Bears 2023 NFL draft primer: How to watch, mock drafts, picks and analysis

The 2023 NFL draft is here, and we’ll soon meet the new rookie class of Chicago Bears.

General manager Ryan Poles will get his second crack at building through the NFL draft, where he’s armed with 10 draft picks. That includes four inside the top 64, including the No. 9 pick. This will be the first time that Poles gets to make a first-round pick.

Ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, we’re bringing you our Bears Draft Primer, where we’ve collected all of our 2023 NFL draft coverage — from prospects for every round of the draft, team needs, our predictions for Chicago’s first pick and everything in between.

The Basics

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• What: 2023 NFL draft

• Where: Kansas City, Mo.

• When: 

  • Thursday, April 27, 7 p.m. CT: Round 1

  • Friday, April 28, 6 p.m. CT: Rounds 2-3

  • Saturday, April 29, 11 a.m. CT: Rounds 4-7

• TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network

• Stream: fuboTV (try it for free)

Bears' 2023 draft picks

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Bears' biggest positional needs

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Edge rusher: Chicago had the league’s worst pass rush in 2022, where they totaled just 20 sacks in 17 games. The fact that rookie safety Jaquan Brisker led the team in sacks (4) says everything you need to know about the lack of a pass rush up front.

Defensive tackle: The Bears had the worst defensive line in the NFL least season, and defensive tackle Justin Jones was probably the only player worth bringing back as a starter. Chicago signed Andrew Billings to a one-year deal in free agency, where he’ll serve as the 1-technique as part of the defensive line rotation.

Offensive tackle: Considering the offensive line’s struggles to keep Justin Fields upright last season, the Bears need to shore up the tackle position. Right now, Braxton Jones is penciled in at left tackle, and the belief is Chicago will address tackle with that No. 9 pick.

Cornerback: Cornerback is a premier position that Poles will look to upgrade. Jaylon Johnson is entering the final year of his rookie deal, where he appears poised for an extension. Kyler Gordon is coming off an up-and-down rookie year where he started putting it together in the final stretch. But outside of those guys, the Bears need a solid CB3 for this defense.

Bears Wire Staff predicts Chicago's first pick

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• Alyssa Barbieri – No. 9: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

• Brendan Sugrue – No. 9: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia

• Ryan Fedrau – No. 9: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

• Nate Atkins – No. 15 (TRADE): OT Broderick Jones, Georgia

• Jarrett Bailey – No. 9: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

Final mock drafts

• Alyssa Barbieri shares the NFL Wire one-round mock draft.

• Nate Atkins shares his final seven-round Bears mock draft.

• Jarrett Bailey shares his final four-round NFL mock draft.

Final mock draft round-up

• USA Today’s Nate Davis: EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia

• NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

• Draft Network: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee

• Pro Football Focus: EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

• CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

• Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee

• Fox Sports’ Jason McIntyre: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

• The 33rd Team: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia

• Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

• Sporting News’ Jacob Camenker: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee

• NFL.com’s Eric Edholm: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia

• Audacy’s Chris Emma: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

• NBC Sports Edge’s Kyle Dvorchak: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

• NY Daily News’ Pat Leonard: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

• SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

• Bears Wire’s Alyssa Barbieri: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

• Bears Wire’s Jarrett Bailey: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

What the Bears should and shouldn't do in NFL draft

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DO

• Trade back from No. 9, if possible

• Take Jalen Carter at ninth overall, if available

• Draft an offensive tackle first

• Take your best player available at No. 9

• Draft a cornerback

• Add more weapons for Justin Fields

DON’T

• Trade up from No. 9

• Wait to take an offensive tackle

• Forget the need at cornerback

• Ignore addressing depth at key positions

Prospects for every round of the NFL draft for the Bears

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

• One defensive tackle for every round

• One offensive tackle for every round

• One edge rusher for every round

• One cornerback for every round

• One interior offensive lineman for every round

Takeaways from assistant GM Ian Cunningham's pre-draft presser

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1. Bears have 6 to 8 players at top of their draft board

2. Bears taking best player available approach

3. Trade back from No. 9 a “case by case” scenario

4. Bears believe Jalen Carter fits H.I.T.S. principle

5. What the Bears are looking for in an offensive tackle

6. Don’t necessarily rule out Bijan Robinson

Read our detailed takeaways here

Projected starting offense

Projected starting defense

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Projected starting special teams

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Bears 2022 NFL draft position previews

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We preview the draft on our Bears Wire Podcast

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And our Bears Bingo Card for the NFL draft to follow along:

More Draft Coverage

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• Ranking the positions most likely to be pick at No. 9 by Bears in NFL draft

• Dream NFL draft wishlist: Ideal player for Bears at every position

• 10 most realistic options for the Bears at No. 9 in NFL draft

• 5 potential trade partners for the Bears at No. 9

• Worst Bears draft pick from each year since 2000

• Bears’ best all-time picks at each selection in 2023 NFL draft

• Best Bears draft pick from each year since 2000

• Bears hosted these prospects for Top 30 visits

• Evaluating Bears roster by position before 2023 NFL draft

• Bears offseason recap: Every move leading up to 2023 NFL draft

• Looking back at the Bears’ 2022 rookie draft class

• Grading the 2020 Bears draft class

• Biggest questions for the Bears offense heading into 2023 NFL draft

• Biggest questions for the Bears defense heading into 2023 NFL draft

• Bears’ 53-man roster projection ahead of 2023 NFL draft

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Story originally appeared on Bears Wire