The Chicago Bears had one of the most boring 2023 drafts in terms of flash. Most of the players they selected didn’t exactly come with enormous name value. This wasn’t like 2021 when they turned heads with Justin Fields and Teven Jenkins. This time around, it was a series of notable names but no headline-grabbers. It’s unclear if that was by design by GM Ryan Poles (it wasn’t), but that doesn’t really matter. What everybody wants to know is whether he did a good job. Early reviews suggest he did.
Several experts gave him high marks for his work, particularly on days one and three. NFL.com gave him an A- grade. ESPN gave him a B+. However, the highest praise came from Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Many view him as one of the top draft experts in the entire field. His “Beast” booklet of scouting reports is a must-read for draft enthusiasts every year. Few are more detailed and unbiased. That is why it was quite a surprise when Brugler ranked the Bears’ class as the fifth-best in the entire NFL.
He explained how he arrived at his decision.
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.
Day 3 pick who could surprise: Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
One of the cleanest prospects in the draft, Johnson has A-plus character, passing-down skills and core special-teams value. And, oh yeah, he’s pretty good with the ball in his hands. Highly recruited as a quarterback out of high school, Johnson was a do-everything player behind Bijan Robinson, but he would have started at 80 percent of the other FBS programs.
It sounds like the Chicago Bears got way more talented.
Darnell Wright, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Tyler Scott, and Roschon Johnson could all be immediate contributors for the team. The rule of thumb is that if you can find three such players in a draft, it can be called a success. If the Bears got five, Poles deserves a slap on the back. Expectations are that Wright will be an immediate starter at right tackle. The others will have wide-open opportunities to join him during training camp. Head coach Matt Eberflus always makes everything a competition. You have to earn your spots.
Braxton Jones is living proof of that. Nobody expected him to become the Chicago Bears’ starting left tackle. Then he flashed in minicamps and earned the spot. He never relinquished it after that. Dexter, Pickens, Scott, Johnson, and everybody else will have the same opportunity. The coaches will work them hard. It’s up to them to meet the challenge. One thing is for sure. This team is young, deeper, and more athletic than they’ve been in quite some time. If Brugler is correct, this class can help transform them into winners.
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