When the Chicago Bears secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, questions about whether GM Ryan Poles would use that selection on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young began. It’s been an infuriating few weeks of talking heads suggesting the Bears should trade Justin Fields for a bounty of picks and use the first selection on Young, who’s expected to test evaluators’ courage when he measures under 6 feet and around 190 pounds.
And while it seems laughable that the Bears would even consider such a move, it’s worth considering where Fields would rank in the 2023 NFL Draft quarterback class. Is it that unreasonable for Chicago to consider one of this year’s passers?
Young is currently at the top, with Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis rounding out the big three. Florida’s Anthony Richardson is in the first-round conversation as well. There’s a lot of potential in that group, but does anyone think Fields wouldn’t be the QB1 if he were in this year’s NFL draft?
Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has no doubt Fields would be the apple of every quarterback-needy team’s eye.
“He’d be number one,” Kiper said on ESPN 1000’s Waddle & Silvy.
“I had Justin [Fields] right behind Trevor Lawrence,” Kiper said. “I love Justin Fields coming out now. His passing and all the things we know have to be improved upon. He knows that they got to get better players around him. But, as a dual-threat quarterback who brings that great skill set and can be an elite quarterback. He’s shown that. He’s made the strides he’s developed and he’s progressed.”
As for whether Kiper thinks the Bears will consider trading Fields before the draft?
“I would say they got to feel pretty good where they are.”
The NFL Draft godfather has spoken. Here’s to hoping the rest of the league is listening.
