Chicago Bears 2023 NFL Draft Grade of No. 10

The Chicago Bears selected offensive tackle Darnell Wright out of the University of Tennessee with the tenth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They traded back one spot with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft. Many predicted the Bears to take either a tackle or a defensive lineman. Clearly, Ryan Poles wanted to sure up the offensive line and solidify the pass protection of Justin Fields.

Chicago Bears Draft Grade: Darnell Wright

Darnell Wright has the size and athleticism to be one of the best tackles in this draft. He was the second offensive lineman taken off the board after Paris Johnson Jr, and for good reason. He ran a 5.01 40-yard dash the 10-yard split in 1.81 seconds. He is known as a mauler and likes to finish his blocks with a pancake. He relies on his athleticism a lot, as well as his arm length in pass protection.

The negatives with Wright are that he showed some inconsistency up until his 2022 season at Tennessee. He tends to sacrifice technique for power sometimes, so he will probably need some chip blocks by a tight end as he gets used to NFL-level pass rushers. His footwork also has room for improvement, especially as he tries to get to the second level. He has improved his pass protection footwork a lot and has "matured" as a pass blocker over the final season of college. Still, he has room to grow in his technique and will have to improve as a run blocker to fit into the Bears' outside zone run scheme.

Many Bears fans will be upset that the Bears traded back instead of drafting Jalen Carter at ninth overall. While they may regret this decision down the line, Carter is a big risk due to his off-the-field issues. It is also clear the Bears were not set on Carter or they would not have traded back in the first place. The other choices at ten for offensive tackle were Peter Skowronski and Broderick Jones. Both were higher on my draft board than Wright, but that is because they are "safer" options more than anything. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick had some high praise for Wright during his instant analysis.

The Chicago Bears have found themselves a player that could potentially man the right tackle spot for a long time. He will have to improve his fundamentals and technique to compliment his size and atheticism, but he has all the talent in the world and should come in as a day one starter. He even has experience at guard and left tackle, so he brings versatility to the offensive line room. Ryan Poles and offensive line coach Chris Morgan clearly had him high up on their rankings.

Darnell Wright Draft Grade: B