The 2023 Senior Bowl kicks off with its first practice session on Tuesday, Jan. 31. The nation’s top senior NFL Draft prospects will compete during three days of practices and a showcase game in an effort to elevate their draft stock. For a team like the Chicago Bears, it offers an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what this year’s prospects do well and, hopefully, increase the odds that they’ll make the right pick.
This year’s Senior Bowl features several players who can provide the Bears with an upgrade on both sides of the ball, including Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave. With Cole Kmet entering his fourth season, it’s become clear that he offers value as a chain-moving tight end with red-zone upside, but his limited playmaking ability should have GM Ryan Poles searching for a more athletic option on passing downs.
Musgrave has a chance to be that guy. According to sources close to Bears Talk, Musgrave measured in at 6057 (verified) and 250 pounds (verified) before the 2022 college football season. He’s been tagged with an estimated 4.55 40-yard dash by scouts, a height/weight/speed combination similar to former Bears first-round pick and eventual Carolina Panthers star Greg Olsen.
The Senior Bowl will be critically important for Musgrave’s 2023 NFL Draft stock. He was limited to two games this season because of a knee injury and has become somewhat overlooked as NFL Draft season kicks off. His return to action in Mobile, Alabama, should jumpstart his ascent up the draft board.
