The Bears Didn’t Stress Local Connections in the Draft

Ryan Poles stressed local connections when he signed free agents Robert Tonyan and T.J. Edwards, both originally from the Greater Chicago Area. Did this same sort of interest play out in the 2023 draft?

How relevant is any of this? It’s up to you. There are many fans interested by where players come from and their stories. None of this is analysis, but it is context for the lives of the players who are about to enter their first season as NFL players.

It did not.

The NFL reported that 243 different high schools had players drafted in 2023, with Illinois high schools contributing 12 different players to the draft (5th overall). However, the Chicago Bears drafted none of them. Instead, division…