Get to know the Chicago Bears 2023 draft class
The Chicago Bears drafted 10 players in last month’s NFL draft, from Darnell Wright at No. 10 to Kendall Williamson at No. 258. The Tribune spoke to each draft pick’s college coach for more insight.
No. 10: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
The Bears loved what they saw from Darnell Wright that day on the Tennessee campus, and three weeks later they made him the No. 10 pick in the draft, locking him in as a likely starter for his rookie season and beyond.
Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee worked with Wright for two seasons and sees high-end NFL potential for the massive tackle. Elarbee spoke to the Tribune recently to provide insight into Wright’s game and wiring. Read more here.
No. 53: Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida
General manager Ryan Poles passed on the consensus best defensive tackle in the draft — Georgia’s Jalen Carter — and that move will be evaluated for some time. But the Bears got a young player with upside at the position in the second round, choosing Florida’s Gervon Dexter with the 53rd pick.
David Turner, currently the defensive line coach at Mississippi State, coached that position for the Gators from 2019 through 2021. He was part of not only recruiting Dexter, but also coaching him for Dexter’s first two seasons in Gainesville, Fla.
Turner spoke to the Tribune recently to provide insight into Dexter’s game and how he projects in the NFL. Read more here.
No. 56: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
General manager Ryan Poles has made several moves to boost the Bears secondary since he took over in January 2022. In last year’s draft, he added cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round. And late last month, he used another second-round pick on Tyrique Stevenson, a 6-foot, 198-pound cornerback who played two seasons at Georgia and two at Miami.
Now Stevenson is expected to compete for playing time at corner with Gordon and Jaylon Johnson.
Miami secondary coach Jahmile Addae coached Stevenson for his final season with the Hurricanes, during which Stevenson had two interceptions and nine passes defended.
Addae spoke with the Tribune this month to share his experiences working with Stevenson. Read more here.
No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina
The Bears weren’t necessarily looking to double-dip at defensive tackle on Day 2 of the NFL draft. That’s just how it worked, and now they have a chance to rebuild the front with youth from the inside out.
The Bears chose South Carolina defensive tackle Zacch Pickens with the first selection of Round 3 (No. 64), nine picks after selecting Florida’s Gervon Dexter. While it could appear redundant, veterans Justin Jones and Andrew Billings are on one-year contracts and without future options at the position, the Bears almost assuredly would have been signing or drafting tackles next offseason.
Pickens had a career-high 42 tackles for the Gamecocks last season with 2½ sacks, and his disruptive first step offers hope he can boost the interior pass rush.
Jimmy Lindsey, South Carolina’s defensive line coach the last two seasons and now at LSU, spoke to the Tribune about Pickens’ development into a draft prospect. Read more here.
No. 115: Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
Bears general manager Ryan Poles said he was “shocked” running back Roschon Johnson was still on the board when the Bears drafted him in the fourth round last month. The Bears believe they are bringing in a player who can help them in many ways on and off the field.
Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice saw all of the ways Johnson can affect a team as Johnson totaled 93 carries for 554 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 as the backup to Bijan Robinson — the No. 8 pick in the draft.
Choice spoke recently to the Tribune about what type of player and leader Johnson can be for the Bears. Read more here.
No. 133: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
Speed. That’s the first word on every scouting report for Bears rookie wide receiver Tyler Scott. A fifth-round pick in last month’s draft, Scott was a Junior Olympian in track as a kid in addition to being a burner as a high school running back.
After he got to college at Cincinnati, he converted to wide receiver and last season produced 54 catches, 899 yards and nine touchdowns for the Bearcats.
The Bears felt fortunate to select Scott as late as they did (No. 133) and envision him becoming a dynamic weapon for quarterback Justin Fields. Former Cincinnati receivers coach Mike Brown, who is now at Wisconsin, can’t say enough about Scott’s speed and approach to the game.
Brown spoke to the Tribune recently to relay his experience with Scott and offer insight on the rookie’s skill set. Read more here.
No. 148: Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon
Rookie Noah Sewell joins the Bears at an intriguing time in the linebackers room.
Before the Bears drafted Sewell out of Oregon in the fifth round, general manager Ryan Poles signed free agents Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards to join second-year linebacker Jack Sanborn. Now Sewell arrives to add depth to the position.
Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi worked with Sewell for his final season with the Ducks as he wrapped up a three-year career that included 215 tackles, 20½ tackles for a loss, 7½ sacks, two interceptions, 11 passes defended and three forced fumbles.
Lupoi spoke recently with the Tribune about Sewell’s strengths and potential. Read more here.
No. 165: Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota
With a need for depth at cornerback to join Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, the Chicago Bears drafted Tyrique Stevenson in the second round and circled back for Minnesota’s Terell Smith in Round 5 at No. 165 overall.
Conventional thinking is Stevenson will get the first shot to be a starter in the nickel package, but the Bears believe Smith has upside and will compete to be in the mix.
“What’s special about him is he’s kind of made that steady ascent?” co-director of player personnel Trey Koziol said. “So, when we look at drafting players, it’s like, can you still get more out of them? Are they still on that developmental upswing? And I think that’s where Terell really stood out.”
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck described Smith as a player who was constantly pushing to improve. Fleck spoke to the Tribune about the cornerback’s development and prospects for a professional career. Read more here.
No. 218: Travis Bell, DT, Kennesaw State
Even after selecting two defensive tackles on Day 2 of the NFL draft, Bears general manager Ryan Poles could not resist the opportunity to scoop up a third.
There was too much about Travis Bell’s makeup and hustle that drew Poles to the player, so the Bears selected him in the seventh round with the No. 218 pick, adding a developmental player from the FCS level to the position group.
“This is probably one of my favorite human beings,” Poles said of the Kennesaw State product. “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.”
Kennesaw State coach Brian Bohannon described a similar affinity for Bell and what he meant to the school’s program. Bohannon spoke to the Tribune about the defensive tackle’s development and prospects for a professional career. Read more here.
No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S, Stanford
One of the most impactful draft picks Ryan Poles made in his first year as Bears general manager was choosing safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round of the 2022 draft.
Poles waited until the seventh round to select a safety this year, drafting Stanford’s Kendall Williamson with the 258th pick, citing his speed and range.
While the Bears plugged in Brisker immediately, they shouldn’t need to force Williamson onto the field with veteran Eddie Jackson still in place. But the Bears need to plan for the future and create a depth chart, and Williamson’s traits make him a potential core special teams performer for coordinator Richard Hightower.
Over the last two seasons, Williamson totaled 117 tackles, six tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception, nine passes defended and two forced fumbles.
Lars Anderson, Stanford’s defensive coordinator during Williamson’s five years at the school, spoke to the Tribune about the safety’s development and prospects for a professional career. Read more here.
