Ranking the Bears' 10 Best Draft Picks of the Last Decade
The last decade has been far from sunshine and rainbows for Bears fans. The team has not seen much success and has had events that will haunt them forever including drafting Trubisky over Mahomes, the Marc Trestman era, and the double doink.
The draft is a key component to gauge the success of NFL franchises. Often =times the teams that draft and develop players well, see more success than those that do not. It isn't rocket science. There are surely not many people arguing the Bears have been the model for drafting. Mitchell Trubisky, Adam Shaheen, and Anthony Miller did not save any careers. However, it has not all been dreadful. Since 2014, there have been some very good picks made by the Bears including multiple Pro Bowlers and All Pros.
The Bears have made 75 selections in the draft since 2014. Let's dive in and rank the 10 best of that group, starting with number 10.
10. Tyrique Stevenson, CB - 2023
2nd Round, 56th Overall
I went back and forth on starting the list with either Darnell Mooney or Stevenson and eventually landed on Stevenson as I believe there is more promise with him. Mooney was a 5th round selection so the value is definitely on his side, but outside of one flashy season he did not overwhelm me. The same case can be made with Stevenson if he comes out next year and lays an egg, but I do not see that happening. Mooney's drop-off in play can also be credited to the play of the quarterback and the arrival of D.J. Moore. Stevenson should only get better with more pieces being added around him on defense.
Stevenson graded as the second-best rookie corner last season per Pro Football Focus. In his rookie year he had 86 combined tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles. Those all ranked first amongst rookie corners last season. He struggled slightly early on with penalties and catching interceptions, but he settled in nicely and was one of the best rookie defensive backs in 2023. He should be able to build on a strong rookie campaign and give opposing quarterbacks headaches for years to come.