The 2023 National Football League (NFL) Draft takes place from April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chicago Bears had the worst record (3-14) in 2022 and will pick first in the draft for just the third time in franchise history and the first time since they selected Bob Fenimore in 1974. The Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Seattle Seahawks round out the top five.
Below is a look at four players who are likely to be drafted among the top five picks in the upcoming draft.
1. Bryce Young
Bryce Young is considered one of the best available quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he might not be selected first overall by the Bears. Chicago already has a talented young quarterback in Justin Fields, who they took 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he needs help on the offensive and defensive lines. They could opt to trade the first overall pick to a team that has a major need at a quarterback, such as the Colts or Texans.
Regardless, Young is at least a consensus top-five pick. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner finished the 2022 season with 3,328 passing yards and 32 touchdowns in 12 games for the University of Alabama. He set the school record for single season passing yards (4,872) and touchdowns (47) in 2021.
2. Will Levis
Quarterback Will Levis should also be selected early in the first round. In the 2022 season, the 6-foot-3, 222-pound senior with the University of Kentucky threw for 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and amassed 2,406 passing yards. Levis's stats might not be as impressive as Young’s, but scouts view him as having the best mobility and arm strength among all quarterbacks in the draft. He has also played under two offensive coordinators with NFL coaching experience.
Other quarterbacks who could be selected in the first round include C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), Tanner McKee (Stanford), and Anthony Richardson (Florida).
3. Jalen Carter
Jalen Carter is one of the best defensive linemen available in the draft and would be a great fit on the Bears, which finished last place in quarterback sacks per game in 2022 with just 1.2. The Bears averaged 2.9 sacks per game in 2021.
Carter, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound lineman with the University of Georgia, had three sacks in each of the last two seasons. He started 13 games in 2022 and had 32 tackles, seven of which were for a loss of yards, and two forced fumbles. He also led all defensive linemen in the state with a 90.0 pass-rushing grade.
4. Will Anderson, Jr.
An EDGE defender for the Crimson Tide, Will Anderson, Jr., led all linemen in pressures (82) in 2021 and was top-five in that category again in 2022. He finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2021 and had 10 quarterback sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and one interception for Alabama in 2022. He'd be an especially good fit with the Cardinals, which lost J.J. Watt to retirement this past season.