Chicago Bears Draft: 3 reasons Darnell Wright was the perfect pick

In the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears made a polarizing move.

General manager Ryan Poles opted to move back from the no. 9 pick, just one spot, with the Philadelphia Eagles. At that pick, the Eagles went and drafted Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, while the Bears opted for Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright.

As is typical, fans reacted in many different manners. Some loved the pick. Some were upset that Chicago passed on Carter. But, at the end of the day, Poles went with the best player on his board and, quite frankly, made the absolute perfect pick.

Wright stands 6-foot-5, weighing 333 pounds and comes in as the consensus second-best, pure offensive tackle prospect in this class. Why was Wright the correct pick? We’ll give you three reasons, starting with the biggest argument some fans will bring to the table.

Why Darnell Wright was the perfect pick for the Chicago Bears in 2023 NFL Draft: Jalen Carter was clearly a risk

Sure, fans would have been thrilled had the Bears taken Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter at no. 9 overall.

But, the concerns surrounding Carter continued to pile up. It wasn’t just the off-field incident that led to the death of one of his teammates. No, it was the lackluster Pro Day he put on display, too.

The Bears will have plenty of opportunity to address the defensive line, both interior and outside, throughout the draft. But, Carter’s woes were clearly not quelled by his meeting at Halas Hall during the pre-draft process.

Poles is, by all accounts, a standup guy.  So is head coach Matt Eberflus, for that matter. If they had concerns with Carter, then fans should trust Chicago’s leadership.

Chicago went with a First Team All-SEC honoree, in Wright, who held his own against some of the top pass rushing talent in all of college football.