R1 P10: Darnell Wright, OT - Tennessee

[WagonForce]

I got caught up at work and forgot about the draft. After I finished, I fired up the draft tracker and only 10 players had been selected at that point. As I read down the list of players selected, I kept looking for Carter. When I got to #9 I was surprised (I didn't think he would fall to the Bears) and pretty excited to see his name. Then I saw he went to the Eagles and I'll be honest, I thought about when the Bears were one pick away from Aaron Donald in the 2014 draft.

That said, after sleeping on it, I love the pick. Who knows what will happen with Carter, hopefully he shakes off the red flags and has a good career. I'm psyched the Bears snagged Wright, this team is on the rise.

[IotaNet]

I got caught up at work and forgot about the draft. After I finished, I fired up the draft tracker and only 10 players had been selected at that point. As I read down the list of players selected, I kept looking for Carter. When I got to #9 I was surprised (I didn't think he would fall to the Bears) and pretty excited to see his name. Then I saw he went to the Eagles and I'll be honest, I thought about when the Bears were one pick away from Aaron Donald in the 2014 draft. ...

I get it -- I remember the 2014 draft and my heart sank when the Rams snatched up Donald.

Big difference tho -- Donald was seen as a consummate teammate and one of the hardest workers anyone had ever seen (and that has played out in his career) -- as we know however, that's NOT Carter.

[DaSuperfan]

I feel like people are sleeping on Wright's upside as well, at least compared to the other OT. I know he doesn't have quite the length of a Broderick Jones and is more developed (47 starts) but he's still a very young guy.

He tests well athletically at 330+. We know Poles likes his OL a little leaner so it will be interesting if he asks him to refine his body more or not, but seems like he carries it well as is.

Why can't he be a Tristan Wirfs? If people are downgrading Wright just for the RT piece I think they're missing out.

I agree. He has 34 inch arms and an 82" wingspan - I don't see a problem with his length.

[EricTighe]

LOVE it.
Love it.
LOVE IT.

[The Grizzly One]

I admittedly was a bit bummed the Bears didn't take Jalen Carter - thought the risk-reward was worth it. That said, I can see why the Bears didn't feel like their locker room could handle his (various) issues. It also appears that Wright was "their guy" all along - "right" or wrong.

I admittedly don't know much about him other than he didn't give up a sack in 2022 playing in the SEC and played extremely well against Will Anderson. With his size, athleticism for his size, power and experience, this is a hard pick to quibble with imo.

I'm with you Art other than me being very bummed.

If so many NFL people think Carter too much of a risk, so be it. I am not one who can argue against that.

I hope Wright is all that many are saying about him. I hope Carter struggles in Detroit and finds himself with an AFC team.

I like Van Ness, but I hope my view of him will jinx him.

We've got to get the 3-tech, an Edge rusher, a center, and a CB. That's a lot. The D may be much improved but still not enough to make noise yet.

This teams best hope is in Fields becoming all that we hope. Wright should be huge.

[Middleguard]

Seems he's wearing #58 for the moment at least.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I hope Carter struggles in Detroit

That's going to be an awfully long struggle all the way from Philadelphia.

[The Grizzly One]

I hope Carter struggles in Detroit

That's going to be an awfully long struggle all the way from Philadelphia.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

Love this pick. Glad we avoided Carter as well. If you're looking at absolute NEED? This is a home run. It immediately sorts out the OL. Jones-Jenkins-Whitehair-Davis-Wright. He is a plug and play, ready for day one RT, and can play there for the next 10 years. LOVE. IT.

[Mikefive]

I don't know how you could hate the pick unless you just desperately wanted Carter. But clearly, the red flags were too much for Poles.

Frankly, I was shocked at this pick because it was so conventional. I figured Poles was either going to do something off the wall like draft CB Gonzalez or trade down with Carter + Levis still there. They got an extra R4 next year and took the guy they were going to take anyway. Not enough value? Who cares? We got our guy and a freebie bonus future pick. What could be wrong with that? Even if it was a 2027 R7 pick, it's still something more.

If they were taking an OL, I was thinking and had been warming up to Skoronski and throwing him at RT. But taking a guy who just came off a fabulous year who already plays our greatest offensive need position very well makes a ton of sense. The only head scratcher part for me was that this is a 335# guy with a big gut--will he be able to move well enough to be as successful in our wide zone? But then you look at the guy's RAS score, his vs. Will Anderson video and recognize that Getsy coached him in the Senior Bowl pretty much flushes that concern down the bowl.

This is about as easy to love pick as I can imagine.

[The Grizzly One]

I don't know how you could hate the pick unless you just desperately wanted Carter. But clearly, the red flags were too much for Poles.

Frankly, I was shocked at this pick because it was so conventional. I figured Poles was either going to do something off the wall like draft CB Gonzalez or trade down with Carter + Levis still there. They got an extra R4 next year and took the guy they were going to take anyway. Not enough value? Who cares? We got our guy and a freebie bonus future pick. What could be wrong with that? Even if it was a 2027 R7 pick, it's still something more.

If they were taking an OL, I was thinking and had been warming up to Skoronski and throwing him at RT. But taking a guy who just came off a fabulous year who already plays our greatest offensive need position very well makes a ton of sense. The only head scratcher part for me was that this is a 335# guy with a big gut--will he be able to move well enough to be as successful in our wide zone? But then you look at the guy's RAS score, his vs. Will Anderson video and recognize that Getsy coached him in the Senior Bowl pretty much flushes that concern down the bowl.

This is about as easy to love pick as I can imagine.

That was me initially. But I'm on board and trust Poles.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

A nice tape breakdown of our new OT courtesy of Bearlissimo:

[Bearfacts]

Seems Poles and his guys were all in on Wright from the get go. And it's probably a good thing they held pick #9 once PJ Jr was taken. Zierlein had both Wright and Jones graded 2nd to Skoronski with PJ Jr 3rd whereas Brugler had PJ Jr ranked ahead of Jones and Wright. Could it be the Wright was ranked as lesser due to being a RT?

I had my own reasons for wanting Skoronski one of which is his versatility and yet Wright seems no less versatile or ready to start day one. Any way you want to slice it either as BPA at his position or need it come up pretty well. Here's hoping he has a long and prosperous career in Chicago. I like the pick even over PJ Jr and Broderick Jones.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

[IE]

obama-mic-drop.gif

[HisRoyalSweetness]

[HisRoyalSweetness]

He comes across as a really pleasant guy off the field in contrast to his nasty demeanor on the field.

A summary of a few key excerpts:

Wright embraces high expectations with Bears
...

"I embrace expectations upon myself," Wright said in his introductory press conference at Halas Hall Friday. "I have expectations upon myself bigger than just football. I have expectations to take care of my family. I don't know what my role for the team is, but whatever that role is I'm going to take it full on and do my best I can.

"So, I'm not sure what that role is, whether it's play right tackle or play wide receiver. Somebody tell coach that. But whatever that role is I just want to try to do my best, whatever I can do."
...

One of Wright's toughest tasks as a collegiate offensive lineman came in October last season when the Volunteers had the opportunity to snap a 15-game losing streak to SEC rival Alabama.

Playing right tackle, Wright went head-to-head with one of the best defensive players in college – linebacker Will Anderson – and limited his production to three tackles and 0.5 tackles-for loss. What stood out the most to Wright was the trust Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel displayed in him to almost singlehandedly contain Anderson, who was drafted at No. 3 by Houston Thursday.

"[Heupel] trusted me to get the job done, whatever that job may be, and I knew it was a big game," Wright said. "You could sit there and act like it's not, but every third Saturday in October it's going to be rocking and rolling. I'm just happy that they entrusted me because my process each week, they see what I do each week and how I approach the game."
...

Wright told reporters he was excited to hear from Fields last night as the QB sent him a congratulatory text. When asked about the opportunity to block for Fields, Wright said, "that's my only plan."

"That's my job to keep him clean," Wright said. "Amazing, amazing quarterback and the things he does, we're going to have a great team. We're going to have a very good team and it's going to be great. Whatever I can do, no matter what that role is for the team, protecting him is going to be my job.

"You think about last year, the things that he did, he seems like he's just getting better and better and better. I'm happy to be here and do whatever I can for him."
...

Full article: posting.php?mode=reply&t=17250#preview

[thunderspirit]

Lofty, but this is a heckuva physical comp.

https://ras.football/ras-compare/?p1=20 ... 761&pos=OT

[Bearfacts]

Man, that is one big dude. He is built like a huge bear just big all over from his head on down. Gonna be interesting to see what they determine is ideal playing weight to be and with some work in nutrition and body fat what he eventually becomes. They need to turn him from a 21 year old college boy with some residual baby fat into a more sculpted NFL OT but man he's a mountain size dude.

[Rusty Trombagent]

If you've got an Athletic subscription, this was a fun read:

https://theathletic.com/4478100/2023/05 ... nfl-draft/

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Bears’ top draft pick Darnell Wright makes no assumptions heading into rookie minicamp

While Bears rookie offensive tackle Darnell Wright carries enormous expectations after the team drafted him No. 10 overall last week, he has no sense of entitlement as he begins his career.

Wright showed up for rookie minicamp Friday saying his goal is simply “trying to make the team,” and mentioned a conversation with offensive line coach Chris Morgan in which Morgan made it clear that once a player arrives at Halas Hall, he’s no different than anyone else.

Wright said he has spent his first week as a Bear “catching up as much as I can” to the veteran players.
...

Braxton Jones is the incumbent starter at left tackle, though the Bears have left open the possibility of moving him to right if needed.

Wright said his initial interactions with Jones have been productive.

“He was talking to me [about] if I need any help with studying the plays and whatnot, he’d do what he can to help me,” Wright said. “Just what a teammate would do.”

Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2023 ... e-minicamp

[HisRoyalSweetness]

All eyes on No. 10 pick Darnell Wright as Bears open rookie minicamp

Bears rookie offensive tackle Darnell Wright would like these to be ordinary practices, but that’s simply impossible.

No matter how good he was in college or how hyperattentive Tennessee fans are, Wright has never been in the spotlight like this. The Bears have 61 other players in for rookie minicamp this week, but none as important as him.

At one point during individual drills Friday, general manager Ryan Poles, assistant general manager Ian Cunningham and coach Matt Eberflus all were camped out in the offensive line’s area of the field at Halas Hall to get a look at their prized newcomer.
...

The Bears expect Wright to make a smooth transition, and their early impression is that it’ll be fairly easy to keep him on track.

“He’s in a good spot,” Eberflus said. “He retains information very well. His movement skills and athleticism are gonna be on point, but we’re gonna have to really harness him in there and how he uses his body.

“He’s got to learn the scheme, learn what works for him, and that’s a process. It takes time to be able to do that.”
...

Poles has kept all options open since picking Wright, saying on draft night, “Whatever that front five is, that’s what we’ll roll with,” and adding that while he is confident in Jones, it’s “a new year” and he’ll have to defend his spot.

Wright began his NFL career working at the familiar spot of right tackle Friday, and that would be the simplest course for the Bears. If Jones continues making strides at left tackle and Wright thrives on the right side, that sets them up with young, affordable pillars of their line.
...

Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2023 ... e-minicamp

[wab]

I'll be interested to see if the coaches ask Wright to drop weight. I would imagine they'd like him at 315 or so.

[Grizzled]

I'll be interested to see if the coaches ask Wright to drop weight. I would imagine they'd like him at 315 or so.

He's a punisher at his current weight and is said to move well. But t hey might want him to drop some weight so he's more effective blocking downfield.

[Middleguard]

If you look at his minicamp photos, how much do you think he actually weighs today? I'm no carny, so I don't try.

[Rusty Trombagent]

If you look at his minicamp photos, how much do you think he actually weighs today? I'm no carny, so I don't try.

Also if he was a jar of jelly beans, how many jelly beans do you think he could hold?


(i'm a carny)

[G08]

For my "tape" nerds: enjoy!

Alabama


Georgia


Florida


Kentucky


LSU


Pittsburgh


Missouri (2021) -- Playing LT here

[EricTighe]

It is strange for me to hear myself say this but I think this kid is the only O-Lineman we have that you can anchor an O-Line around.

Love this pick more and more by the day.

[G08]

It is strange for me to hear myself say this but I think this kid is the only O-Lineman we have that you can anchor an O-Line around.

Love this pick more and more by the day.

If he busts his ass, develops and keeps his head on straight, I think he can be a damned good one.

[dplank]

That LSU tape looked really good. Thx for sharing those