Some people were surprised when the Chicago Bears took Darnell Wright 10th overall in the 1st round. However, more than a few people absolutely love what GM Ryan Poles pulled off. There is a genuine undercurrent of belief this team quietly landed the best tackle in the entire class. While he might not be the best pure athlete of the top options on the board, he does have the best tape. Wright not only blocked but even dominated some of the best edge rushers in the SEC.
One person that is beyond ecstatic for the Bears is top draft analyst Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire. He believes they got one of the best players in the entire draft. Ignore the fact he only plays right tackle. In this era, it doesn’t matter. He makes them instantly better.
“Yes, Darnell Wright is a right tackle. But in today’s quick-game NFL, your right tackle is just as important as your left tackles, and the Bears now have a right tackle who beat up on Will Anderson Jr. Bryan Bresee, and BJ Ojulari last season. Chicago had all kinds of needs along its offensive line, and getting the best tackle in this class while trading down to do so? Not bad at all.”
Farrar isn’t alone, either. Several other prominent draft experts couldn’t help but admit the Bears did really well with that pick. Chris Trapasso is among them. He thinks Wright fits their mentality from every angle.
Darnell Wright has his fair share of fans.
That is always nice to see. Once you watch him play, the guy is hard to dislike. He’s gigantic, long, nimble for his size, and nasty. If anybody fits what the Bears want to be, it’s him. Poles isn’t concerned about the minor athletic limitations. He has all the tools necessary to be good and the work ethic to be great. If he plays like the guy he was at Tennessee, Justin Fields is going to be a much better player in 2023 and beyond. Getting validation from so many people is always gratifying.
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The question now is what the Bears do next. Darnell Wright beefs up their offensive line. Perhaps they shift their focus over to the defensive side on Day 2. They’ll have three picks clustered between #53 and #64. That will give Poles good positioning to land some quality talent. If he can fortify the trenches even further, it could make this team far more formidable going into the 2023 season. Wright seems like a good first step. It will be fun to see what comes next.
