NFL mock draft: Chicago Bears beat writer Sean Hammond’s first 2023 mock

The NFL draft is less than a month away. The NFL’s biggest offseason event begins with the first round on April 27 and runs through April 29.

The Bears and general manager Ryan Poles already made a big splash when they traded away the top pick to the Carolina Panthers. The Bears now sit at No. 9 overall on the draft board. They remain in great position to grab one of the top talents in the draft, particularly if the quarterbacks draw a lot of attention.

Shaw Local Chicago Bears beat writer Sean Hammond provided his first mock draft of the first round. Draft night always comes with surprises. There are certainly a few surprises in this mock.

Note: The Miami Dolphins had their pick forfeited, so this year’s first round has only 31 picks.

Team	Player, College	Position	Analysis
1. Panthers	Bryce Young, Alabama	QB	Ultimately, it will be hard for the Panthers to pass on the former Heisman Trophy winner. Young can play, regardless of his size.
2. Texans	C.J. Stroud, Ohio State	QB	The Texans shouldn’t overthink it. Stroud had ridiculous production in college and faces fewer questions than other QBs available here.
3. Cardinals	Will Anderson, Alabama	Edge	The Cardinals are in perfect position to select the best defender in the draft. This one’s a no-brainer.
4. Colts	Will Levis, Kentucky	QB	Colts GM Chris Ballard has to get this pick right. Anthony Richardson could turn out to be the best QB of this bunch, but I’m not sure Ballard is willing to take the risk.
5. Seahawks	Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech	Edge	This is a clear position of need for the Seahawks. Wilson should help improve their defense immediately.
6. Lions	Jalen Carter, Georgia	DT	Carter is such a force on the field that it’s hard to imagine him slipping too far. The Lions have a need at defensive tackle.
7. Raiders	Christian Gonzalez, Oregon	CB	With Jimmy Garoppolo in the mix, the Raiders don’t have to grab a young quarterback now.
8. Falcons	Bijan Robinson, Texas	RB	This would be both surprising and incredibly on brand for an organization that is obsessed with running the football, even though it doesn’t necessarily need a running back.
9. Bears	Peter Skoronski, Northwestern	OT/OG	The Bears would love it if Skoronski dropped to them at No. 9. Take the top lineman. Figure out his position later.
10. Buccaneers (trade via Eagles)	Anthony Richardson, Florida	QB	The Bucs begin life after Tom Brady by making a splashy trade on draft night. Richardson remains in Florida and can play behind Baker Mayfield for a year.
11. Titans	Paris Johnson, Ohio State	OT	Even after signing Andre Dillard during free agency, the Titans need more help at their tackle spots.
12. Texans	Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State	WR	The Texans will need their new quarterback to throw to somebody. How about the guy he has been throwing to for the last two years?
13. Jets	Broderick Jones, Georgia	OT	The Jets need more bodies to help protect their new quarterback.
14. Patriots	Devon Witherspoon, Illinois	CB	Bill Belichick would somehow get his hands on a player who is arguably the best cornerback in this draft.
15. Packers	Michael Mayer, Notre Dame	TE	It would be ironic if Green Bay finally drafted a first-round receiver, but tight end feels like a bigger need.
16. Commanders	Joey Porter Jr., Penn State	CB	With so many QBs going high, some positions are bound to slip. In this scenario, that looks like cornerback.
17. Steelers	Bryan Bresee, Clemson	DT	The Steelers need more big bodies in the middle. Bresee is exactly that.
18. Lions	Brian Branch, Alabama	S	The Lions grab the draft’s top safety to pair with free agent addition C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
19. Eagles (via trade with Buccaneers)	Lukas Van Ness, Iowa	DE/DT	The NFL’s best defensive line adds the most intriguing defensive lineman. Is he a tackle or an edge rusher? Whatever he is, the Eagles could probably unlock him.
20. Seahawks	Jordan Addison, USC	WR	With their second pick, the Seahawks look to find additional weapons for Geno Smith.
21. Chargers	Zay Flowers, Boston College	WR	The Chargers look to add speed for QB Justin Herbert.
22. Ravens	Quentin Johnston, TCU	WR	There’s a mini run on receivers here. The Ravens try to entice Lamar Jackson with a new weapon.
23. Vikings	Kelee Ringo, Georgia	CB	With Patrick Peterson gone, the Vikings look to find an instant starter at cornerback.
24. Jaguars	Nolan Smith, Georgia	Edge	The Jaguars should be thrilled if Smith is still on the board here. They need help getting after the quarterback.
25. Giants	Deonte Banks, Maryland	CB	The Giants address one of their most pressing defensive needs.
26. Cowboys	Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama	RB	With Ezekiel Elliott gone and Tony Pollard returning from a major injury, the Cowboys could use another back.
27. Bills	Darnell Wright, Tennessee	OT	The Bills find a hulking tackle for their offensive line.
28. Bengals	Dalton Kincaid, Utah	TE	With Hayden Hurst gone, the Bengals need a starting tight end who can contribute immediately.
29. Saints	Myles Murphy, Clemson	Edge	The Saints get the help they need on the edge. Murphy is a steal at No. 29.
30. Eagles	B.J. Ojulari, LSU	Edge	The Eagles keep looking to replenish along the interior.
31. Chiefs	Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee	WR	The Chiefs add some serious speed to the wide receiver position.