s Robert Zeglinski believes the Bears had a top-10 draft class, where they shored their important needs in the trenches.
Chicago entered this draft with a Grand Canyon-sized hole at right tackle and multiple bottomless pits on its defensive line. It leaves with the arguable top book-end in the class in Wright, two hopeful long-term starters in Dexter and Pickens, and great values at corner and receiver in the sticky Stevenson and big-play Scott.
Provided Justin Fields takes a big step forward, this team should be an NFC playoff contender in the fall. If the Bears of 2022 really were tanking (wink, wink), then general manager Ryan Poles has executed his plan to a tee.
