Chicago Bears Draft Grade
After trading away the first overall pick, it became very obvious that Justin Fields is the guy for the foreseeable future. Going into the draft, I expected them to overload their defense and potentially give Fields another weapon or two.
Round 1: No. 10 (via PHI) – Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Volunteers
Darnell Wright was one of the most questionable picks on day one of the draft. Personally, I had Wright graded as a late first-round pick, so this pick was a bit of a reach in my eyes. However, he is a very good talent and a great fit for the Bears. He is a big offensive lineman who has a solid build and quick feet for a player of his size. His punch is very impressive to watch in pass protection because he can effortlessly force rushers onto their heels. Additionally, he does a good job of keeping his pad level low against bull rushes which will be very beneficial against division rival the Green Bay Packers. The reason why my grade is so low is that I would have preferred them to go defense here.
Grade: B
Round 2: No. 53 (via BAL) – Gervon Dexter Sr., DT, Florida Gators
Gervon Dexter is one of my favorite defensive linemen in this draft class. He is a versatile defensive lineman who will see a majority of his snaps as a 3-technique but will occasionally slide to the outside. His tremendous size allows him to eat up blocks and even force opposing linemen to double-team him. This will open up lanes for his teammates to shoot through and make a play. Going forward, he will need to work on his ability to disengage so he can be better at stopping the run.
Grade: B+
Round 2: No. 56 (via JAX) – Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami Hurricanes
Up to this point in the draft, this is my favorite pick that the Bears made. Out of all the cornerbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft, I had Stevenson ranked above Deonte Banks who was drafted in round one. Stevenson is a natural in man coverage due to his fluid hips and ability to anticipate breaks in his target’s route. These two traits allow him to stay with his target at all levels of the field. He also has good play strength that allows him to knock back receivers at the line of scrimmage. The only true downside to his game is his lack of consistency in zone coverage.
Grade: A-
Round 3: No. 64 – Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina Gamecocks
As I expected, the Chicago Bears continue to add to their defensive line. This time around, they are getting someone who is very good at stopping the run. He is a smart player who is good at quickly diagnosing the run and getting past the opposing lineman. Once he disengages with the blocker, there is no stopping him, he will bring down the ball carrier. The only major concern that he has about his game is his lack of consistency. If you want to go see what I am talking about, go watch some of his film from this past season.
Grade: B-
Round 4: No. 115 (via NO) – Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas Longhorns
After free agency, I was unsure of who was going to be the starting running back between Foreman and Herbert. Now, I am even more confused because after seeing what Johnson did at Texas, I have no doubt that he could end up being the best back on the Bears this season. He is a bigger back who plays with a very high motor and is almost impossible to bring down in open space. Although he is not very elusive, he is not scared to lower his shoulder and run over defenders. This upcoming season, I expect him to be a situational back until he eventually earns the starting spot.
Grade: A-
Round 4: No. 133 (via PHI) – Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati Bearcats
With back-to-back picks, the Bears make it a priority to give Fields weapons. With this pick, they are getting a player that I wasn’t expecting to be available at this pick. Although Scott has a thin frame, he is a very fluid athlete who knows how to make defenders miss in open space. Additionally, he is good at tracking the ball deep down the field for big gains. To start off his career with the Chicago Bears, Scott will likely start out on special teams as a punt returner. I would have graded this pick higher if he wasn’t the 4th or 5th guy on the depth chart.
Grade: B-
Round 5: No. 148 (via BAL) – Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Ducks
Noah Sewell is one of the players in this draft that has a very high ceiling along with a very low floor. Coming into the 2022 season, Sewell was ranked as one of the best linebackers in the nation. However, that did not last because he had a very lackluster 2022 season. Sewell will likely line up as a SAM linebacker in the Bears’ systems, which is exactly what he did at Oregon. From there, he will be able to use his vision to scan the field and defend in zone coverage. If however, they line him up on the outside, he has the skillset needed to pressure the QB.
Before I see him as a solid player, he will need to improve his agility, patience, and ability to disengage. With that being said, there are too many concerns that I have and that is why the grade is so low. However, if he can develop properly, he will be a very good talent.
Grade: C
Round 5: No. 165 (via NO) – Terrell Smith, CB, Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Chicago Bears got a very athletic corner with this pick. At the combine, he ran a 4.41 40 which is exactly how fast you need a corner in today’s NFL. Along with being light on his feet, Smith also has a frame that will allow him to hold his ground against bigger receivers down the field. His quick feet allow him to stay with receivers throughout their route stem. At the top of the stem, he is good at anticipating where the receiver is going to break. He is also solid against the run game which is probably one of the reasons why the Bears made this pick. When watching his film, the only thing that has me truly concerned is his lack of production.
Grade: B-
Round 7: No. 218 – Travis Bell, DT, Kennesaw State Owls
For a small school guy that has flown under the radar up to this point, Bell has a solid skillset to build upon. He has a very strong upper body which allows him to fight off blockers at the point of attack. At the point of attack, he is also good at using a variety of pass-rush moves to get around the blocker. Although he has a strong upper body, he needs to work on his hand usage during his rush. This will allow him to disengage and make tackles in the middle of the line.
Grade: C+
Round 7: No. 258 – Kendall Williamson, DB, Stanford Cardinal
To be honest, I don’t see this pick as anything more than adding depth to the secondary. When watching his film, there is not too much that stands out to me. What did stand out to me was his explosiveness and ability to disrupt plays below him. The main reason why I don’t believe that he will be more than a depth/special teams player is that he was not very productive in college. In his entire career, he only had one interception.
Grade: D
Final Thoughts on Chicago Bears Draft
Honestly, I was expecting to see better from the Bears in this draft. They got Fields another blocker and added to the defensive line, which is great. However, they should have worried less about getting several pieces for the defensive line and worked on adding players elsewhere. With that being said, I am a fan of Tyrique Stevenson and Roschon Johnson. But I think adding 3 DBs and 3 DTs was a little overkill.
Overall Draft Grade: B-
Bears 2023 Draft Grade Analyst – Matthew Lewis
