NFL mock draft 2023: How Chicago Bears' pick changes at No. 9
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The Chicago Bears have stockpiled 10 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft after trading away the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers.
The focus now turns to the player that will set the tone for the Bears' entire draft. Who will Chicago select with the No. 9 pick overall?
Bears news:Fans euphoric after trade lands Carolina's DJ Moore, picks for NFL Draft's No. 1 pick
Let's take a look at what national pundits are predicting for the Bear's first-round pick:
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Reuter doesn't belive the addition of D'Onta Foreman removes Robinson from the Bears' wishlist.
"His combination of power, speed, shiftiness and receiving ability make him a potential star in the Christian McCaffrey mold," Reuter said.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com
Tommy Garrett, Pro Football Network: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
While Garrett notes this would be a great opportunity to seize a wide receiver, he feels the Bears choose Johnson for not only his physical power but hand-work finesse and strength in his grip. An ideal choice to protect Justin Fields.
Games are won in the trenches, and the longer he can give Fields time, the more fantasy value we’re going to get out of players like DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, and even Khalil Herbert, who has a chance to be a big winner following the loss of David Montgomery.
Tommy Garrett, Pro Football Network
Kevin Hanson, Sports Illustrated: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Johnson's athleticism, length and size make him the ideal choice to protect Field's left side at tackle, according to Hanson.
The Bears have added high future picks—first- and second-rounders in 2024 and ’25, respectively—to their draft capital following their trade with the Panthers. While that provides GM Ryan Poles greater flexibility in the future, adding DJ Moore via the trade with Carolina and then Johnson with this pick would put Justin Fields in a better position to succeed in the upcoming season.
Kevin Hanson, SI.com
Greg Auman, FOX Sports: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Auman believes Johnson is the best tackle in the draft class and perfectly fills a positional need for Chicago.
Having added a top receiver for Justin Fields in DJ Moore, now they can ramp up the QB's protection, with Johnson a solid upgrade on 2022 fifth-rounder Braxton Jones at left tackle.
Greg Auman, FOX Sports
Glynn Morgan, NBC Sports: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Morgan recognizes Johnson's fit as a starting left tackle, citing his abilities as a natural athlete.
An intelligent player who executes blocks well into the second level of defenses, he's the type of agile blocker required in today's more open offensive style of play.
Glynn Morgan, NBC Sports
Andrew Erickson, FantasyPros: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Erickson describes Chicago's addition of Johnson with one word — essential.
Right tackle Riley Reiff was signed by the Patriots and the Bears don’t have any reliable in-house options between Larry Borom and Alex Leatherwood as plug-in starters. Nate Davis can play guard, but tackle is still a question mark. Hence, the selection of Paris Johnson Jr. who was Fields’ teammate at Ohio State in 2020. In Johnson’s first season as a left tackle in 2022, the 6-foot-6, 313-pound OT finished as a consensus All-American.
Andrew Erickson, FantasyPros
Josh Schrock, NBC Sports: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Expecting Jalen Carter to be off the board, Schrock sees the Bears moving Braxton Jones to the right side and handing the keys to Johnson on the left.
Johnson is a 6-foot-6, 313-pound tackle with 36 1/8-inch arms. He has all the physical tools you want in a tackle and has the athleticism to get out wide in the Bears' zone-run scheme.
Josh Schrock, NBC Sports
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Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
Not everyone views Johnson as the best offensive lineman available. Chalk Jeremiah up here. He'd rather see Skoronski at right tackle as an immediate upgrade.
I love this pick for the Bears.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
Iyer goes as far as to make Skoronski Chicago's new left tackle protecting Fields after a successful NFL Combine.
The Bears might have an easy choice here should the edge rush options not be as tempting. They can simply look up the road to Evanston to provide Justin Fields with a major pass protection upgrade after already getting him a new No. 1 wide receiver in D.J. Moore.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic: Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
Fishbain sees defensive end Tyree Wilson already off the board, making the Bears sellers with no one buying. He has no problems with Skoronski being Chicago's consolation prize.
Everyone knew about his technical abilities, but at the combine, his athleticism was outstanding as well, an important trait for Chicago’s scheme. Maybe tackle isn’t his long-term position, but considering how important it is to protect against the league’s great three-techniques, I see no harm in using a top-10 pick on someone who could be a Pro Bowl guard. Either way, he has the tools to be a starter for a decade.
Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic
Sam Monson and Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus: Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
The guys at Pro Football Focus are all in on Skoronski heading to the Bears.
Skoronski has the highest floor of any offensive lineman in the draft class. It may just come at guard, though.
Sam Monson and Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus
Charles Davis, NFL.com: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Davis doesn't see Carter falling past the Bears.
The top-rated player in the draft on many boards prior to the NFL combine, Carter's 'slide' stops here ... with the team that may have selected him at No. 1 overall if it had not traded the pick.
Charles Davis, NFL.com
Scouting department, The 33rd Team: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
The Bears get Carter, who is the player Chicago would have taken at No. 1 even if they hadn't traded back, according to The 33rd Team.
Carter’s draft process has included an arrest for racing and reckless driving chargers, which he plead no contest to, and an underwhelming pro day where he was out of shape and unable to complete positional drills. Still, his talent is undeniable, and the Bears need the pass rush help.
Scouting department, The 33rd Team
Matthew Freedman, FantasyPros: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Freedman describes Chicago's selection of Carter with four words.
The Bears get lucky.
Matthew Freedman, FantasyPros
Kyle Stackpole, CBS Sports: Jaxson Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Stackpole sees the moves the Bears are making and despite adding D.J. Moore when trading the No. 1 pick overall, Smith-Njigba is the man at No. 9.
They've already filled some holes, but there's more work to be done. And with their newly acquired No. 9 selection, the Bears give Justin Fields a familiar weapon in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a route-running savant with elite agility skills.
Kyle Stackpole, CBS Sports
Nate Davis, USA Today: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Davis cites Gonzalez's "explosive athleticism" that was on display at the NFL Combine and All-Pac-12 showing in 2022 as the reason for Chicago's move here.
The Bears, who surrendered the most points in the NFL in 2022 (27.2 per game), need help throughout their defense, though corner has been especially problematic despite the recent second-round picks invested in Jaylon Johnson (2020) and Kyler Gordon (2022).
Nate Davis, USA Today
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
Prisco believes the Bears could get a steal if Wilson ends up in Chicago.
Their defensive line needs a lot of help heading into this draft. Tyree Wilson might end up being the best edge player in this class. He does have a foot injury that has limited his offseason work some.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
Bears' 2023 NFL Draft picks by round
Round 1, Pick 9 (from Carolina)
Round 2, Pick 53 (from Baltimore)
Round 2, Pick 61 (from Carolina)
Round 3, Pick 64
Round 4, Pick 103
Round 4, Pick 133 (from Philadelphia)
Round 5, Pick 136
Round 5, Pick 148 (from New England)
Round 7, Pick 218
Round 7, Pick 258*
*Compensatory selection
Chris Sims is a digital producer for the Journal Star. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Chicago Bears NFL Draft 2023: Mock draft predictions for No. 9 pick
