Ex-Chicago Bears Scout Reveals Draft Sleeper The Team Is Eyeing
The Chicago Bears aren’t going to tip their hand on what they’ll do in the 2023 draft. For one, the evaluation process is ongoing. The Shrine Game, Senior Bowl, scouting combine, and pro days are still to come. A lot can happen in that space of time. Prospects rise and fall down boards. There is also the fact they don’t even know their official placement in the 1st round. They currently hold the #2 pick, but that can change if they win either of their remaining two games. So all anybody can do right now is speculate.
The general consensus is that if the Bears stay put at #2, their selection will be one of two names: Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. However, former Bears scouting director Greg Gabriel threw a third name into the mix on the Barroom Network. He believes if Anderson and Carter are off the table, the player to watch is Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson. Not only is he a freak athlete at 6’6, 275 lbs, but his tape constantly flashes despite his coaches egregiously misusing him at times. Ryan Poles and Ian Cunningham went to watch him in person back in October.
Wilson fits the new Chicago Bears profile.
Matt Eberflus said he would prioritize two things in players moving forward: athleticism and length. Wilson is a terrific athlete, as Gabriel said. What makes him even scarier is the rumor he has arms somewhere between 35 and 36 inches long. His wingspan is crazy. If anybody looks like a prototypical 4-3 defensive end in this class, it’s him. The 22-year-old was dominant over his last 16 games for the Red Raiders, racking up 12 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss. One can only imagine what he can do with more capable coaching.
If Wilson blows up the scouting combine as Gabriel predicts, that makes one wonder if the Chicago Bears might consider taking him over Anderson or Carter. He has the highest ceiling of the three in terms of physical potential. If Trayvon Walker could rise to the top of the 2022 draft, it’s not crazy to think Wilson can do the same. Either way, he will be an important name to watch next spring. Maybe not at #2 overall, but definitely somewhere in the 4-7 range if they finish the year on a high note.