Chicago Bears Draft: 7 Positional needs in the 2023 Draft
By Evan Bruner
Chicago Bears Draft Need No. 4: Cornerback
The Bears made secondary a major point of emphasis in last year’s draft and paid dividends. Jaquan Brisker was one of the best defensive rookies in the entire league, and although Kyler Gordon had a rocky start to his NFL career, he turned a corner toward the end of the season.
There may not be a position more volatile than cornerback, and that’s a big reason the Bears should continue to attack the position in the upcoming draft. The erratic nature of corner compounded with Jaylon Johnson’s health issues, make depth crucial to the Bears' defense.
Possible Targets
Devon Witherspoon
Drafting a cornerback inside the top ten would be met with mixed reactions from the Bears fanbase, but the Bears may be stuck in no man’s land at No. 9. If Carter, Anderson, Wilson, and Johnson are all off the board, Witherspoon may be the best player on Chicago’s board.
Witherspoon’s processing and instincts are in a league of their own. He moves well out of his breaks and has impressive physicality for his size. Witherspoon’s precocious play style to go with his elite film from a year ago will make him one of the first corners off the board, and staying in the state of Illinois isn’t entirely out of the question.
Garrett Williams
As fun as pairing Witherspoon with Chicago might be, it isn’t the most practical selection. If the Bears do choose to address corner early in the draft, it will likely be in the second or third round. This puts a prospect like Syracuse’s Garrett Williams into the mix.
Coming off a torn ACL may lower his draft stock, but even with the possibility of opening the season on the PUP list, Williams warrants a high selection. He has elite food speed and fluid hips, allowing him to stay on routes in man coverage.
In a way, Williams is Witherspoon lite. He has many of the same traits that make the Illinois product such a hot commodity. But his ACL injury and inexperience in press coverage will likely drop him to day two, which could make for a good value pick.