The Chicago Bears have focused on offense with their first two picks of the fourth round. General manager Ryan Poles kicked off Day 3 by selecting running back Roschon Johnson at No. 115 and came back at No. 133 to give Justin Fields another pass-catcher in Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott.
Scott (5-10, 177 pounds) was considered one of the most explosive wideouts in the 2023 NFL Draft. His undersized frame likely dropped him into Day 3, but his on-field playmaking ability will soon make his draft slotting a distant memory.
“While the comparison to T.Y. Hilton might raise some eyebrows, Scott is a similar player in body type, speed and versatility,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report. “With just two seasons of starting experience at receiver, his route running and ball skills are almost certain to continue to improve and become less of an issue for him in the future. He has the speed and shiftiness to uncover on all three levels. Also, he offers jet sweep and receiver screen value. A smallish frame and lack of hand strength are likely to continue to plague him on contested catches, though. Scott is an ascending talent whose versatility and playmaking talent create an easily projectable upside as a good starting slot receiver early in his career.”
Scott joins a wide receiver room led by DJ Moore, Chase Claypool, and Darnell Mooney. He’ll compete with last year’s third-round pick Velus Jones Jr. for meaningful reps in the passing game, but Jones’ disappointing 2022 season should result in Scott having more than a fair chance to become a viable target this year.
Tyler Scott finished his final season with the Bearcats with 54 catches for 899 yards and nine touchdowns.
Scott brings juice and electrifying speed to a Chicago Bears offense that’s been desperate for a field-flipper for quite some time.
Ryan Poles is two-for-two in the fourth round. Great pick.
GRADE: A-
