Chicago Bears Draft: 3 bold predictions for the 2023 rookie class

Just like that, the 2023 NFL Draft is in the books. While Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears might be sipping a little bubbly today in celebration, Bears fans nationwide are combing through highlights and scouting reports to learn about their 2023 rookie draft class.

There is a lot to be excited about, Bears Nation. This draft class has a chance to be very special. While I know that some are going to be upset that the front office didn’t address the defensive end position directly, there was a sneaky selection that could address it going forward.

The offseason is also far from over. As General Manager Ryan Poles and Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham have stated on multiple occasions, they believe in selecting the best player available.

While sometimes that will align with the needs, it won’t always. As talent-starved as the Chicago Bears have been, it’s understandable why their philosophy is the way it is.

Now that we’ve addressed the elephant in the room, let’s get down to business. For those looking to inject some Chicago Bears hype straight into your veins, I’m here for you.

Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles set the table for 2023-24.

The winds of change are sweeping through the corridors of Halas Hall. No longer are these your father’s Bears. Ryan Poles has a philosophy and a plan. There is no disputing that.

While we had some good years with Jerry Angelo, the ensuing years with Phil Emery and Ryan Pace were a complete disaster. If there was a plan, it was very hard to discern.

The Chicago Bears now build primarily through the draft with a healthy salary cap and a clear collaboration process between the front office and the coaching staff.

The 2023 Chicago Bears rookie draft class attests to the latter, which leads me to my first bold prediction regarding our new defensive talent:

Prediction #1

Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles went to work on defense in the 2023 NFL Draft, bringing in a number of high-upside players who will transform the unit.

It’s been five long years since the Windy City had a Chicago Bears defense that they could be proud of and one that lived up to their tradition.

While we began the process of morphing back into the Monsters of the Midway with the introduction of defensive guru Matt Eberflus and the “HITS” principal last season, they were severely lacking in talent. This is not the case anymore.

After Ryan Poles’ calculated moves in the 2023 free agent class, their defensive needs entering the NFL Draft were clear. They needed to infuse their defensive line with talent and add another quality corner on the outside so that Kyler Gordon could focus on being the nickel back.

Luckily, Bears Nation, the front office has a philosophy and a plan. Poles addressed their needs with players who fit the exact profile that both he and Matt Eberflus look for.

The Chicago Bears drafted Gervon Dexter Senior, Zacch Pickens, and Kendall Williamson to bolster their interior defensive line while adding Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith at cornerback to shore up the secondary.

While naysayers will point to a lack of statistical production for some of these players (such as Gervon Dexter) at the spots they were drafted, Ryan Poles offered the perfect response for why things may not be as they seem in the box score.

All of the defensive players that the Chicago Bears drafted are freakishly athletic with extremely high upside. I believe that Matt Eberflus and Defensive Coordinator Alan Williams will be able to get the most out of these young men.

I can hear you now. “But Ryan Poles didn’t draft a defensive end!” This is where it gets interesting, as I’ve intentionally left out the most intriguing player.

Poles saw Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell on the board in the fifth round and knew the value was far too great to pass up.

Seen by some as a Day 2 pick, Sewell is another explosive player who plays with a ferocity and fearlessness that Chicago Bears fans will love. The most interesting part? Some believe he could play EDGE in certain situations.

While it may take time for him to develop his skills further as a pass rusher, his burst lends itself well to rushing the quarterback. Now, he needs to develop his repertoire.

With all of these picks, Ryan Poles addressed our needs by selecting players that complement each other and have high motors, and good character. They fit this culture perfectly.

Because of this draft class, the Monsters of the Midway are about to explode back onto the scene. With Aaron Rodgers out of the division, I see these young Chicago Bears rising up to reclaim their reputation as a franchise that prides itself on defense.

It may not be this year but within three years, this unit will be an annual Top 5 defense and it will be this draft class that people will remember as the true catalyst.

The Chicago Bears tradition doesn’t only extend to defense. It may be no coincidence, then, that my next bold prediction involves a rookie whose running style is as if he was meant to be a Chicago Bear running back his entire life.

Prediction #2

New Chicago Bears RB Roschon Johnson may not be a household name yet but he will be once he assumes the starting role and reaches milestones next to Justin Fields.

Tell me if you’ve heard this before: a new Chicago Bears running back has been drafted. He is known as having elite intangibles but that may be all he is elite at. He’s good at everything, but perhaps great at nothing. He could compete for a starting job, but he may not be ‘the guy.’

If you’re thinking of Roschon Johnson, I’d say you watched the 2023 NFL Draft or studied his draft profile prior. If you’re also thinking of Matt Forte, then we’re on the same page.

Coming out of Tulane, Matt Forte was not a household name. While he was drafted in the second round, there were many questions about his ability to be the primary starter due to a perceived lack of breakaway speed, among other reasons.

By his fourth carry in his first NFL game, Matt Forte put those doubts to bed. The rest was history. Roschon Johnson gives me serious Forte vibes. He was underrated throughout the entire draft process in large part because he was Bijan Robinson’s backup.

With that being said, is it a negative that he was a backup for the nation’s best college running back or is it a shining example of his character that he stayed with Texas despite his ability to start on many other teams?

https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1652360976166002688?cxt=HHwWgIC9kbTjru4tAAAA

When you see plays like this, it’s hard not to salivate at the thought of the read option when he’s standing next to Justin Fields.

Say what you want about his apparent ‘lack of top-end speed,’ does it really matter if you have an array of moves to elude or power through the defender?

Roschon Johnson is exactly the kind of player that we want starting in our backfield. He can do it all and his intangibles point to a man who is dedicated to being the best he can possibly be.

Thankfully, he has room to grow as he was originally a 4-star quarterback recruit coming out of high school. It’s unreal how natural of a runner he is despite being new to the position.

There is no doubt in my mind that Johnson will win the starting job at running back at some point this season. With his ability to catch out of the backfield and pass protect, he is a legitimate 3-down player.

It won’t be long before he endears himself to Chicago in a way that only tough, passionate players can. Don’t be surprised if you look up and he’s in the conversation for Rookie of the Year once it’s all said and done.

But why stop there? Roschon Johnson’s timing couldn’t be better as he will find rushing lanes easier to find next to Justin Fields as long as we improve the passing game as planned.

We’re in luck, though, Bears Nation, as more aid to the passing game arrived during the 2023 NFL Draft in the form of a Junior Olympic sprinter.

Prediction #3

Chicago Bears WR Tyler Scott is going to take the top off of defenses with his elite speed while becoming one of Justin Fields’ favorite weapons for years to come.

In the modern era of the NFL, the big play is king. Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs are never out of games because, at any given moment, they can go the length of the field in one play to cut down a deficit.

Last season, the Chicago Bears didn’t have anyone with blazing speed until they traded for athletic phenom Chase Claypool. However, it’s not enough to have one guy like that as teams will put a safety over the top to prevent it from happening.

Ryan Poles had apparently addressed this when he traded for D.J. Moore but he wasn’t done yet. He absolutely stole wide receiver Tyler Scott in the fourth round, rounding out a receiving corps that is unrecognizable to the group from a year ago.

Tyler Scott is exactly the kind of wide receiver that will thrive with Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields due to his unreal speed and shiftiness. Fields’ deep ball accuracy will be on full display going forward with athletes like Scott on the team.

It’s even been said that Tyler Scott ran as fast as a 4.29 40-yard dash when he was at Cincinnati, a time that would put him among the fastest players who have ever played the game.

When asked about himself, Scott admitted that he wasn’t a finished product but that should be scary news to the rest of the NFL.

You can’t put a man over the top of everyone. With Tyler Scott running routes alongside D.J. Moore, Chase Claypool, and Darnell Mooney, you can fully expect Scott to take it to the house from a distance more than a few times.

While his success would leave questions open as to Claypool or Mooney’s future with the Bears, that’s not a concern right now.

The upcoming season’s iteration of the Chicago Bears offense may very well end up being the most explosive in franchise history. Bears Nation, we’ll all be witnesses.