Stat predictions for the Chicago Bears 2023 rookie draft class

Chicago Bears 5th-Round Draft Pick: Terell Smith, CB

25 tackles, 1 interception, 3 pass deflections

Terell Smith is a classic example of a late bloomer. He was plagued by inconsistency for the first FOUR years at Minnesota before finally figuring things out in the 2022 season.

Was his 2022 season a mirage? Or did he finally learn to use his athletic gifts to his advantage? The Bears clearly believe the potential for the latter was high enough to pick him with their second fifth-round selection, and it's hard to fault them for feeling that way considering how well he played last year. His floor might be low, but his upside is tantalizing.

Like Sewell, Smith got drafted to a position of strength for Chicago, which hurts his chances of making an early impact. His main contribution early on should also come on special teams, as he has an ideal combination of size and speed that teams covet from their gunners.

Smith will battle it out with Kindle Vildor for the fourth cornerback spot, and it would not be surprising to see him come out on top in that competition. Likewise, it would also not be surprising to see him outperform his draft position if he gets the chance to do so, as he would have gone much higher in the draft if his 2022 season wasn't such an outlier.