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2023 Draft Grades: Bears earn ‘A’ from NFL.com for Darnell Wright selection
The Chicago Bears earned a perfect grade from NFL.com for their selection of Darnell Wright in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears earned high marks from NFL.com for their decision to draft Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
General Manager Ryan Poles stuck to his board after trading from No. 9 to 10 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He passed on defensive lineman Jalen Carter, and the result was an A grade.
“General manager Ryan Poles made the best of a disappointing 2022 campaign, trading out of the top overall pick in exchange for three premium selections (a 2023 second-round pick, 2024 first and 2015 second),” Chad Reuter wrote. “They moved back again, swapping spots with the Eagles at No. 10 while adding a 2024 fourth-round selection, to take Wright, who worked himself into a top-10 pick after moving from left to right tackle last fall. His ability to move defenders off the snap and find targets in space will be used immediately by the Bears.”
Wright immediately fills the Chicago Bears” glaring need at right tackle and is a massive upgrade from players like Larry Borom and Riley Reiff. He’ll pair with Braxton Jones to give Coach Matt Eberflus a pair of quality bookends to protect quarterback Justin Fields. Mission accomplished.
It’s hard not to like this pick. As I said many times in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Draft, Poles could do no wrong in the first round. While passing on Carter will remain a talking point in the coming weeks, adding Darnell Wright was a sound football move that will pay dividends for many years.
![](https://bearstalk.com/senior-bowls-jim-nagy-says-bears-got-nastier-and-more-athletic-with-darnell-wright/">growing list of analysts</a> who view Darnell Wright as a win for the Bears in Round 1.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="img/legacy/Darnell-Wright-1-1024x576-original.jpg" alt="Darnell Wright" class="wp-image-12785"></img></figure>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-darnell-wright-is-a-no-brainer-for-the-chicago-bears">Darnell Wright is a no-brainer for the Chicago Bears</h2>
<p>Darnell Wright started 27 games for the Volunteers at right tackle. He often stonewalled some of the nation’s top pass rushers in the SEC. Wright’s lockdown of Will Anderson Jr., who was selected third overall by the Houston Texans, was his signature performance of 2022.</p><div class=){kind=link}
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