2023 NFL Draft: What kind of player could the Chicago Bears land in 2nd round?

With the Baltimore Ravens losing in the 2022 Wild Card playoff round, the second-round draft pick that the Chicago Bears received in the Roquan Smith trade has been locked in at No. 53 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Plenty of potential starters will still be available in that second-round range, so let’s look at some of the best players to be drafted with the 53rd pick over the past decade.

2022 NFL Draft: Alec Pierce – Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts

This is a name many Bears fans recognize because it’s a player they dearly wanted in last year’s draft. His rookie season stats are nothing overly impressive (41 catches on 78 targets for 593 yards and two touchdowns), but he looked good on the field and made the kind of ‘help your quarterback’ catches that the Bears lacked too often in 2022.

2020 NFL Draft: Jalen Hurts – Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles

An MVP candidate until injuries derailed the end of his regular season, Hurts looks like a massive steal in his draft class. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod this season and, in three years, has amassed nearly 10,000 total yards and 70 total touchdowns. Hurts and Bears quarterback Justin Fields put on a thrilling quarterback duel in Week 15 of this season, and NFL fans everywhere are hoping for many more such matchups as these two young quarterbacks grow and improve.

2019 NFL Draft: Miles Sanders – Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles

Sanders did himself a huge favor this year, having the best season of his career just in time for a contract extension. He’s almost certain to get a big payday from the Eagles or some other contender looking for a little more ‘oomph’ on offense. Sanders finished the 2022 regular season with nearly 1,300 total yards of offense and 11 touchdowns.

2014 NFL Draft: Davante Adams – Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers

A man who needs no introduction to Chicago Bears fans. Adams has been a Top 3 receiver in the league for the last few years now, and at age 30, is showing no signs of slowing down. A three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, he has failed to surpass 1,300 yards receiving only once since 2018, and that was when he missed four games due to injury.

If the Chicago Bears can use the 53rd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to select a player like any of these success stories, the trade with the Ravens will have been well worth it.

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