Bears select elite offensive tackle with No. 10 overall pick |
Tony Crumpton
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- Thursday, April 27 2023
The Chicago Bears selected Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick on Thursday night.
"I believe that this young man, when it is all said and done, has the ability to be the best player in this draft," ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said about Wright during the NFL draft telecast. "At 6-5, 333 lbs, almost cracked five flat in the 40-yard dash. He is big, mean, and nasty. Ask Will Anderson." Not only was Wright a four-year starter with the Volunteers, but he saw time at both tackle positions showing his versatility on the field. What stands out the most is that he nearly went his final two seasons without allowing a sack spanning 19 consecutive games. Anytime you can prevent your QB from getting sacked over a 19-game period, it is worth noting, which is something Wright has done better than most. Wright projects as the immediate starter at right tackle for the Bears. His 1.7 percent pressure rate allowed ranked third among all Division 1 tackles, per Pro Football Focus. "This is a great pick. Chicago is on a mission," NFL superstar Micah Parsons said after the pick. "You want a guy like this. He's a great run blocker and a great pass blocker. He's a first-round talent." The Bears liked what they saw in Wright during his recent Top-30 visit to Halas Hall. "I remember going in there, and it was good, [general manager Ryan Poles] asked me some questions, dug a little bit," Wright told NBC Sports Chicago. "I just knew – I think they were impressed because I could just be myself. I don't have anything to hide. I don't have to sit in there and try to be this perfect person or make these perfect sentences to sound like the perfect person. I could just be myself. They respected that." The Bears traded down one spot with the Philadelphia Eagles and added a 2024 fourth-round pick. The #Eagles are in a position to take risks in this draft that the #Bears simply are not. That's obvious from the trade down by Ryan Poles from No. 9 to No. 10 -- one spot -- to avoid making that decision. #NFLDraft
Yessir!!!! Game changer! Earned every bit of this! @darnell_5232 @ChicagoBears #NFLVols #GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/SxNElYQCUU
The @ChicagoBears got a good one https://t.co/Yu6VZ15khK
Love the Darnell Wright pick. Braxton Jones gets to stay at LT, and you got your RT.
No words 🥹🫶@darnell_5232 @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/HzYaC4wjJh
Yessirrrr https://t.co/waZjBMDBJl
He gave up a pressure on 1.7% of his pass-blocking snaps this season 3rd among Power Five tackles. QB1 has protection. #DaBears #Bears #ChicagoBears
