The Chicago Bears made two selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, both on the defensive side of the ball.
Their first fifth-round selection, No. 148 overall, was spent on Oregon’s hard-charging inside linebacker, Noah Sewell. At pick 165, GM Ryan Poles went back to the secondary and chose Minnesota defensive back Terell Smith.
Sewell (6-foot-1, 246 pounds) is a physical linear athlete with good instincts and a finisher’s mentality. He totaled 56 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2022.
“Inside ‘backer possessing throwback demeanor as a physical but limited prospect,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report. “Sewell has good power to take on blocks and muddy the middle, but his lack of pursuit speed and change-of-direction quickness prevent him from consistently making the stop. He needs to become more anticipatory and read play development more effectively, as he’s missing the tools necessary to overcome missteps.”
Sewell won’t challenge for starter’s reps on the Chicago Bears defense, but he should provide a toughness upgrade on special teams.
