The Chicago Bears got a stud when they drafted Darnell Wright 10th overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Ryan Poles saw how great he could be and considering Wright started all 17 games for Chicago this season, his dominance has only begun.
The Pro Football Writers of America named their All-Rookie Team on Tuesday and only one Bears player made it: Darnell Wright. Did the rookie live up to the hype surrounding him and earn that high draft selection?
The 6-foot-6, 335-pound offensive lineman from Tennessee had all the measurables coming out of college. Wright hadn't allowed a sack in 19 consecutive games and the Bears desperately needed help along the entire offensive line heading into the 2023 NFL draft. So this selection made a ton of sense when Chicago took Wright with the tenth pick.
Darnell Wright played in every game for the 2023 Bears. He played every offensive snap and was flagged ten times in total — five holding calls and five false starts.
According to On Tap Sports Net's very own, ButkusStats, Wright's 82.82% block success rate ranked third on the Bears. He had above-average reps on 22% of the snaps he played and ranks ninth out of seventeen tackles drafted over the last five seasons in PFF grade.
Furthermore, according to PFF, Wright only allowed seven sacks in 2023 and that's tied for 13th place across the NFL at the position.
Darnell Wright undoubtedly earned his high draft selection and nomination to PFWA's All-Rookie Team. In other words: the dude's a stud and the Chicago Bears are lucky to have him.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!