LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) – After selecting Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday, Bears general manager Ryan Poles raved about the player he had added.
But Poles wasn’t interested in discussing the notable player whom he passed on selecting in the first round – talented-but-embattled Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless driving and racing charges in March in connection with a fatal crash.
The Bears had the opportunity to select Carter – who was once viewed by some as the top overall prospect in this draft class – but passed on him as they held the No. 9 pick. Instead, Poles allowed the Eagles to trade into that slot knowing they would select Carter and not Wright. Philadelphia sent Chicago a 2024 fourth-round pick to move up the one spot.
Poles declined to discuss the Bears’ decision to pass on Carter but offered a general statement that applied to this case.
“Character is always going to be important to us,” Poles said late Thursday night.
The Bears hosted Carter for a visit at Halas Hall in early April, a meeting that Poles hoped would influence the team’s decision on whether to select him.
The Bears’ scouting brass was impressed by Carter as a player, assistant general manager Ian Cunningham said Tuesday before stopping short of endorsing Carter’s character.
“The more time you spend around him, the more you realize that he’s a good player, but you get to know him more as a person,” Cunningham said. “I think ultimately, where we feel we made the best decision for us and our organization.”
An All-American defensive tackle at Georgia, Carter would’ve addressed a key void on the Bears’ defensive front, which struggled mightily as Chicago went an NFL-worst 3-14 in 2022.
Wright was an All-SEC tackle at Tennessee who won over the Bears in several meetings during the scouting process.
“He’s a tone-setter who plays with an edge to him, which we love,” Poles said.
“A guy that we were comfortable with being the top tackle in the draft.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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