The Chicago Bears welcomed 10 new rookies to the roster during the 2023 NFL draft, where general manager Ryan Poles addressed some important needs.
The Bears added a top offensive tackle in Darnell Wright, shored up the defensive line with Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, traded up for cornerback Tyrique Stevenson and got great value on Day 3. That includes running back Roschon Johnson and wide receiver Tyler Scott in the fourth round, linebacker Noah Sewell and cornerback Terell Smith in the fifth round and defensive tackle Travis Bell and safety Kendall Williamson in the seventh round.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked every NFL team’s draft class, and he ranked the Bears fifth among the rest of the league.
Darnell Wright is a plug-and-play right tackle and will help stabilize the offensive line. The two defensive tackles Chicago took on Day 2 also will pay immediate dividends. But my favorite Bears’ pick was Scott, whom I ranked as a top-50 player. A former high school option running back, he transitioned to wide receiver for the Bearcats and took a big jump on his 2022 tape. Scott has 4.3 speed, surprising ball skills and could take over the Darnell Mooney role in the future.
While it wasn’t the sexiest class, Poles managed to find some impact players at key positions of need, including some immediate starters. And experts agreed that the Bears had an impressive draft class.
