The Chicago Bears welcomed 10 rookies to their roster last weekend during the 2023 NFL draft, including seven defensive players and three offensive players.
The biggest addition was offensive tackle Darnell Wright, who they traded back one spot and still landed — on top of a 2024 fourth-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles. They also plugged some defensive holes with defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Not to mention, some potential late-round gems, including running back Roschon Johnson and wide receiver Tyler Scott.
There’s a lot to be excited about with this new Bears draft class. Here’s a look at what general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus had to say about each of the Bears’ 2023 rookies.
Round 1, Pick 10: OT Darnell Wright
“He’s just a really big athlete. We talked about his feet and his ability to regain, if he loses his balance and gets off balance, he can regain and reset his hands inside to be able to protect. So, a fabulous energy with him. He’s a willing learner, wants to get better. We see a lot of upside with him too. We feel that he was the best lineman in the draft, but we also know that he’s got the best upside for growth potential. We’re excited about where he is.” — Bears HC Matt Eberflus
Round 2, Pick 53: DT Gervon Dexter
“You’re kind of piecing it together. Foot speed. The ability to get skinny. The acceleration of burst to finish. The toolbox in your pass-rush skills. Those go into it. And then what is he asked to do at his school? So for Dexter, little bit more of a square stance, read and mirror, when that’s the case, you’re not really on your toes and penetrating and getting up the field, so you got to piece those things together and that can help you show where the upside is and how in our system it can be even better in terms of how they affect the quarterback.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 2, Pick 56: CB Tyrique Stevenson
“He really flashed to us even more at the Senior Bowl in one-on-ones and some of those press techniques and you’re like, ‘Man, this guy is long and physical.’ You’ve got to be confident to get in someone’s face and take care of business on the line of scrimmage. He did that with an unbelievable skill set and length and all that.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 3, Pick 64: DT Zacch Pickens
“We’re looking for guys who are big, long and can run and are interchangeable: nose, three-technique. You get kind of chipped up through the season, so you want guys that can fit in different spots. Both of these guys (Pickens, Dexter) have the ability to do that, so it allows us to be versatile and deep for the entire season.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 4, Pick 115: RB Roschon Johnson, Texas
“This was a guy I was shocked that he was still on the board. He is a really good football player that I know is going to be successful in this league in many different ways. And on top of that, probably you could understand from talking to him over that Zoom call, he’s an unbelievable human being as well who is going to enhance our culture, enhance our locker room and continue to meet the standards that we’ve put in place.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 4, Pick 133: WR Tyler Scott
“We add the speed there. Continues to help our receiving corps go vertical, stretch the field, which again matches our quarterback’s skill set. And it’s going to help us be more explosive, which is important in this game.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 5, Pick 148: LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
“I called our linebackers coach and said he was spoiled because he’s got so many good players in his room,” Poles said. “That’s going to be a really competitive room with a bunch of good guys, and [Sewell] is going to help us in many different ways.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 5, Pick 165: CB Terell Smith, Minnesota
“He can straight fly on top of having size and length, which is beautiful.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 7, Pick 218: DT Travis Bell
“This is probably one of my favorite human beings,” Poles said. “He is a special person. I didn’t want him to leave after his 30 visit and he didn’t want to leave, either. There’s something different about this guy. He is passionate about the game. When you talk about having a full-time job during the season and showing up to the locker room in your clothes, with your ID badge and your little knife from his job, that tells you what the game means to him. He’s working and football and practice is recess to him, and those are the guys that we want.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
Round 7, Pick 258: S Kendall Williamson, Stanford
“Size-speed-range” and is “going to be really good on special teams as well.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
