2023 NFL Draft: Bears land OT, DL help in latest Mel Kiper 2-round mock draft

ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. published a two-round 2023 mock draft Tuesday that featured the Chicago Bears addressing three of their biggest needs in the first two rounds.

Kiper’s mock drafts at this time of year are worth paying close attention to. As one of the most tuned-in analysts in the NFL draft industry, his mock drafts are more about what he’s hearing than what he’d do with the picks. His intel is usually spot-on.

It’s become nearly a foregone conclusion that the Chicago Bears will select an offensive tackle with their first-round pick. But Mel Kiper put a unique spin on who that offensive tackle will be. Rather than choose one of the usual suspects — Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State), Peter Skoronski (Northwestern), or Broderick Jones (Georgia) — Kiper sends the Bears Darnell Wright (Tennessee).

Darnell Wright’s NFL Draft stock peaking at the right time

“I like Wright’s opportunity with the Bears if we’re strictly looking at right tackles, since Braxton Jones held his own on the left side last season,”

The good news for the Chicago Bears is they’ll have plenty of options to fill their void at right tackle in the first round. Mel Kiper’s mock draft is proof of that. The Bears begin the run on offensive tackles that includes four selected between picks 9 and 19.

Mel Kiper Mock Draft sends Chicago Bears help on defense too

As for Round 2, Mel Kiper’s mock draft fills two other critical needs on the Bears” roster.

With the first of their two second-rounders, Kiper sends Chicago BJ Ojulari, the edge rusher from LSU, who totaled 5.5 sacks in 2022. Ojulari finished his career with the Tigers with 16.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss, he’d provide the Bears with a high-upside edge rusher who could start immediately for Matt Eberflus’ defense in Year 1.

The Chicago Bears return to LSU and add defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy with their second second-round pick in Kiper’s mock draft.

“Roy is a 305-pound nose tackle prospect who is powerful against the run,” Kiper wrote. “He’s hard to block. In this scenario, he could battle to start with Andrew Billings, who was signed this offseason. Chicago has to keep building up the trenches, I’ve gone O-line or D-line with each of their top three picks.”

I doubt the Bears will add a traditional nose tackle this early in the draft, especially with their massive need at 3-tech. Other positions like cornerback and even another edger rusher would make more sense too. This pick feels like a miss in Mel Kiper’s mock draft.

Overall, Kiper deserves a C+ for his effort in this two-rounder. Darnell Wright is a good pick. BJ Ojulari is fine, assuming he continues to develop his pass-rush plan. Jaquelin Roy is a swing and a miss. I doubt Chicago Bears fans would be thrilled with an early draft haul like this one.