NFL.com thinks day 3 draft pick could be a starter for the Bears in 2023
Day three draft picks don't usually end up being starters in the NFL. In fact, many of them don't even make rosters. For every future Pro Bowler that's selected on day three of the draft, there are countless other players selected who will never see meaningful snaps in the NFL. So when a team lands […]
Day three draft picks don't usually end up being starters in the NFL.
In fact, many of them don't even make rosters.
For every future Pro Bowler that's selected on day three of the draft, there are countless other players selected who will never see meaningful snaps in the NFL.
So when a team lands a starter on day three, it's a pretty big deal. It's a huge win for the scouts who bang the table for a particular player late in the draft, certain they've identified a future star.
The Chicago Bears may have found one of those players in the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFL.com recently put out a list of several day-three draft picks who could earn a starting job in 2023. And they included a Bears selection from last month's draft.
Rookie running back Roschon Johnson, a former Texas standout, was selected by Chicago in the fourth round of the draft. And NFL.com thinks he's in a good situation to earn a significant role as a rookie this fall.
From NFL.com: The Bears signed D'Onta Foreman to a one-year deal in March, but the veteran has started more than three games in a season only once (nine in 2022 with the Panthers). Johnson's combination of power and strong second-level cuts should earn him carries early in the year, and starts later on.
Johnson put up modest numbers at Texas — his best season came as a true freshman in 2019 when he rushed for 649 yards — but he has a skill set that translates to the NFL.
It's certainly possible that Johnson could be one of those rare players that has a better NFL career than college career (Johnson dealt with some coaching turmoil in college which led to a less-than-ideal situation at times for the talented running back).
You never know what might transpire during an NFL season. Johnson doesn't have many players to pass on the depth chart to put himself in a situation to make an impact as a rookie.
