Mel Kiper 2023 NFL Draft Rankings: 8 players who’d make sense for the Bears

Mel Kiper Jr. published his early 2023 NFL Draft rankings Tuesday, and with the Chicago Bears having a first-round pick in their arsenal next April, it’s worth taking a look at Kiper’s top 25 to see which players could end up in the Bears’ crosshairs.

Chicago is projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, and whether you agree with that sentiment or not, there’s a chance the Bears will be in a position to land a blue-chip talent in 2023.

Here’s a look at eight players in Kiper’s NFL draft rankings who’d be logical targets for the Bears.

Jaxson Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 5 overall

Njigba (6-0, 197 pounds) is the top wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.”s early 2023 NFL Draft rankings. He finished last season with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. His silky-smooth route-running and after-the-catch ability will keep him in the mix to be the first skill player selected all season.

Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 7 overall

Mayer (6-4, 251 pounds) is the next in line of athletic pass-catching tight ends entering the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons used an early first-round selection in 2021 to select Kyle Pitts, who ended his rookie season with the third-most receiving yards at the position. Mayer has enough size and power to function in the running game while also offering pass-catching chops to produce at a high level in the NFL.

Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 9 overall

The 2023 NFL Draft will be another strong one at wide receiver. Two of Kiper’s top-10 prospects play the position and Boutte (6-0, 197 pounds) has a chance to surpass Smith-Njigba as this year’s WR1 by season’s end. Despite totaling just 509 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021 (he suffered a leg injury after playing just six games), Boutte’s superb athleticism makes him a near-lock to end his college career as an early first-round pick.

Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 11 overall

So far, Kiper’s rankings are good news for Bears fans. Three of his top 11 players play at positions of need for Chicago at the start of the 2022 season. Skoronski (6-4, 294 pounds) is Kiper’s highest-rated offensive lineman who he describes as a technician with great feet and bend. He’ll need to add some weight this season, but teams will tap into the Northwestern program with the hopes of landing the next Rashawn Slater.

Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 15 overall

We’re up to four of Kiper’s top-15 players profiling as current needs for the Bears. Johnson (6-6, 315 pounds) played guard for Ohio State in 2021 but will slide to left tackle this season. Kiper is bullish on Johnson’s upside, going as far as to predict he could end up being a top-10 pick next April. Johnson allowed only one sack in 440 pass-block snaps last year.

Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 18 overall

Addison (6-0, 175 pounds) was quarterback Kenny Pickett’s favorite target at Pitt in 2021 but will adjust to life on the west coast this season. He led the nation in touchdown receptions last year and, as Kiper notes, is a “polished route-runner.” He doesn’t fit the WR1 physical profile — he weighs less than 180 pounds — and I wouldn’t be surprised if he experiences an in-season slide this fall.

Isaiah Foskey, OLB, Notre Dame
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 19 overall

Foskey (6-5, 260 pounds) is a tweener entering his senior season for the Fighting Irish. He totaled 11 sacks in 2021 and with another year of development could emerge as one of the top pass-rushing prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Bears will likely be in the market for another edge rusher next offseason, assuming this is Robert Quinn’s final year in Chicago.

Noah Sewell, ILB, Oregon
Mel Kiper Jr. Ranking: No. 23 overall

Sewell (6-3, 251 pounds) is the younger brother of Detroit Lions offensive tackle, Penei Sewell. He was already regarded as one of the top linebackers in the country last season. Sewell is a high-motor player who’s sure to impress Bears coach Matt Eberflus with his intensity.