The 2022 NFL draft wrapped just a few days ago, but it’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s draft. Especially for a Chicago Bears team that currently has a first-round selection after not having one three of the last four years.
General manager Ryan Poles used the 2022 draft to shore up the secondary with the selections of cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker and the offensive line with four picks. But could 2023 be the year when the Bears use their first-round pick to land a top playmaker at wide receiver to help quarterback Justin Fields?
In Draft Wire‘s way-too-early 2023 mock draft, the Bears land a playmaker at wide receiver in Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the ninth overall pick, which should give Fields another dynamic wideout.
Justin Fields finally gets his WR1, and it’s a familiar face. Smith-Njigba has the explosiveness and big-play ability to be an instant star at the next level, especially if he’s catching passes from his old quarterback.
Smith-Njigba would reunite with Fields in Chicago, although the two played sparingly together during the 2020 season. It was the 2021 season where Smith-Njigba had a breakout year with the Buckeyes, hauling in 95 receptions for 1,606 yards — both team highs — and nine touchdowns.
Looking ahead to the 2023 season, Darnell Mooney and rookie Velus Jones Jr. are the top wideouts currently under contract. Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown signed one-year, prove-it deals this offseason.
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