The ultimate Chicago Bears 2023 NFL Draft guide
By Ryan Olson
Third Day 1 Chicago Bears Target: Darnell Wright, OT - Tennessee
Darnell Wright has found his way into Day 1 talks after an outstanding combine later on in the draft cycle as he was not always as hyped up as he currently is. Wright is an exceptional athlete as he scored a 9.68 out of 10 in his RAS score which is a score that compares him to Combine testers in the past at that position.
In addition to being a great athlete, Wright has also shown enough in pass protection as far as technique goes which makes him in my opinion, the best pass protector in the draft. Wright also projects well in the rushing game because of his athleticism so the writing is on the wall to potentially be the complete package at tackle.
Despite the great RAS score at the Combine, Wright does have limitations, unlike Paris Johnson. Wright has 33.75-inch arms, which is not great for a tackle in the NFL. This could cause him to struggle in pass protection, especially in deeper drops such as play action which leaves him vulnerable to wider angles by pass rushers. Wright did not have to deal with deep drops of depth from his QB in college because of Josh Heupels' system which is about as far as you can possibly get from being a “pro-like system”.
The Chicago Bears taking Darnell Wright would mean that the organization is taking a step in the right direction and finally investing in the pass protection game is som. The new regime has yet to do it either. Wright has a solid floor as he tested very well when he got tested by Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. who might’ve been an NFL caliber pass rusher as a sophomore in college.