We’re just days away from the 2023 NFL draft, where the Chicago Bears are gearing up to welcome a new crop of players to the roster.
After trading the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers for a haul that included two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver DJ Moore, Chicago is sitting in a prime spot at ninth overall.
There’s been plenty of rumblings about the Bears looking to trade back from ninth overall. And it’s something that would make sense considering there could be a late run on quarterbacks in the top 10.
But, for the sake of this exercise, we assume that Chicago stays put at No. 9 and makes a selection. With that in mind, here are the positions most likely to be the pick at ninth overall.
5
Wide receiver/Running back
After the Bears acquired DJ Moore in the trade with the Panthers, there’s no need for Chicago to go wide receiver with the No. 9 pick. It’s not an immediate need like the other four on this list. But it’s also hard to rule out the possibility of the Bears selecting Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, someone Justin Fields wants the team to draft.
Then there’s Texas running back Bijan Robinson, who’s considered a top-five prospect in this entire draft class. Adding a star running back with pass-catching ability would certainly benefit Fields. Daniel Jeremiah said not to sleep on Robinson to Chicago. With that said, it seems unlikely that either would be the pick at 9. But if the Bears trade back, perhaps Smith-Njigba or Robinson would be in play.
4
Defensive tackle
There’s no denying that defensive tackle is a top need for the Bears heading into the draft. But the reason it’s ranked fourth on this list is because of the prospects expected to be available — or not be available, in this case. Georgia’s Jalen Carter is the consensus top defensive tackle in this class, and there were many that believed Chicago could’ve taken him with the No. 1 pick.
His off-field issues and poor pro day performance have raised concerns, which have many believing he could fall to the Bears at No. 9. But that would mean teams like the Seahawks and Lions would also have to pass on him. Even with Carter’s draft stock falling, he likely won’t be on the board come the No. 9 pick.
3
Cornerback
I almost put cornerback ahead of the next position on our list, if only because the draft’s top two prospects could be available come the No. 9 pick and the fact that cornerback is a premium position. Poles could very well have Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon or Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez as one of his “blue” players, and he might have a hard time passing them up.
With that said, this is a deep cornerback class where the Bears could get a solid option on Day 2. While cornerback is a need for Chicago, it definitely feels like if the Bears don’t take one of the following positions at ninth overall that they’ll be trading out of the No. 9 spot.
2
Edge rusher
Edge rusher is a huge need for the Bears ahead of the draft, and it’s definitely a position that could be addressed early by Poles. Alabama’s Will Anderson and Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson are the consensus top edge rushers in this draft, and neither are expected to be available come ninth overall. But stranger things have happened. If Wilson managed to fall to Chicago at No. 9, it would hard for Poles to pass on him.
But the next tier of edge rusher prospects is definitely an intriguing bunch, including Georgia’s Nolan Smith, Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness and Clemson’s Myles Murphy. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chicago go that direction at ninth overall. But it’s also another scenario where the Bears could trade back and still land one of those options a few spots back.
1
Offensive tackle
The Bears have a gaping hole at the tackle position. After not paying a top veteran in free agency, they need need to address tackle in the draft. After allowing 55 sacks on Justin Fields last season, there’s a major emphasis on protecting their young QB. There’s a reason why most mock drafts have Chicago taking an offensive tackle with their first selection. Unlike some of the other position groups, there’s a massive drop-off after the top tackles on the board: Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr., Tennessee’s Darnell Wright, Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski and Georgia’s Broderick Jones.
There are some intriguing options in the second tier, including Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison, Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron, Ohio State’s Dawand Jones and Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan. But considering the Bears don’t have another pick until No. 53, a good number of the second-tier tackles will likely be gone. Still, the best-case scenario for Chicago is trading back from ninth and managing to land one of those top tackles in addition to another pick or pick swap.
