Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles is off and running with his draft weekend to-do list, looking to improve a last-place roster and accelerate the team’s return toward playoff contention.
In a demanding and busy offseason, Poles has expressed eagerness to do his heaviest lifting through the draft. That process began in Thursday night’s first round and will continue through Saturday evening.
Bears remaining picks in 2023 NFL draft (April 27-29)
Round 2: Nos. 53 and 61
Round 3: No. 64
Round 4: Nos. 103 and 133
Round 5: Nos. 136 and 148
Round 7: Nos. 218 and 258
As Poles and the Bears navigate the weekend, we will offer you a comprehensive look at each of the players the team selects.
Catch up on our draft coverage
Round 1, No. 10: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
Height, weight: 6-5, 333
Why the Bears drafted him
Wright is a massive man who is hard to move. And while he has experience playing on both sides of the offensive line, he excelled last season at right tackle, where he can be plugged in as an immediate starter for the Bears. Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., who was selected No. 3 by the Houston Texans, singled out Wright as the opponent he had the most difficulty against last season. In 2021, Wright also had an eye-catching performance against Georgia’s Travon Walker, who was the top pick in the 2022 draft. Wright’s upside is undeniable and the flashes on his college tape are difficult to ignore.
Why he wasn’t drafted sooner
Wright was the second offensive tackle selected Thursday, so it’s not as if he had a grueling wait to hear his name called. Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. was the first offensive lineman off the board, picked at No. 6 by the Arizona Cardinals. The Bears, after trading down one spot and passing on Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, selected Wright over fellow offensive tackles Peter Skoronski of Northwestern — who went No. 11 to the Tennessee Titans — and Broderick Jones of Georgia.
In his own words
“As far as my talent and what I can do, I knew I could go this high. But it just took the right team to see that, the right coaches who know what they’re looking at and they know what I can be. I haven’t even reached my (potential). I’m just scratching the surface of what I can be. I think they know that. And I know that. It’s going to be fun.”
Analyst’s take
“He’s a mauler. He started 42 games at Tennessee. Go back and watch any of these games. Watch him against Travon Walker at left tackle (in 2021). Watch him at right tackle this year against Will Anderson. Watch him against the elite players in college football and watch him go eliminate them and shut them out. Then you just watch how he moves bodies. His power is real. His base is good. Everybody needs to be coached in this business. It’s a different game in the NFL than it is in college. But I think there’s an awful lot to like about his size, about his movement, about his power, about his mentality, about his experience.” — Brian Baldinger, analyst for Fox Sports, NFL Network and Audacy
You should know
In January, Wright had a strong week at the Senior Bowl playing for the American team that perhaps not coincidentally was coached by Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. “It means a lot to know I already have a relationship a little bit with that guy,” Wright said.