NFL reporter believes he knows who Bears will pick at No. 9 overall

David Banks - USA Today Sports

by Tony Crumpton - Senior Editor - Wed Apr 26 11:16:48 GMT-05:00 2023

Albert Breer, a well-known NFL reporter, has predicted that the Chicago Bears will select Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Breer only releases one mock draft each year, but it is known to be highly accurate due to his connections in the league.

"Deep down, I think Johnson will go higher than this. But this, at least in my mind, would be the floor for Johnson, a high character, tall, long 21 year old who looks like he came off a left tackle assembly line" Breer wrote. "While he needs to get stronger, he's young and will have time to do it, and so the ceiling is really high. Skoronski would make sense, too. I've heard the Bears would be good with Carter. I could see them taking him, and that is in part because, if an offensive lineman they like isn't there, my sense is they would look for a defensive lineman here."

Breer's prediction is based on what he's been hearing around the league, and he has reported that Bears general manager Ryan Poles is a big fan of Johnson.

"Bears GM Ryan Poles has done a ton of work on the offensive linemen, and a few people there told me that, at Ohio State’s pro day, he zeroed in pretty good on Johnson. The issue with Johnson lacking top-end strength can be addressed—he doesn’t turn 22 until July, and he has exemplary football character, which would lead you to believe he’ll improve in that area. “Knowing the scouting tree that Poles is coming from, I’d think it’ll be Paris,” said an AFC exec. “It’s the size, the length, just having a pass-blocking left tackle. It matches up.”

Peter King of NBC Sports has also predicted that Johnson will land in Chicago if he's still available at No. 9.

Overall, it seems that Johnson is one of the top players on the Bears' draft board, along with Carter.

If Johnson is available at No. 9, it would not be a surprise to see the Bears stay put and select him. The Bears' offensive line was a weak spot last season, and Johnson could potentially help solidify that position for years to come.