Around two weeks before the start of the 2023 NFL draft, GM Ryan Poles reached a conclusion. He had a good idea of how the first eight picks of the 1st round would unfold. He needed to determine which players would sit atop his draft board when the Chicago Bears went on the clock. Right around that time, the team held a private workout with Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright. Poles and offensive line coach Chris Morgan set out with an objective. They intended to push the young man to his limits, testing him mentally and physically to see if he’d tap out.
He did not. Wright was on top of everything and never complained. That moment sealed the deal for Poles. When the Bears went on the clock, they were taking the big tackle. After a minor trade down from #9 to #10, it became a reality. Some draft experts were lukewarm on the decision. They felt Wright rated more in the mid-to-late 1st round range. So this was a reach. Not everybody agrees with that. Former NFL guard and top analyst Brian Baldinger is one of them. He stated on Mully & Haugh for 670 The Score that Wright was the best tackle in the draft.
“My top tackle is Darnell Wright from Tennessee. He started 42 games for the Volunteers. He’s played left tackle (and) shut out guys like Travon Walker last year, the #1 pick. Eliminated Will Anderson. He’s 340 lbs. He ran a 5.0 flat. He mauls people. Got a nasty disposition. I think maybe in five years from now he’s not the best, but he’s going to be good, though. Wherever you play him.”
Remember, Baldinger played in the league for 11 years.
He was alongside some great players like Pat Donovan, Mark Tuinei, Kevin Gogan, and Chris Hinton during that time. He knows what guys at that position are supposed to look like. He’s also not the only former player who is a big Wright fan. So is ex-quarterback Chris Simms, as he explained on Unbuttoned.
The Chicago Bears didn’t get cute with their pick.
Paris Johnson Jr. was the first tackle off the board in the draft. That wasn’t a surprise. Most evaluators loved his mixture of size, athleticism, and length. One could say he had the highest upside of any lineman in the draft. However, there were some concerns about him—namely, his lack of an anchor against power. Strong edge rushers often found success against him with bull rushes. Wright may not have the same athletic ceiling, but people won’t get away with power against him. He’s too big and too strong for that.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
If he drops a few pounds, his quickness should improve as well. Once his technique is up to NFL standards, he should be a starter for a long time. One thing about the draft is teams often fall in love with the upside. It’s all about the ceiling. While that is fine, it makes it far too easy to overlook more proven players. Wright hammered the best of the SEC for two years. That mattered to the Chicago Bears. They want him to do the same thing in the NFC. He will. People who would know can see it coming.
