One thing I will never like about the recently expanded NFL season is that we can no longer be precisely one-quarter or one-half of the way through a season. It's always right before or after a third or a half. Regardless, after six games, we are now just over one-third of the way through the 2023 NFL season, which is as good of a time as any to set some grades for the 2023 rookie class.
For the sake of simplicity, we'll go in the order that each Bears rookie was drafted, starting with Chicago's tenth overall pick. I will grade based on how each player has performed relative to their draft position. I won't consider other players who may have been available because that would complicate the grades. I only factored that in if there was an egregious miss like the Philadelphia Eagles drafting WR Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson. But that didn't happen.
With that out of the way, let's get to the grades.
Darnell Wright, OT
Say what you want about General Manager Ryan Poles, but going into his first draft with a first-round pick, he understood the assignment. He had to pick a winner, and that's precisely what he did while picking up an extra fourth-round pick in the process. Poles traded back from 9th overall to 10th, then selected Darnell Wright from Tennessee.
Through six games, Wright is the highest-graded rookie offensive tackle by Pro Football Focus and the fifth highest-graded overall. No other rookie tackle is even close. He had a forgettable day on Sunday against Minnesota, but before that, he'd gone up against some of the best pass rushers in football and handled them relatively well, especially for a rookie.
Many people blame Ryan Poles for not drafting defensive stud Jalen Carter, but it's a little pedantic to harp on that when he drafted a stud at a different position of need. The Bears had a lot of holes to fill on the roster, and this pick filled a big one with a guy who looks like a future All-Pro.
Grade: A
Gervon Dexter Sr., DL
It wasn't too long ago that people were worried about Dexter getting off the line at the snap too slowly. Well, I think those fears have been assuaged. He hasn't stuffed the stat sheet yet, but that's more due to his bizarre usage.
Fresh off his career-best performance in Week 5, Dexter only saw the field for 16 snaps against the Vikings. He went from 47% of the defensive snaps down to just 28%.
That's inexcusable as far as I'm concerned and something that the coaches should have to answer for. Granted, Justin Jones had his best game of the season on Sunday, but that shouldn't stop the Bears from giving the young player still finding his feet an opportunity to build on a successful outing.
Regardless of how he's used, this was a good pick.
Grade: B-
Tyrique Stevenson, CB
This one is hard to grade because cornerback is an exceptionally difficult position to play in the NFL. Stevenson was thrown to the wolves early in his NFL career and was clearly in over his head at some points. He's had problems with penalties and getting lost in coverage.
He's also shown some flashes of potential, though. On Sunday, he had a fantastic rep against his fellow rookie Jordan Addison, who has been very good so far in his young NFL career, forcing a critical incompletion in the red zone.
Still, excuses only work for so long. It's a 'next man up' and 'what have you done for me lately' league, and Stevenson has to get better, especially because Poles traded up to get him.
Grade: C-
Zacch Pickens, DL
Pickens hasn't shown much on the field yet. However, he hasn't had many opportunities. Veterans like Justin Jones and Andrew Billings are taking the majority of defensive snaps, and fellow rookie Gervon Dexter is right behind them. Pickens has flashed a few times, even earning half of a sack in the Week 4 against the Broncos. But he's still clearly a work in progress, which can be expected from a third-round pick.
Grade: C
Roschon Johnson, RB
Like Ryan Poles, I was shocked that Johnson was still available in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft. Many draft analysts believed he would have been a top running back prospect were it not for the generational Bijan Robinson being on the same team as him, and so far, he's lived up to that in the limited snaps he's taken. He's averaging 4.9 yards per carry on 25 attempts and has one touchdown.
Johnson missed the Week 6 game with a concussion, but he should be back for Week 7, barring any setbacks. Starting running back Khalil Herbert is on IR, so if he's healthy enough to play, Johnson should see significant playing time and will hopefully show Bears fans what he can do for the team.
Grade: A
Tyler Scott, WR
I had high hopes for Scott coming into the season, but those haven't materialized yet for the young receiver. He's been near the bottom of the depth chart this year and has just seven targets, catching five of them for 32 yards.
There's a lot of potential with Scott if this Bears coaching staff can get the most out of him. He just needs time to develop.
Grade: C-
Noah Sewell, LB
Sewell is another rookie who is loaded with potential but will take a while to realize it.
Sewell was considered a potential first-round pick at one point, but the Bears got him in Round 5, which I still think is a steal. He's been aggressive in limited playing time and has lived up to the scouting reports that said he plays with a non-stop motor. So far, he's been credited with five tackles and a forced fumble in the Tampa Bay game.
Like Scott, I think Sewell could have a long career with Chicago, but he'll have to wait for his time to shine.
Grade: C
Terrell Smith, CB
There is a lot to like in Smith's game so far. He's flashed potential that far outpaces his fifth-round draft pick pedigree. He's been reliable in coverage and in stopping the run, forcing a fumble in the Washington game and recovering it, too. Sadly, he will be out for several weeks with mononucleosis.
Grade: A-
Travis Bell, DL
One of my favorite rookies from this year's class, Bell was the first ever player from his school (Kennessaw State) to be drafted into the NFL. He showed intriguing potential in the preseason but couldn't crack the 53-man roster. That was expected, as he had two established veterans and two Day 2 rookies ahead of him.
Still, Ryan Poles signed Bell to the practice squad, where I hope he continues to develop before one day taking NFL snaps for the Chicago Bears on Sundays.
Grade: Incomplete/Practice Squad
Kendall Williamson, DB
The second-to-last pick of the draft, Williamson has never really produced for the Bears either in training camp or the preseason and now sits on the practice squad. Not too surprising, given his draft position.
Grade: Incomplete/Practice Squad
Bonus: Tyson Bagent, QB
While technically not drafted, I would be remiss not to mention a Division II quarterback who made the 53-man roster and may be starting on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. We've all heard about Bagent's past by now, so I won't rehash it here.
So far, his only NFL action came in Week 6 after Justin Fields left with an injured hand. It was a rough start, being thrown to the wolves with no preparation against a team that loves to blitz. Bagent had a fumble that the Vikings returned for a touchdown and threw a brutal interception to end what was a potential go-ahead drive.
Still, there was plenty of good. It wasn't entirely Bagent's fault on the interception, as a pass rusher was bearing down on him, preventing him from stepping into his throw. Before that, Bagent led an efficient 90-yard drive for a touchdown, the only touchdown of the day for the Chicago Bears. He got the ball out quickly and played decisively. He looked dependable for a rookie getting his first NFL snaps.
If Bagent gets the start in Week 7, this will be an interesting storyline to follow.
Grade: B+