Chicago Bears 2023 Mock Draft: Huge trade at No. 1 overall sparks Bears’ 7-round mock

The Chicago Bears are on the clock in the 2023 NFL Draft. For now.

Thanks to a crazy ending to the Week 18 slate of games, the Bears ended up with the first overall draft pick, which hasn’t happened since the Harry S. Truman administration. As far as consolation prizes for a lost season go, this one is pretty good.

So what are the Bears going to do with that first-overall pick? The consensus answer is ‘trade back.’ In this week’s mock draft, they do make a trade. This time with the Tennessee Titans.

The Titans get the first overall pick while sending the Bears the eleventh pick, a second-rounder, next year’s first-rounder, and stud defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. This gets the Bears the extra picks they want, plus fills a tremendous position of need with one of the best young defensive linemen available.

Let’s see what the Chicago Bears do with those extra picks in this seven-round 2023 mock draft.

Round 1: Quentin Johnston – Wide Receiver, TCU

Despite a poor showing in the National Championship, Johnston remains the top wide receiver prospect. An intriguing blend of size and speed, Johnston looks like the dominant WR1 that Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears need to take a Year 3 leap like Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts did.

Round 2 (via Tennessee): Luke Wypler – Center, Ohio State

The Bears desperately need help along the offensive line, especially at Center. Wypler was arguably the best Center in the Big Ten and just recently declared for the draft. In his last game as a Buckeye, Wypler helped make Georgia’s star pass rusher Jalen Carter almost completely nonexistent, a fantastic sign for what he could do against NFL pass rushers.

Round 2: Darnell Wright – Offensive Tackle, Tennessee

With years of experience at both right and left tackle spots, Wright provides tremendous value here for the Bears. He’s got terrific hand strength and anchors well against the pass rush, and he plays with a mean streak. He weighs 335 lbs, a little heavier than Matt Eberflus prefers, and would benefit by cutting down to 320-325 lbs.

Round 3: Zach Harrison – Edge, Ohio State

Back to the Buckeyes. Harrison is blazing fast and has great measurables, too. His college production won’t knock your socks off, but he has all the physical traits of a future star. He would have to be coached up to his full potential, something I fully trust Eberflus to do.

Round 4: Noah Sewell – Linebacker, Oregon

The younger brother of the Detroit Lions’ Penei Sewell, Noah Sewell has great size for a linebacker and the versatility to line up at multiple spots. His best work is as a run defender, which the Bears desperately need after giving up nearly 160 yards per game on the ground. His coverage skills could use some work, but I trust Eberflus to get the most out of his guys.

Round 5: DeWayne McBride – Running Back, UAB

All signs point to David Montgomery having taken his last handoff as a Chicago Bear. Khalil Herbert is a solid replacement, but he’ll need backup. McBride led the FBS in rushing yards with 1,702 and racked up an incredible 19 touchdowns. Like Montgomery, he’s got the muscular frame and powerful legs to beat the first tackler and get extra yards consistently. His ceiling appears low, but he has the physical traits to be a draft steal.

Round 5: Riley Moss – Cornerback, Iowa

In 40 career college games, Moss has racked up eleven interceptions, twenty-five passes defended, and 156 total tackles. He’s been one of the most highly-graded cornerbacks in the Big Ten and is a high-floor draft prospect with starter potential. At worst, he’d provide reliable depth in the secondary.

Round 6: Tyson Bagent – Quarterback, Shepherd

With all due respect to Trevor Siemian and Nathan Peterman, the Bears need a new backup quarterback. One who plays the kind of football that Fields does.

Enter Bagent. A mobile, shifty quarterback with a cannon for an arm and the winner of the Harlon Hill Trophy in 2021. He comes from a Division II program, so there are the inevitable ‘small school’ concerns. But the Bears aren’t drafting him to replace Fields, just play like a poor man’s Fields in a pinch, and I think he can do that. With so many picks in this draft, I feel comfortable spending a 6th rounder for a reliable backup to Fields.

Round 6: Jonah Tavai – Defensive Tackle, San Diego State

Tavai has terrorized the Mountain West Conference for the last two years, racking up 19 sacks as an Aztec. He’s got a great build for a defensive tackle, compact and strong like a wrecking ball, and a mauler’s attitude. His lack of more refined technique limits his ceiling for now, but playing backup to Jeffrey Simmons in the proposed trade could help him take his game to the next level.

Round 7: Zack Kuntz – Tight End, Old Dominion

I’ll just say it: Zack is my draft crush. He will be on every single mock draft I create. He doesn’t block well, and his route running isn’t anything to write home about, but if the Bears can’t figure out how to utilize a 6’ 8”, 251-pound guy with a 40-inch vertical in the red zone, then what are we even doing?