Ranking the Bears' 10 Best Draft Picks of the Last Decade
How do the best 10 draft selections by the Bears in the last decade stack up?
3. Jaylon Johnson, CB - 2020
2nd Round, 50th Overall
Johnson has had a few solid years, but has also battled some injuries up to this point. He broke out last year with the best season of his career by far. A year that earned him a new contract and made him one of the top-paid corners in the league. This was well-deserved after he was ranked the number-one corner in the league according to PFF. In 2023 Johnson posted four interceptions and 10 passes defended. He allowed only a 33.3 passer rating while targeted and just a 46.3% completion percentage.
The hope is the 2023 Second-team All-Pro can put together consistent seasons like that going forward. The Bears have something brewing on defense and he is a cornerstone. He is only 25 years old also and is on a 4-year deal currently. He can potentially see one more big payday in his career if his play continues on this path.
2. Eddie Jackson, S - 2017
4th Round, 112th Overall
There was a stretch in 2018 where you almost expected Jackson to have an interception or a touchdown every week. Prime Eddie Jackson was one of the best ball-hawking safeties in the NFL. His great play earned him a second contract with the Bears in 2020 when he signed a deal worth $58.4M with $33M fully guaranteed.
In seven seasons with the Bears, Jackson totaled 15 interceptions, 44 passes defended, 459 combined tackles, and six touchdowns. He was selected to two Pro Bowls and named a First-team All-Pro in 2018. He was also named a member of the Top 100 Greatest Bears of All-Time where he ranked 96th. His play declined over the last couple seasons with the Bears, but his play was much higher than the 4th round tag he had after the draft. This was hands down Ryan Pace's best draft selection.