3 Best Chicago Bears first-round picks over the past 15 years

The Chicago Bears own two first-round selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, including the No. 1 overall pick. The Bears will select USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams with the top pick. General manager Ryan Poles then possesses an opportunity to draft another blue-chip prospect at No. 9 overall. The anticipation for how their careers will unfold sent us down memory lane. We identified the Bears’ three best first-round selections over the previous 15 drafts.

2023 | DARNELL WRIGHT | OT | NO. 10 OVERALL

Some may feel it’s a tad premature to include Darnell Wright on this list considering he’s played just one completed season in Chicago. We’d disagree. Wright was a plug-and-play starter at right tackle, delivering instant results. Wright is a legitimate building block for the future of an exciting Bears offense that will feature Williams, D.J. Moore, and Keenan Allen in 2024.

2018 | ROQUAN SMITH | LB | NO. 8 OVERALL

Roquan Smith began his career in Chicago by enjoying four consecutive 100-tackle seasons. It’s a shame that Smith and the Bears couldn’t agree on a long-term extension. Smith was nearing the completion of his five-year rookie contract (fifth-year team option included) in Chicago when Poles traded him to the Baltimore Ravens midway through the 2022 season. Smith is still a success story for the Bears, who received four-and-a-half years of quality play from him before flipping him for 2023 draft capital.

2013 | KYLE LONG | OG | NO. 20 OVERALL

We dug a decade into the archives to appropriately recognize Kyle Long and his long-lasting impact on the Bears. The No. 20 overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, Long qualified for the Pro Bowl as a rookie, becoming the first Bears rookie to achieve such a feat since 2009. Long qualified for two additional Pro Bowls in 2014 and 2015 and is considered one of the 100 Greatest Bears in franchise history.