After finishing the 2022 season with a 3-14 record, the Chicago Bears have the No.1 pick in the NFL draft, in addition to seven other selections. Also, Chicago will likely take advantage of the opportunity to trade back, accumulating more picks in this year’s draft.
Over the next few weeks, we’re counting down our top 15 draft prospects for the Bears with scouting reports for each, the team’s need for their position, and the likelihood the Bears draft them.
Next up at No. 3 is edge rusher Isaiah Foskey from Notre Dame. He is flying under the radar after the Irish’s 9-4 season, but the junior defensive end has the traits of a top-10 pick. His production cemented his legacy as an all-time great in South Bend, as he leaves with more sacks than Justin Tuck and hall of famer Bryant Young.
The Basics
Position: DE
Age: 22
School: Notre Dame
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 265 pounds
Stats
- Career: 122 tackles, 26.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles
- 2022: 45 tackles, 11 sacks, and one forced fumble
Strengths
- Phenomenal pass rusher that can win with strength and finesse, and has a variety of counter moves.
- A high-motor player that makes hustle and coverage sacks.
- He has a knack for taking the ball away from quarterbacks with strip-sacks.
Weaknesses
- He is most effective and aggressive when he’s in a two-point stance.
- He could be faster in disengaging against OL in the run game.
- Foskey doesn’t tackle with the level of violence you’d expect from someone with his size and power.
Team position need: High
Chicago was last in the NFL in sacks and pressures by a wide margin. The average NFL defense had 40 sacks and 135 pressures. The Bears’ defense had 20 sacks and 85 pressures.
Sacks and pressures are critical to a successful defense, especially an attacking 4-3. Last year the teams in the top quartile for sacks and pressures won an average of 12 games.
Likelihood Bears draft him: 5.5/10
Foskey seems best suited as an outside linebacker for a 3-4 scheme. Given his comfort with playing out of a two-point stance and experience dropping into coverage at Notre Dame, a 3-4 scheme allows him to contribute immediately.
However, if a 4-3 team is willing to let him play out of a two-point stance or believes they can improve his production out of a three-point stance, he’s a high-ceiling prospect that reminds me of the 2016 sack and forced fumbles leader, Vic Beasley.
Bears' top 2023 draft prospects
We’re counting down our top 15 draft prospects for the Bears in 2023. Check back every other day.
| 15. WR Rashee Rice | 14. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 13. WR Jordan Addison |
| 12. OL Braeden Daniels | 11. OL John Michael Schmitz | 10. OL Andrew Vorhees |
| 9. DT Gervon Dexter | 8. DT Jaquelin Roy | 7. DT Siaki Ika |
| 6. DT Tuli Tuipulotu | 5. DT Bryan Bresee | 4. DT Jalen Carter |
| 3. EDGE Isaiah Foskey | 2. COMING 2/27 | 1. COMING 3/1 |
