The Chicago Bears traded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers Friday for wide receiver D.J. Moore, the No. 9 and 61 picks this year, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2025 second-round pick. It’s a trade that flips the first round of the NFL Draft on its head and changes the dynamic of every mock draft published throughout draft season.
Now that the speculation about what the Bears will do with the No. 1 pick is over, it’s time to focus on the players who could be available for them to select at No. 9. Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) and Jalen Carter (Georgia) are no longer the front-runners to be Chicago’s first-round pick; both players are likely to be gone by the time the Bears are on the clock. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a cluster of talented prospects for GM Ryan Poles to pick from in Round 1.
Here are five prospects who warrant consideration by the Chicago Bears now that they’ve slid back to the ninth pick.
