And just like that, the draft is over. As always, the weekend flew by after months and months of scouting, speculation, and sleepless nights. And, as always, it’s all worth it. Nothing beats the NFL Draft. To see your team get the guy you want or to see a player you love have his dreams come true. But there’s still a lot to look forward to after the draft. Draft grades for instance. What’s better than some guy on the internet saying that a 21-year old kid is a bust and will never make it in a sport he’s worked on his entire life. That’s why it’s important to remember that these grades are based on value and how they fit into the team, not how they’re going to turn out or how their career will go. With that being said, let’s get into the grading.
Round 1, Pick 10: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee: A-
Darnell Wright has the makings to be the Bears’ cornerstone right tackle for the next decade. With a frame of 6’5” and 330 pounds, he has the length that the Bears covet, with 34-inch arms. Most importantly, he has the tape. He played very well in his last college season, allowing zero sacks(in the SEC!). He shut down many top prospects in this year’s draft, most impressive being third overall pick Will Anderson Jr. Anderson said on ESPN that Wright was the toughest lineman he played against. That’s high praise from the top defensive player in the country. Wright should be a day one starter at Wright tackle (see what I did there?) and should perform well. Using a first-round pick on a stud offensive lineman is something the Bears haven’t done in a Long time(Kyle Long). Right tackle was the biggest need coming into the draft, and it’s been filled. Getting Wright really rounds out the o-line nicely. From left to right: Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Cody Whitehair, Nate Davis, Darnell Wright. That’s not a half-bad line. Much better than last year. As long as Wright continues to develop and play as well as he did in his final college season, there shouldn’t be much complaining about the offensive line.
Round 2, Pick 53: Gervon Dexter Sr, DT, Florida: B-
Standing 6’6″ and weighing just over 310 pounds, Gervon Dexter Sr. is an athlete. He ran a 4.88-second 40-yard dash. For reference, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fifth-round TE Payne Durham, who is the same height as Dexter but 60 pounds lighter, ran a 4.87-second 40-yard dash. Dexter has all the tools to be a great DT, and he can play almost anywhere on the line. He underperformed in college and was often inconsistent, but Bears GM Ryan Poles says he was playing to “read and mirror,” meaning he wasn’t exploding off the line. There could be some hiccups as he gets started, but the upside is so high it shouldn’t matter at all. Getting an athletic DT will help solidify a defensive line that was in desperate need of help.
Round 2, Pick 56: Tyrique Stevenson, DB, Miami: B
Tyrique Stevenson rounds out the CB room well. Stevenson will likely start Week One as an outside corner, which allows Kyler Gordon, one of two Bears second-round picks last year, to slide inside to the slot CB position. Gordon did well as the slot corner and will continue to develop there. Getting Stevenson allows most of the DBs to play a comfortable position for them. Stevenson doesn’t just let the other DBs do well, he’s also a good player. He has good ball skills and can stick with a receiver anywhere on the field. He doesn’t have eye-popping speed, but his mechanics and techniques are solid. He’s also a great tackler and plays aggressively all around. Steveson got high praise from ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, who said Stevenson is the kind of player Matt Eberflus will love and that he’s a Bear(meaning he’s aggressive and plays hard). Stevenson has a high floor and should be able to contribute right away for the Bear’s defense.
Round 3, Pick 64: Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina: A-
The Bears found really good value with this pick. Pickens has a lot of potential and could even win a starting spot before the season starts. He fits as the 3-technique that Eberflus covets so much. He is incredibly quick off the line and can get to the passer well up the middle. He wasn’t as good of a run defender, but Pickens acknowledged that and said he is working on it day in and day out, striving to be ten times better in the league than he was in college. Like Dexter, he was inconsistent in college and underperformed. But just like Dexter, he has tons of potential and the Bears think they can get it out of them. Matt Eberflus should be up for the job as he coached DeForest Buckner in Indianapolis. With Pickens, Dexter, and Justin Jones the Bears should be creating a lot of pressure up the middle and collapsing the pocket, making the edge rushers jobs much, much easier. The run defense should also be much improved, especially since last season the Bears were one of the worst against the run. Using another top pick to build up the trenches is absolutely the way to build a team, and Pickens is a great start.
Round 4, Pick 115: Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas: A+
The absolute best pick in this draft class and my personal favorite, Texas running back Roschon Johnson. Johnson didn’t do anything special numbers wise but he was limited to a small number of opportunities. Johnson was behind the best running back and number eight overall pick Bijan Robinson at Texas, so it makes sense that he wasn’t given as many chances. However, Johnson was just as effective. According to PFF, in games against UTSA and Oklahoma, Robinson and Johnson were closest in snaps, with Robinson getting just a few more than Johnson. However, those two games were both top three rushing games from Texas’s season. That goes to show how good Johnson was/can be. He is a perfect replacement for David Montgomery, who signed with the Detroit Lions this offseason. Johnson was one of the best backs at playing through contact, with a 45% broken tackle rate over the last two years(via PFF). He’s also good in pass protection, which is something that Khalil Herbert struggles with. All in all, adding Johnson creates a four headed monster with Herbert, Foreman, and Fields for the Bears rushing attack. As of the time this article is being written, there’s still a week before rookie minicamp, but there is a strong possibility that he wins the starting spot by Week One and an even better chance that he wins it by the end of the season. And that’s not all. He was called an incredible leader and human by most of his former teammates at Texas. So to sum up, Johnson is a great runner, just as good at pass blocking, and most importantly he’s a great human being. That’s a lot of praise for a fourth round rookie that hasn’t seen the field yet, but that’s how much I, and many others, believe in him. Johnson is the perfect running back for this team and should be a must watch come Week One.
Round 4, Pick 133: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati: B+
Tyler Scott is an explosive receiver that can open up this offense. He’s a, surprise surprise, a great athlete that has insane speed on the field. He can take the top off the defense and he’s a decent route runner. Scott is eerily similar to Darnell Mooney. Both are 5’10” and around 175 pounds. Scott ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash and Mooney ran a 4.38 40. While it seems that Scott could take Mooney’s spot, it’s more of a depth pick. Scott should come in to compete for the WR4 spot right away. That gives Velus Jones the chance to focus on special teams, where he shined late last season, and gives Dante Pettis and Equanimeous St. Brown some friendly competition. Another reason for taking a receiver so similar to Mooney is for Justin Fields. Fields and Mooney created a connection from the minute they started playing together. It showed on the field when they played together and it started to show again last season before Mooney got hurt. Getting Scott, a very similar receiver to Mooney, gives Fields two weapons that fit his play style perfectly. Getting Scott really rounds out the receiver room and sets up the future of the position, as both Mooney and Chase Claypool are due to be free agents next offseason.
Round 5, Pick 148: Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon: B-
Noah Sewell was a star LB at Oregon in 2021 and was seen as a first-round prospect coming into the season. However, he had a down year in 2022 and dropped down the board. All the way to the Bears pick at 148. As always, Sewell is a great athlete that does well at tackling at a spot and blitzing. He’s a physical linebacker but struggles with getting sideline to sideline. He’s the LB4 on the team but will be good on special teams and could get some playing time with a good showing in training camp and preseason. Sewell is coming off a rough season but could turn it around within the next couple seasons. A good addition to a new and improved linebacker core.
Round 5, Pick 165: Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota: C+
Another good athletic corner that adds good depth to a position group that lacks depth. Smith is a very fast corner that improved a lot in his last season. He can stick with most receivers and has speed to cover the best of the best. He turned heads at the Shrine Bowl and answered a lot of questions that surrounded him. Another pick with potential and instant impact on special teams.
Round 7, Pick 218: Travis Bell, DT, Kennesaw State: A
Travis Bell wasn’t incredibly impressive in college but he is athletic and fits the 3-tech mold. However, the best part about this pick isn’t the player but where he came from. Bell is the first ever Kennesaw State player to be drafted in the NFL Draft. The first ever in the history of the draft! Another reason why this pick gets an A is how Ryan Poles described him. Poles called him one of his “favorite humans” and said he didn’t want to leave after his top-30 visit. That is some high praise from a guy that’s been an NFL exec since 2009. It’s always nice to have someone on the roster that’s easy to root for and Travis Bell seems to be that guy. He should get an opportunity to show off his football skills as well during training camp and he might fight for a plug-and-play type spot on the d-line.
Round 7, Pick 258: Kendall Williamson, DB, Stanford: C+
Williamson is a solid depth piece for the Bears. It’s hard to say much about him as he was the second to last pick in the draft but he’s a high motor player that can tackle. He lacks the coverage skills that you would want from a safety but he’s an all around solid player. Williamson was most likely high on the Bears UDFA list and they didn’t want to chance him signing somewhere else.
All in all, the Bears had a pretty impressive draft. They took some players that can come in and play hard at the skill positions, like Johnson and Scott. They also got some good depth pieces, like Sewell, Smith, and Bell. But most importantly, they built up the trenches. Wright, Dexter, and Pickens were all taken during the first two days of the draft. The Bears are finally using high draft capital on the offensive and defensive line. That’s how a team should be built and it’s refreshing to see. Getting high potential, athletic players seems to be Poles’s philosophy and it worked well in his first draft. Also getting a high number of picks to begin with. You’re going to get a lot more hits with ten swings than with five swings. Overall, the Bears draft looks very good on paper. It’s just up to the coaches to get the best out of the players and put it all together.
Overall Draft grade: A-
