People will spend the next month doing everything possible to determine what Ryan Poles has planned in the 1st round of the NFL draft. It’s easy to see why. This will be the first official pick the Chicago Bears GM makes in the top 32. He has already gone against conventional thinking when he traded the 1st overall pick. Some are wondering if he has more surprises in store. The speculation is straightforward now. Poles will read the landscape and likely pick the best offensive tackle on his board.
Experts have a list involving three names. One is Peter Skoronski of Northwestern. Another is Paris Johnson Jr. of Ohio State, and the last is Broderick Jones of Georgia. Each has some question marks but also an exciting upside. However, there is a sleeper in the mix not enough people are talking about. When factoring in all the available information, there are reasons to believe Poles’ actual target isn’t any of those guys. It is Tennessee standout Darnell Wright.
Here is why.
Likely available after a trade down
Not long after the Bears dealt the #1 pick to Carolina, dropping to #9, the rumors began that Chicago was already exploring the possibility of moving down again. That smoke has only gotten thicker in the following weeks. Poles himself stated he is open to the idea. It seems he is intent on stockpiling more draft picks. However, there is no way he’d do this unless he felt it was possible to land a player he wants further down the board. Wright would fit that profile, as most draft experts have him going somewhere in the early-to-late 20s range. That means the Bears could probably drop to the mid-teens range and feel confident he’ll be available.
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He fits the Bears’ identity.
Ryan Poles has made it clear he will target players that fit what the Bears want to do. While scheme fit is the primary focus in draft evaluations, it does play a part. He wants his offensive linemen to be big, long, athletic, and violent. Check out this scouting breakdown by Diante Lee of The Athletic.
He has an argument as the top tackle in this class. At 333 pounds, Wright ran a 5.01 40-yard dash, an incredible number at that size. Wright’s explosiveness as a run blocker is clear — he moves bodies with ease on the edge. His pad level and lower-body strength are exactly what you’d look for in a powerful tackle, and he’s part of the reason Tennessee moved the ball with such ease in 2022.
As a pass protector, Wright already has a strong understanding of how to solve problems against the varying defensive fronts and pass-rush styles he’ll see at the next level. It all starts with his footwork, and his combination of balance and power is why he can keep edge rushers away from his quarterback.
If Wright can land on a team that runs the ball downhill to set up deep pockets with play actions, don’t be surprised if he looks like a Pro Bowl talent during the life of his first contract.
The Bears ran the ball more than any team in the NFL last season. It’s their bread and butter. Wright would fit right in and still be a better pass protector than anybody they have.
Most proven right tackle in the class
One of the things lost in all the discussions of possible tackle options in this draft is that none of the top three guys mentioned have actually played right tackle. Skoronski is a left tackle. Jones is a left tackle. Johnson Jr. did play right guard but was a left tackle last year. Regardless of who the Bears pick, they or Braxton Jones would require an adjustment period shifting to right tackle. That wouldn’t be an issue with Wright. He has played that spot his entire college career and would be able to start there immediately. Jones could stay on the left side. Minimal changes.
Ryan Poles likes Tennessee offensive linemen.
This last part can’t be understated. Poles got into the scouting business with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009. He rose through the ranks to join their front office as a personnel director. During that time, they often dabbled in the Tennessee talent pool. Outside of star safety Eric Berry in 2010, every pick they made during Poles’ run there was an offensive lineman. Two became solid players too. Zach Fulton, a 6th round pick in 2014, has started six seasons in the NFL. Trey Smith, a 6th round pick in 2021, anchored the right guard spot for their reigning Super Bowl champion team.
Then during his first year as GM, Ryan Poles drafted Velus Jones in the 3rd round out of Tennessee. He has strong ties to that program. It isn’t a stretch to think he has people in his ear telling him how good Wright can be. He dominated some of the best competition in college football for two years. His style of play fits the Bears. Best of all, he would still be available after a trade down. Everything lines up.
