Chicago Bears draft grades for 2023 NFL Draft. Here's the expert analysis

The Bears traded their second-round pick to the Steelers for receiver Chase Claypool, who did not make a significant impact after joining Chicago at midseason last year. They later acquired second-round selections from Baltimore (Roquan Smith) and Carolina (trade for this year’s No. 1 overall pick), using the first on the long, athletic, powerful Dexter to improve their defensive line group. Dexter and Pickens must be more consistent in the NFL. Chicago wisely parted with a fifth-round pick to move up for Stevenson, a physical outside defender with the speed to stay with top receivers.

Chad Reuter, NFL.com

(Roschon) Johnson will walk in the door as an NFL-caliber special-teamer and will be a popular figure in that locker room. Coaches love his work ethic and selfless nature. Had he played at any other school, Johnson would have been featured far more. A really nice player who runs hard.

I mentioned to an ex-Bears scout a few months ago that I thought (Tyler) Scott fit what the Bears might target in this draft. But we assumed it would be a round earlier. He's a really good speed option to keep opening up the pass game for Justin Fields.

Who is ready for a Noah Sewell vs. Penei Sewell collision when the Bears and Lions meet? (Perhaps on a David Montgomery run.) The younger Sewell is a thickly built, two-down linebacker who lacks twitchy athleticism but can bring some thump to his hits.

We got in on Smith back in January and liked what we saw. He runs well with respectable length and even came on as a "cat" blitzer in 2022. Injuries have followed him for years, though, and he's a bit older at 24.

Another player I have not yet watched college tape on, (Travis) Bell reportedly had a solid pro-day performance but will need to overcome a lack of length.

A downhill, hard-hitting safety, (Kendall) Williamson tested well but doesn't always arrive at the ball on time. He has the traits to make a roster.

Eric Edholm, NFl..com

What makes Wright’s game so appealing? He’s a 6’5”, 330-pound mauler with smooth recovery footwork and violent hands. He’s a high-level pass protector out of the gate, who also has the core strength, width, torque, and finisher’s mentality to clear lanes as a run blocker. Chicago secures a premier position here and sets the stage for a massive improvement in 2023.

This is a bit rich for Dexter, who graded just inside the top 100 on my board. The value at DT, in general, wasn’t great at this pick, and the Bears might have been better served targeting an edge rusher. That said, Dexter does present appeal with his physical potential.

Again, I would’ve preferred EDGE here from a positional standpoint, but Stevenson is a very good value deal at this point. He was a top-50 prospect on my board, and he offers very exciting upside with his unique frame and athletic profile. Stevenson has some of the most abrupt explosiveness out of transitions in this CB class, and he has a strong frame with great length.

Pickens is a former five-star recruit who exudes natural talent. He plays around 6’4”, 300 pounds. Not only does he wear that weight well, but he also has elite proportional length, with arms over 34” long. In run defense, Pickens acquires leverage well and can shed blocks with ruthless torque, and as a pass rusher, his combined burst, agility, and hand force can be difficult to handle.

The Bears could have dipped into the remaining EDGE pool here, but Roschon Johnson is a quality pick. He’s a superb rotational RB on Day 1 with his hard-charging style, receiving ability, and blocking utility. At his size – around 6’0”, 220 pounds – Johnson’s a slasher as an athlete, and there’s reason to believe he can thrive with added volume.

Tyler Scott is a top-100 prospect on my board. He’s primarily a vertical threat who needs to keep refining his stem work in the short and intermediate ranges, but Scott’s speed can be deadly for defenses. And with Darnell Mooney’s contract expiring in 2024, Scott provides security and a valuable sparkplug in the rotation.

This is classic “playing the board” from Chicago. The Bears don’t have a need at LB, with Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Jack Sanborn comprising the starting unit. But at this point, Noah Sewell’s natural size-speed combination might be worth the dart throw. He has plenty of room to refine his game beyond the measurements, but the upside is real here.

There were a few higher-rated cornerbacks on my board, but I’m a big fan of adding Terell Smith here, nonetheless. Smith was a standout at the Shrine Bowl. He has a phenomenal build at 6’0 ½” and 204 pounds, with near-33” arms. At the same time, he’s a fleet-footed athlete with easy transitioning ability and 4.41 speed. With Jaylon Johnson entering a contract year, this is a prudent future-minded move.

Most Round 7 selections are akin to dart throws, and this dart throw is more intriguing than most. Travis Bell has an eye-catching physical skill set. ... He’s strong, explosive, and has the traits to be a disruptive 3-tech in Chicago’s scheme with more development.

Kendall Williamson likely factors in as a special-teams player for Chicago. He wasn’t overly productive at Stanford, but he does have an ideal physical profile for a special-teams role. ... Special teams aren’t flashy, but it’s important to have players who can fill that role.

Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network

The Bears fill their massive need for a pass-protecting left tackle for Justin Fields, but it’s not Johnson, Peter Skoronski or even Broderick Jones. He rose up boards late by showing teams more athleticism in his powerful frame, but should have gone later in the round vs. the other available tackles. ... The Bears needed to beef up the position (DL) with a run stuffer and as a bonus, Dexter has some untapped explosive upside shooting into the backfield. ... The Bears continue their solid defensive haul with a big, attacking corner (Stevenson) to help out a lot of their issues in coverage behind a revamped pass rush. ... The Bears are really looking to upgrade the athleticism and quickness in their defensive line rebuild but it’s a little odd they took Pickens after just getting the similar Dexter in the previous round out of the SEC.

Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News

I like that the Bears went with offensive line, but I would have taken Peter Skoronski over him here. But, they very much needed help for Justin Fields and we saw Wright stone Will Anderson last season. It could work out. ... Dexter is built well for the interior and his consistency and health at Florida are a big plus. But overall, his athleticism and talent are average. He’s a bit slow to get off the ball, which gets him behind against the run. ... Stevenson is big and aggressive, but lacks technique and patience. He has the athleticism to be a star, but his tape doesn’t foresee that just yet. ... Pickens has the burst and speed to get leverage on offensive lineman, but his size is a concern in the NFL. If he were 30 pounds heavier and as quick as he is, he’d have went in the first round. As it is, he should be able compete and work to build strength and size, but it’s not a given that he won’t lose some of what makes him so good.

Johnson is a power back who produces extra yards by running through tackles. He’s not very creative, but he does find ways to get those extra yards. There’s a real chance this backfield is up for grabs, so Johnson should at least get a chance to lead and his pass blocking skills will help. ...

Chet Gresham, DraftKings Nation

Wright is a flexible tackle who has blindside potential but is capable of bringing immediate value on the right side across from 2022 rookie overachiever Braxton Jones. ... I believe there were better options than Wright available, but this is a talented prospect and a common sense pick for a rising franchise.

Dexter only played two years of high school football, so in terms of a still-growing prospect, this is a solid pick. ... Peter Skoronski is an athletic tackle who has kept his quarterback clean. He can play every position up front, though his short arms may have him end up at guard.

Christian D'Andrea, For The Win, USA Today Sports

(Stevenson)’s a plus-player in coverage with stellar make-up speed and is a problem for receivers trying to get free in press-man. Cornerbacks often struggle to be on an island at first, but that probably won’t be an issue for Stevenson.

Drafting Pickens means Chicago almost finishes its complete overhaul of a defensive line that was gutted specifically for tanking (wink, wink).

Robert Zeglinski, For The Win, USA Today Sports

The Bears add a mid-round gem of a running back in Johnson, who didn’t get as much limelight due to playing behind the draft’s top running back Bijan Robinson, but he will fit in well in Chicago. Johnson runs hard, and possesses a good balance of power and elusiveness.

Jarrett Bailey, Bearswire, USA Today Sports

Scott is an absolute speedster (4.32 40-yard dash) who will present a vertical threat for quarterback Justin Fields. Scott averaged 44.6 yards per touchdown catch in college, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, and he has all of the makings of a big-play threat in this Bears offense.

Sewell, a three-year starter at Oregon, has the potential to be a steal for the Bears. He’s a high-motor, hard-hitting linebacker, who will provide solid depth on this Bears defense.

The Bears added depth to the secondary with Smith, who has a nice combination of size (6-1, 204-pounds), speed (4.41), and length (32 7/8). Smith has plenty of upside and could prove to be a late-round steal for Chicago.

Alyssa Barbieri, Bearswire, USA Today Sports

Wright fills a need for the Bears, but he is just the 22nd-ranked player on the PFF draft board. He produced a PFF grade of just 71.4 in 2022 but has some really good reps on tape where he just overpowers people. He allowed just eight total pressures in 2022.

Dexter is young at just over 21 years of age. He offered very little as a pass-rusher in 2022, with just a 55.2 grade, but his explosiveness is evident. ... (Stevenson)’s not an elite athlete at the position, which is likely why he’s a mid-second-round player, but he does have the size and production to make this an intriguing pick. ... Pickens put up an 11.5% pass-rush win rate last season, with his 91st-percentile broad jump showing up on tape. The Bears’ defensive interior ranked 32nd in the league in PFF grade last season, so the team is investing a lot to change that.

Staff, PFF.com