Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. is the best offensive tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft. He’d be a fantastic selection for the Chicago Bears, who currently hold the No. 9 pick. Their need at right tackle, combined with Johnson’s plug-and-play skill set, are a perfect match.
According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, the Bears might not get a shot at Johnson. At least one team is attempting to trade up with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3 to land the prototype left tackle.
“Johnson is the 7th rated player on my big board, so taking him with the third pick of the draft is not much of a reach,” Pauline wrote. “In a draft void of talent at the left tackle spot, Johnson has cemented himself as the best in this class. While the league has gone QB crazy in round one, left tackle is still a position that teams covet in the early part of the draft, and there aren’t many good ones in 2023.”
I’ve long been wary of draft insiders who share information they receive from area scouts. With all due respect to those guys, they’re a few rungs lower than key organizational decision-makers. A scout may have told Pauline that Johnson is a trade-up target, but it doesn’t mean a trade will happen. And there’s no chance a general manager or director of scouting revealed that intel.
