Predicting the Bears’ first selection in the 2023 NFL draft

Our Bears Wire staff shares their predictions for what Chicago will do with their first pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

The 2023 NFL draft is here, and the Chicago Bears have a first-round pick for just the second time in the last five years.

After trading the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers for a haul that included two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver DJ Moore, the Bears have the ninth overall pick in the 2023 draft, where general manager Ryan Poles will look to find an impact contributor.

Chicago has 10 total picks, including four inside the top 64. But we’re focused on Poles’ first first-round selection, where there are a number of directions the team could go in.

Assistant GM Ian Cunningham said the Bears will go with the “best player available” approach, where Chicago has six to eight players atop their draft board at No. 9.

Ahead of the draft, our Bears Wire staff is taking a crack at predicting what Chicago does with its first selection at ninth overall, and the fact that we all picked a different player speaks to the many scenarios that could play out for the Bears tonight.

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