The Chicago Bears selected 10 players during the 2023 NFL draft, including right tackle Darnell Wright, defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, and cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith.
They also added a couple of playmakers for Justin Fields in running back Roschon Johnson and wide receiver Tyler Scott, as well as linebacker Noah Sewell and a couple of seventh-round picks in Travis Bell and safety Kendall Williamson.
Now that Chicago has its 2023 draft class in place, it’s time dive in and take a look at what the Bears have in their new rookies.
We’re taking a closer look at the Bears’ draft class, including breakdowns, player profiles, scouting reports from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and comments from the Bears on all 10 selections.
Round 1, Pick 10: OT Darnell Wright
Breakdown: Wright is an excellent fit for the wide zone scheme the Bears are running. He can displace linemen at the point of attack and should be athletic enough to get to linebackers and safeties at the second level. In pass protection, he’s solid when not asked to deal with speed rushers on an island. This means he’s likely playing right tackle. In addition, his lack of lateral quickness makes him a perfect fit for the play-action, RPO-style passing schemes that the Bears run. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “A four-year starter at Tennessee, Wright lined up at right tackle in head coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo, spread offense. After moving to the offensive line as a sophomore in high school, he fell short of expectations his first three years in Knoxville. But everything clicked, especially in pass pro, when he moved to right tackle as a senior (didn’t allow a sack in 2022 and quieted Will Anderson on the Alabama tape). With his extraordinary power and torque, Wright creates a surge in the run game with the physical hands to latch, drive and displace. While he is susceptible to inside rush moves, he reaches his landmarks and stays square as a pass blocker, relying on his length, punch and stout anchor to stalemate rushers. Overall, Wright will get himself into trouble when he sacrifices technique for his nasty demeanor, but he naturally defaults to his raw power and body control to consistently win in both the run and passing game. He is a plug-and-play right tackle, and some teams have him on their draft board as a starting guard.”
They said it: “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
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Round 2, Pick 53: DT Gervon Dexter
Breakdown: The Bears need a 1-technique or 3-technique to pair with Justin Jones, who can help stop the run. Chicago’s run defense was the second-worst in the NFL and will improve immediately with Dexter in the middle. While his effort runs hot and cold, he has a rare combination of size, strength, and speed that doesn’t come around often. He’ll become a dominant interior player if he buys into HITS and the Bears system. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Florida, Dexter was primarily a 3-technique defensive tackle in co-defensive coordinator Sean Spencer’s four-man front, lining up everywhere from nose tackle to head up over the tackle. After giving up football to focus on basketball in middle school, he returned to the sport as a junior in high school and has shown incremental improvements over the last five years. Dexter carries his weight well with impressive foot quickness and pass rush potential, although you wish he had more backfield production to show for it. His impact can be traced to his ability to leverage – he is a very different player when he utilizes his long levers to put blockers on skates as a pass rusher or anchor, stack and work the point in the run game. Dexter must develop a more disciplined approach to turn the flashes into more consistent play, but he is an agile, coordinated big man who has yet to play his best football. He is a traits-based projection who can play up and down the line, which will interest both even and odd fronts.”
They said it: “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
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Round 2, Pick 56: CB Tyrique Stevenson
Breakdown: Stevenson is an excellent fit for the Bears’ Cover 2 scheme. Not only is he a high-motor player, but he’s willing to be physical and come up to stop the run. He has high potential if he can become more consistent in his technique. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Miami, Stevenson was an outside cornerback in former defensive coordinator Kevin Steele’s man-coverage scheme. After playing the “STAR” nickel position at Georgia (against his wishes), he transferred closer to home to play cornerback and combined for 14 passes defended and three interceptions in two seasons. Stevenson is an above-average size/speed athlete with physical toughness and brash swagger that many coaches covet as foundational traits for their man-cover defenders. He isn’t shy bumping and riding the hip of route runners, but his physical play style leaves him unbalanced mid-route and at the catch point, which will be tougher to hide from officials in the NFL. Overall, Stevenson needs to become more disciplined in coverage and versus the run, but he is a long, rangy corner with the speed and short-area athleticism to stay in phase. He is a press-man corner on the perimeter with NFL starting ability.”
They said it: “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
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Round 3, Pick 64: DT Zacch Pickens
Breakdown: The Bears had one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL last year and allowed the most rushing touchdowns. The combination of Pickens and Gervon Dexter bulk up the middle of the defense by adding two players who can control the line of scrimmage. Pickens is an explosive one-gap run defender and upgrades the interior of the Bears’ defense. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “A three-year starter at South Carolina, Pickens lined up primarily near the A-gap in defensive coordinator Clayton White’s even-based front. The third-ranked recruit to ever sign with the Gamecocks (behind Jadeveon Clowney and Marcus Lattimore), his statistical resume didn’t live up to that hype, but he was a dependable interior lineman the last four seasons. With his initial movements at the snap, Pickens has the quickness to shoot gaps and the strength to control them. While he has pass rush tools, his move transitions and shed skills are underdeveloped. Pickens must continue to hone his hand techniques as a rusher and anchor in the run game, but he plays on his feet with the agility, balance and length to instinctively react to blockers. He projects as a rotational tackle as a rookie with starting upside.”
They said it: “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 have the ability to do that, so it allows us to be versatile and deep for the entire season.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
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Round 4, Pick 115: RB Roschon Johnson
Breakdown: Bijan Robinson overshadowed Johnson at Texas, who has a high ceiling. But Johnson is a do-it-all player who could become a starter. Johnson is a great fit for the Bears running back committee. He’s a powerful runner who will complement Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman. Johnson can also be relied on in pass protection, something Herbert and Foreman struggle with. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “Primarily a backup at Texas, Johnson was a complimentary back in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s spread RPO offense. A high school quarterback, he moved to running back as a Longhorns freshman and played second fiddle to Bijan Robinson but embraced his role in the program and was a central part of the culture shift under the new coaching staff (Sarkisian: “What this guy brings every single day is pretty incredible. He’s so mature. Unbelievable work ethic. Awesome teammate…he’s got the utmost respect of everybody in our building, that is for sure.”). A stout, good-sized runner, Johnson is a two-way creator with his lateral cuts to elude tacklers and the forward momentum to power through contact. With his football character and ability on special teams and as a blocker, his impact without the football is almost as impressive as his ability with the ball. Overall, Johnson is high-cut and can be inconsistent with his run rhythm, but he is a quick-footed, physical ball carrier with valuable third-down skills as a pass-catcher and blocker. He should immediately upgrade an NFL team’s running back rotation and be a core special teamer.”
They said it: “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
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Round 4, Pick 133: WR Tyler Scott
Breakdown: An Olympic-level speedster, Scott immediately becomes the fastest wide receiver on the offense and provides a vertical threat that can take the top off defenses. He also has a great opportunity to contribute immediately as a punt and kick returner. He’s still raw as a wide receiver and needs to add size, but he can contribute immediately on special teams. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Cincinnati, Scott was the X wide receiver (wide side of the field) in former offensive coordinator Gino Guidugli’s spread RPO offense. A high school option running back (he had “maybe 10 catches” in high school), he has been a quick study at his new position and led the Bearcats in receiving in 2022. Ranked top 10 nationally in track in high school, Scott’s explosive speed and sprint training have translated well to the vertical passing game and allow him to catch cornerbacks off balance with speed cuts or nuanced hesitation mid-route (all 14 of his career touchdowns went for 20-plus yards, averaging 44.6 yards per touchdown grab). Though he has promising ball skills, he doesn’t have desired size or play strength for the position, which limits his catch radius at times. Overall, Scott is a work in progress in a few coachable areas, but high-end speed and short-area suddenness allow him to consistently create his own separation. He adds immediate value as a gunner on special teams and has Tyler Lockett upside as a starting NFL receiver.”
They said it: “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
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Round 5, Pick 148: LB Noah Sewell
Breakdown: A hard-hitting, pass-rushing linebacker, Sewell is elite when asked to play between the tackles. However, he struggles in pass coverage and lacks the range to play in space as required in modern defenses. At Oregon, he wasn’t asked to cover defenders much on passing plays, and right now looks like a two-down linebacker. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “A three-year starter at Oregon, Sewell played MIKE linebacker in head coach Dan Lanning’s 3-4 base scheme. He was physically ready for big-time college football the moment he arrived in Eugene and quickly stepped out of his older brother Penei’s shadow, leading the Ducks in tackles as a freshman and sophomore. However, he lacked the same energy and on-field impact as a junior and wasn’t the team’s leading tackler in any game in 2022 (had six games of 10+ tackles in 2021 compared to zero in 2022). Sewell is a thick, powerful backer with the point-of-attack strength to fill, stack and strike. However, his reactionary athleticism and play range are mediocre, and he struggles to consistently stay ahead of both run and pass plays. Overall, Sewell doesn’t have the tape of a modern-day playmaker with clear limitations in man coverage, but he thumps downhill with the physicality, pedigree and competitive spirit to make plays between the tackles. He projects as a rookie backup who can become a valuable role player – off-the-ball on early downs and rushing off the edge on passing downs.”
They said it: “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
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Round 5, Pick 165: CB Terell Smith
Breakdown: Smith has the physical traits and tools to be an NFL starter, but he needs to clean up his technique and play with more violence in run support. Smith’s size and zone coverage instincts make sense for the Bears’ system. He can press and re-route receivers, but his physicality doesn’t compare to Tyrique Stevenson or Kyler Gordon. He adds depth to Chicago’s defense but shouldn’t be expected to start yet. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: “A three-year starter at Minnesota, Smith was an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s mixed coverage scheme. After making a splash as a true freshman for the Gophers, he was lost in the wilderness for a few years before producing his best season as a senior, leading the team in passes defended. Smith has impressive top-end speed and foot quickness that allows him to stay attached to routes, although his mirror transitions can get clunky at times. His matchup against Charlie Jones on the 2022 Purdue tape was a great example of what he does well and where he still needs to improve. Overall, Smith can be baited off course and leaves too much production on the field, but he has an intriguing blend of length, speed and physicality to match up with NFL receivers on the outside. He is a physical press-man corner prospect.”
They said it: “He can straight fly on top of having size and length, which is beautiful.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
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Round 7, Pick 218: DT Travis Bell
Breakdown: Bell is an athletic defensive lineman that wins with energy and athleticism. However, he needs to add more mass to control the line of scrimmage at the NFL level. Bell provides depth to the Bears’ defensive line. He’s undersized for a nose tackle but plays with great intensity and passion. He has a knack for making hustle plays and will fit the HITS culture. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: N/A
They said it: “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
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Round 7, Pick 258: S Kendall Williamson
Breakdown: Williamson is a high-character, high-motor player that is solid in run support but doesn’t have the coverage skills expected from an NFL safety. Culturally, Williamson is a great late-round pick. He will compete in minicamp and possibly training camp on special teams. He’s a high-energy player who will embody the HITS principle, but talent-wise, he seems destined for the practice squad or out of the NFL. — Nate Atkins
Brugler’s scouting report: N/A
They said it: “Size-speed-range” and is “going to be really good on special teams as well.” — Bears GM Ryan Poles
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