The Chicago Bears haven’t tried to hide what they’re looking for in draft prospects. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have remained consistent with their message every time they’ve been asked. They want four key traits from their players. They must be good athletes, they must be violent in how they play, they must be long, and they must love football. That comment about length has been particularly noteworthy in that time span. It’s a clear indication they value players with size.
One of the more prominent names in the upcoming 2023 draft is Tyree Wilson. The Texas Tech edge rusher is becoming a favorite among analysts because of his unique mix of 6’6 size and uncommon mobility. What stands out the most is his reported 36-inch arms. That is what you’d call elite length. It allows him to keep offensive blockers off his body. He can shed blocks with ease and manipulate his way into the backfield, constantly harassing the quarterback. So it shouldn’t be a surprise the Bears have already met with him twice, according to Eric Edholm of NFL.com.
Wilson fit the exact profile of the Chicago Bears.
He’s big, long, athletic for his size, and appears to play with a consistent motor. Texas Tech moved him all across the defensive front, both inside and outside. He could power through double teams and had enough bend and closing speed to get around the edge. Lance Zierlein of NFL Network compared him to former Detroit Lions Pro Bowler Ezekiel Ansah. Wilson was ranked as the fifth overall prospect on his board. That is a clear indication Zierlein (and several others) see a bright future for the edge rusher.
Wilson had 14 sacks and 27.5 tackles for a loss across his final 23 games with the Red Raiders. Eventual national championship participant TCU couldn’t block him for most of their game. He single-handedly destroyed N.C. State with two sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss. His performance in the Liberty Bowl early last year (two sacks, two tackles for a loss, one pass defended) was another sign he can dominate any level of competition. It isn’t hard to see why the Chicago Bears are so interested. He fits their profile to perfection.
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This is Poles guy at #4. Book it.
Bad production on a bad team against bad teams. All red flags. Seems like a nice kid and like he will develop into an impact player, but not a top 5 pick. Would rather nab Skronk from Northwestern.
@citizen34……”Taking a player from Georgia or Alabama doesn’t work that well because they are all surrounded by 5-star athletes”. Sorry sir i disagree with that statement except for maybe QBs. Those SEC schools play more top competition and are more pro ready than smaller schools. Eddie Jackson and Roquan Smith were pretty good players for us. The NFL is littered with great players from those schools.
I had a weird dream the other night that the Bears drafted this guy lol
If Carter is out of the mix for the top defensive picks, I could easily see the Bears trading from #1 to #2 to #4, Houston and Indy take QBs, Arizona takes Anderson, and the Bears take Wilson at #4. We’ll see.