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List of Chicago Bears first-round draft picks

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Mike Ditka, wearing sunglasses, from the shoulders up.
Mike Ditka was the Bears' first-round selection in the 1961 NFL draft.[1] Ditka would later become the team's head coach for 11 seasons, during which time they won Super Bowl XX.[2] In 1988, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a player.[3]

The Chicago Bears are an American football franchise based in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference North Division.[4] The franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois, on September 20, 1919,[5] became professional on September 17, 1920, and moved to Chicago in 1921.[6][7][8] It is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFL's founding in 1920, along with the Arizona Cardinals, which was originally also in Chicago.[9][10][7] The team played home games at Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side through the 1970 season; they now play at Soldier Field on the South Side adjacent to Lake Michigan.[11][12][13]

The NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[14][15][16] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[17] The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings; the teams with the worst win–loss records receive the earliest picks. Teams that qualified for the NFL playoffs select after non-qualifiers, and their order depends on how far they advanced, using their regular season record as a tie-breaker. The final two selections in the first round are reserved for the Super Bowl runner-up and champion. Draft picks are tradable and players or other picks can be acquired with them.[18]

In 1936, the league introduced the NFL draft after team owners voted on it in 1935.[19][20] The intention of the draft is to make the NFL more competitive, as some teams had an advantage in signing players.[18][20] From 1947 through 1958 the NFL designated the first overall selection as a "bonus" or "lottery pick". The pick was awarded by a random draw and the winner who received the "bonus pick" forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft and became ineligible for future draws. The system was abolished prior to the 1959 NFL draft, as all twelve teams in the league at the time had received a bonus choice.[21][22]

Since the first draft, the Bears have selected 97 players in the first round. The team's first-round pick in the inaugural NFL draft was Joe Stydahar, a tackle from West Virginia University; he was the 6th overall selection.[23] The Bears have held the first overall pick three times and selected Tom Harmon in 1941, Bob Fenimore in 1947, and Caleb Williams in 2024.[23] In the most recent draft, held in 2024, the Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.[24]

The Bears did not draft a player in the first round on nine occasions, most recently in 2022.[23] Eleven of the team's first-round picks—Dick Butkus, Jim Covert, Mike Ditka, Dan Hampton, Chuck Howley, Sid Luckman, Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, Joe Stydahar, Clyde Turner, and Brian Urlacher—have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[22][23] Three of the team's first-round picks—Dave Behrman, Steve DeLong, and George Rice—chose to sign with the NFL's pre-merger direct competitor, the American Football League (AFL), instead.[25][26][27][28]

Player selections

[edit]
Brian Urlacher on a football field wearing his Chicago Bears uniform and helmet.
Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher was drafted by the Bears with the 9th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. He spent his whole career with the Bears (20002012), during which time he won NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2005), made the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, and was selected to eight Pro Bowls.[29][30]
Walter Payton carrying a football and giving a stiff arm to another player on the New Orleans Saints.
Running back Walter Payton was drafted by the Bears in 1975 and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. He won the NFL MVP award in 1977 and was unanimously selected for the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[31][32]
Headshot of Gayle Sayers in 2008.
Gale Sayers, a running back drafted in 1965, spent his entire 7 season career with the Bears before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. Sayers was a five-time All-Pro and was selected for the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[33][32]
Dick Butkus sitting and holding a Marlboro magazine.
Dick Butkus was a linebacker drafted by the Bears in the 1965 NFL draft. During his 9-year career with the Bears, he was the Defensive Player of the Year twice, made eight Pro Bowls, and was selected as an All-Pro eight times. He was also unanimously selected for the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[34][35]
Key
Symbol Meaning
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
* Selected number one overall
Position abbreviations
C Center
CB Cornerback
DB Defensive back
DE Defensive end
DT Defensive tackle
E End
FB Fullback
G Guard
HB Halfback
LB Linebacker
QB Quarterback
RB Running back
S Safety
T Tackle
TE Tight end
WR Wide receiver
Chicago Bears first-round draft picks by season
Season Pick[23] Player[23] Position[23] College[23] Notes
1936 6 Joe Stydahar T West Virginia
1937 6 Les McDonald E Nebraska
1938 10 Joe Gray HB Oregon State
1939 2 Sid Luckman QB Columbia Pick received from Pittsburgh Pirates[A]
6 Bill Osmanski FB Holy Cross
1940 7 Clyde Turner C Hardin-Simmons
1941 1 Tom Harmon* HB Michigan Pick received from Philadelphia Eagles.[B] Did not sign with team.[C]
3 Norm Standlee FB Stanford Pick received from Pittsburgh Steelers[D]
9 Don Scott HB Ohio State
1942 10 Frankie Albert QB Stanford
1943 9 Bob Steuber HB Missouri
1944 9 Ray Evans HB Kansas
1945 11 Don Lund HB Michigan Chose to play Major League Baseball instead[44]
1946 4 Johnny Lujack QB Notre Dame
1947 1 Bob Fenimore* HB Oklahoma A&M Lottery bonus pick[45][46]
11 Dick Kindt HB Wisconsin
1948 10 Max Bumgardner DE Texas
1949 11 Dick Harris C Texas
1950 3 Chuck Hunsinger HB Florida Pick received from New York Bulldogs[E]
10 Fred Morrison HB Ohio State
1951 2 Bob Williams QB Notre Dame Pick received from Baltimore Colts[F]
10 Billy Stone HB Bradley Pick received from New York Yanks[E]
12 Gene Schroeder WR Virginia
1952 8 Jim Dooley HB Miami
1953 6 Billy Anderson HB Compton JC
1954 6 Stan Wallace HB Illinois
1955 11 Ron Drzewiecki HB Marquette
1956 10 Menan Schriewer E Texas Did not play for the team[G]
1957 13 Earl Leggett DT LSU
1958 7 Chuck Howley LB West Virginia
1959 7 Don Clark HB Ohio State
1960 7 Roger Davis G Syracuse
1961 5 Mike Ditka TE Pittsburgh
1962 7 Ronnie Bull RB Baylor
1963 11 Dave Behrman C Michigan State Original pick traded to Los Angeles Rams.[H] Pick received from Pittsburgh Steelers.[I] Signed for the AFL's Buffalo Bills instead.[26]
1964 14 Dick Evey DT Tennessee
1965 3 Dick Butkus LB Illinois Pick received from Pittsburgh Steelers[J]
4 Gale Sayers HB Kansas
6 Steve DeLong DE Tennessee Pick received from Washington Redskins.[K] Signed for the AFL's San Diego Chargers instead.[27]
1966 12 George Rice DT LSU Signed for the AFL's Houston Oilers instead[28]
1967 10 Loyd Phillips DE Arkansas
1968 16 Mike Hull FB USC
1969 14 Rufus Mayes T Ohio State Moved down draft order due to failure to pick within allotted time[L]
1970 No pick Pick traded to Green Bay Packers[M]
1971 11 Joe Moore RB Missouri
1972 3 Lionel Antoine T Southern Illinois Pick received from New York Giants[N]
12 Craig Clemons S Iowa
1973 8 Wally Chambers DT Eastern Kentucky Additional pick received from Kansas City Chiefs,[O] used to move down draft order in with trade with Detroit Lions,[P] and traded to New England Patriots.[Q]
1974 4 Waymond Bryant LB Tennessee State
20 Dave Gallagher DE Michigan Pick received from Washington Redskins[R]
1975 4 Walter Payton HB Jackson State
1976 8 Dennis Lick T Wisconsin Moved up draft order in trade with Detroit Lions{{efn-ua|Chicago traded their 1976 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 10 and 68 overall) to the Detroit Lions in exchange for their first-round selection (No. 8 overall).[68]
1977 15 Ted Albrecht T California
1978 No pick Pick traded to Cleveland Browns[S]
1979 4 Dan Hampton DT Arkansas Pick received from Tampa Bay Buccaneers[T]
9 Al Harris DE Arizona State
1980 19 Otis Wilson LB Louisville
1981 11 Keith Van Horne T USC
1982 5 Jim McMahon QB BYU
1983 6 Jim Covert T Pittsburgh
18 Willie Gault WR Tennessee Pick received from Tampa Bay Buccaneers[U]
1984 11 Wilber Marshall LB Florida
1985 22 William Perry DT Clemson
1986 27 Neal Anderson RB Florida
1987 26 Jim Harbaugh QB Michigan
1988 23 Brad Muster FB Stanford
27 Wendell Davis WR LSU Pick received from Washington Redskins[V]
1989 11 Donnell Woolford CB Clemson Original pick traded to Miami Dolphins.[W] Pick received from Oakland Raiders.[X]
12 Trace Armstrong DE Florida Pick received from Washington Redskins[V]
1990 6 Mark Carrier S USC
1991 22 Stan Thomas T Texas
1992 22 Alonzo Spellman DE Ohio State
1993 7 Curtis Conway WR USC
1994 11 John Thierry DE Alcorn State
1995 21 Rashaan Salaam RB Colorado
1996 13 Walt Harris CB Mississippi State Moved up draft order in trade with St. Louis Rams[Y]
1997 No pick Pick traded to Seattle Seahawks[Z]
1998 5 Curtis Enis RB Penn State
1999 12 Cade McNown QB UCLA Moved down draft order in trade with Washington Redskins[AA]
2000 9 Brian Urlacher LB New Mexico
2001 8 David Terrell WR Michigan
2002 29 Marc Colombo T Boston College
2003 14 Michael Haynes DE Penn State Moved down draft order in trades with New York Jets[AB] and New England Patriots[AC]
22 Rex Grossman QB Florida Pick received from New York Jets[AB]
2004 14 Tommie Harris DT Oklahoma
2005 4 Cedric Benson RB Texas
2006 No pick Moved down draft order in trade with Buffalo Bills[AD]
2007 31 Greg Olsen TE Miami
2008 14 Chris Williams T Vanderbilt
2009 No pick Pick traded to Denver Broncos[AE]
2010 No pick Pick traded to Denver Broncos[AE]
2011 29 Gabe Carimi T Wisconsin
2012 19 Shea McClellin DE Boise State
2013 20 Kyle Long T Oregon
2014 14 Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
2015 7 Kevin White WR West Virginia
2016 9 Leonard Floyd LB Georgia Moved up draft order in trade with Tampa Bay Buccaneers[AF]
2017 2 Mitchell Trubisky QB North Carolina Moved up draft order in trade with San Francisco 49ers[AG]
2018 8 Roquan Smith LB Georgia
2019 No pick Pick traded to Oakland Raiders[AH]
2020 No pick Pick traded to Las Vegas Raiders[AH]
2021 11 Justin Fields QB Ohio State Moved up draft order in trade with New York Giants[AI]
2022 No pick Pick traded to New York Giants[AI]
2023 10 Darnell Wright T Tennessee Moved down draft order in trades with Carolina Panthers[AJ] and Philadelphia Eagles[AK]
2024 1 Caleb Williams QB USC Pick received from Carolina Panthers[AJ]
9 Rome Odunze WR Washington

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Chicago traded end Ed Manske to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for their 1939 first-round selection (No. 2 overall).[36]
  2. ^ Chicago traded guard Dick Bassi and end Les McDonald to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for center John Schiechl. As a result of Schiechl failing to report, Chicago received Philadelphia's 1941 first-round selection (No. 1 overall).[37][38]
  3. ^ Tom Harmon signed with the New York Americans of the American Football League, who he played a single game for prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corps.[39] In 1946, Chicago traded the rights to Harmon to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for halfback Dante Magnani and tackle Fred Davis.[40][41]
  4. ^ Chicago traded back Billy Patterson to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 1941 first-round selection (No. 3 overall).[42][43]
  5. ^ a b Chicago traded quarterback Bobby Layne to the New York Bulldogs (who became the New York Yanks) in exchange for their 1950 first-round selection (No. 3 overall), 1951 first-round selection (No. 10 overall), and cash.[47][48][49][50]
  6. ^ Chicago traded two-way player Jim Spavital to the Baltimore Colts in exchange for their 1951 first-round selection (No. 2 overall).[51][52]
  7. ^ Menan Schriewer chose to sign with Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League instead.[53]
  8. ^ Chicago traded their 1963 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for fullback Joe Marconi.[54][55]
  9. ^ Chicago traded quarterback Ed Brown to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 1963 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) and 1964 second-round selection (No. 23 overall).[56]
  10. ^ Chicago traded their 1964 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 51 overall) to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 1965 first-round selection (No. 3 overall).[57][58]
  11. ^ Chicago traded end Angelo Coia and defensive tackle Fred Williams to the Washington Redskins in exchange for their 1965 first-round selection (No. 6 overall).[59][60]
  12. ^ Chicago did not submit their first-round selection within the allotted 15 minute time frame. This allowed the New York Giants (previously pick No. 14 overall) the opportunity to select ahead of Chicago (previously pick No. 13 overall).[61]
  13. ^ Chicago traded their 1970 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for guard Bob Hyland, halfback Elijah Pitts, and linebacker Lee Roy Caffey.[62][63]
  14. ^ Chicago traded guard Bob Hyland and cornerback Bennie McRae to the New York Giants in exchange for their 1972 first-round selection (No. 3 overall).[64][65]
  15. ^ a b Chicago traded the rights to George Seals to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1973 first-round selection (No. 17 overall).[66]
  16. ^ a b Chicago traded a 1973 first- (received from the Kansas City Chiefs)[O] and third-round selection (Nos. 17 and 58 overall) to the Detroit Lions in exchange for their 1973 first-round selection (No. 17 overall) and tight end Craig Cotton.[67][68]
  17. ^ Chicago traded a 1973 first-round selection (No. 19 overall, received from the Detroit Lions)[P] to the New England Patriots in exchange for running back Carl Garrett.[69]
  18. ^ Chicago received a 1974 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) from the Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent wide receiver Dick Gordon.[70][71]
  19. ^ Chicago traded their 1977 fourth-round selection (No. 110 overall) and 1978 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback Mike Phipps.[72][73][74]
  20. ^ Chicago traded defensive tackle Wally Chambers to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1979 first-round selection (No. 4 overall) and tight end Bob Moore.[58]
  21. ^ Chicago traded their 1982 second-round selection (No. 32 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1983 first-round selection (No. 18 overall).[75]
  22. ^ a b Chicago received a 1988 first-round selection (No. 27 overall) and 1989 first-round selection (No. 12 overall) from the Washington Redskins as compensation for free agent linebacker Wilber Marshall.[76][77]
  23. ^ Chicago traded their 1989 first-round selection (No. 25 overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1989 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 36 and 65 overall).[78][79]
  24. ^ Chicago traded wide receiver Willie Gault to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 1989 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) and 1990 third-round selection (No. 63 overall).[80][76][81]
  25. ^ Chicago traded their 1996 first-, third, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 18, 83, and 201 overall) to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 13 overall).[82]
  26. ^ Chicago traded their 1997 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for quarterback Rick Mirer.[83]
  27. ^ Chicago traded their 1999 first-round selection (No. 7 overall) to the Washington Redskins in exchange for their 1999 first-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 12, 71, 106, and 144 overall) and 2000 third-round selection (No. 87 overall).[84]
  28. ^ a b c Chicago traded their 2003 first-round selection (No. 4 overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for their 2003 fourth- and two first-round selections (Nos. 13, 22, and 116 overall).[85]
  29. ^ Chicago traded a 2003 first-round selection (No. 13 overall, received from New York Jets)[AB] to the New England Patriots in exchange for their 2003 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 14 and 193 overall).[85]
  30. ^ Chicago traded their 2006 first-round selection (No. 26 overall) to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for their 2006 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 42 and 73 overall).[86]
  31. ^ a b Chicago traded their 2009 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 18 and 84 overall), 2010 first-round selection (No. 11 overall), and quarterback Kyle Orton to the Denver Broncos in exchange for their 2009 fifth-round selection (No. 140 overall) and quarterback Jay Cutler.[87]
  32. ^ Chicago traded their 2016 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 11 and 106 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 2016 first-round selection (No. 9 overall).[88]
  33. ^ Chicago traded their 2017 first-, third-, and fourth-round selections (Nos. 3, 67, and 111 overall) and 2018 third-round selection (No. 78 overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 2017 first-round selection (No. 2 overall).[89]
  34. ^ a b Chicago traded their 2019 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 24 and 196 overall) and 2020 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 19 and 81 overall) to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 2020 second- and seventh-round selections (Nos. 43 and 226 overall) and linebacker Khalil Mack.[90]
  35. ^ a b Chicago traded their 2021 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 20 and 164 overall) and 2022 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 7 and 112 overall) to the New York Giants in exchange for their 2021 first-round selection (No. 11 overall).[91]
  36. ^ a b c Chicago traded their 2023 first-round selection (No. 1 overall) to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for their 2023 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 9 and 61 overall), 2024 first-round selection (No. 1 overall), 2025 second-round selection (No. yet to be determined), and wide receiver D. J. Moore.[92][93]
  37. ^ Chicago traded a 2023 first-round selection (No. 9 overall, received from Carolina Panthers)[AJ] to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 2023 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) and 2024 fourth-round selection (No. 122 overall).[92][94]

References

[edit]
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