In 2023, the Detroit Lions selected a running back, an inside linebacker, a tight end and a safety with their first four picks in the NFL Draft.

It was a throwback draft class that drew ridicule.

What the heck were the Lions doing? Running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12? Really?

“At the end of the day, we acquire these players for a lot of different reasons, but ultimately, what are we trying to accomplish? We’re trying to win games,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes told reporters after Day 3 of the draft that year.

“That’s why we acquire these players. I know a lot will be said about, ‘You acquired a running back in the first round.’ We didn’t acquire a running back in the first round. We acquired an elite weapon to keep our offense explosive in the first round. We didn’t acquire an inside linebacker in the first round. We acquired a legit anchor to elevate our defense in the first round. That’s what the ultimate goal is, and that’s what our vision is. We couldn’t be more excited with how the weekend went.”

Two years later, it’s obvious that Holmes was right. His 2023 draft class changed the Lions. They became a contender because of it.

Gibbs, tight end Sam LaPorta (No. 34 pick) and safety Brian Branch (No. 45) are all Pro Bowl players. Linebacker Jack Campbell (No. 18) is a two-year starter who just led one of the NFL’s best defenses in tackles.

New Bears coach Ben Johnson was there for all of those evaluations and selections as the Lions’ offensive coordinator. Johnson got a new running back and tight end for his offense, and he helped turn Holmes’ hits into home runs for the organization.

With three draft picks in the top 50 — Nos. 10, 39 and 41 — the Bears are in a spot similar to the 2023 Lions. Here’s an early look at players who could be on the Bears’ draft board with the NFL combine taking over Indianapolis later this month.

No. 10 pick

Will Campbell, OL, LSU
Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
Mike Green, edge Marshall
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Shemar Stewart, edge, Texas A&M
Jalon Walker, edge, Georgia

• The Bears have only four offensive linemen under contract who played for them in 2024: right tackle Darnell Wright, left tackle Braxton Jones, center/guard Ryan Bates and tackle Kiran Amegadjie. The team is potentially looking at three new starters on the interior of their line. The Bears did sign Ricky Stromberg, a third-round pick of the Washington Commanders in 2023, to a reserve/future contract.

• Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s draft guru, considers Campbell the best offensive lineman in this year’s draft class. But his measurables will be important. Will his arm length reach the 33-inch benchmark that some teams want for offensive tackles?

Northwestern tackle Peter Skoronski didn’t meet that mark in 2023. The Bears passed on him in favor of Wright at No. 10. The Titans took Skoronski one pick later and now he’s a guard.

“(Campbell) showed up at LSU as an 18-year-old true freshman and started right away, started every game the last three years and gave up two sacks in the SEC over those three years,” Brugler said this week on the “Hoge & Jahns” podcast. “Yeah, I could pull up plays where maybe he got beat for a pressure, maybe his lack of length does show at times. But what about the thousand other plays where he’s holding his own and you see the strength, you see how smart he is, the way he can get himself into position and just totally neutralize whether it’s speed or power? So there are times where a few of his shortcomings show up, but far more often, he is getting the job done, completing the mission.”

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• Brugler considers this a good draft for three positions: defensive line, running back and tight end.

“This is a defensive line-rich class,” Brugler said.

Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter is one of the best players in this year’s draft class. He won’t make it to No. 10. Brugler also said he rates Walker, who is listed 6-2 and 245 pounds by Georgia, above Campbell as a prospect. Some projection might be required, though. Walker’s playing time was split at linebacker and edge rusher.

• Under coach Matt Eberflus, finding a three-technique defensive tackle was a priority. Gervon Dexter made progress in his second season, making five sacks and 19 QB hits.

But if new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants to upgrade his interior pass rush, then Graham, a unanimous All-American from Michigan, could be a first-round option. If he’s still available. Brugler considers him a top-five player in this draft.

“He might be the easiest player to like in this draft,” Brugler said. “You don’t want to use the word ‘safe’ but you just feel like the floor is pretty high for this guy. Former high school champion wrestler. Five-sport athlete in high school. And he goes to Michigan, and just from Day 1, it seems like he was making plays.”

• In 2023, the Lions’ investment at running back started with the free-agent signing of David Montgomery. He chose the Lions over sticking with the Bears. After drafting Gibbs in the first round, the Lions traded D’Andre Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles. Swift is now the Bears’ starting back after signing a three-year deal last year in free agency.

Jeanty is the best back in the draft. He could be the ideal weapon for Johnson’s offense.

ASHTON JEANTY IS UNSTOPPABLE ⚡️@BroncoSportsFB scores a third TD before the half 😤 pic.twitter.com/2Xek565tR5

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 7, 2024

“It depends on: Where are you on your roster construction?” Brugler said. “If you’re a complete rebuilding team, does it really make sense to invest in running back in the top 15 picks? But after what you do in free agency, you drop in a stud running back, you feel like it could elevate your offense, it won’t be hard to talk yourself into Ashton Jeanty. His ability to make guys miss, create his own yardage, it’s really impressive. And then you factor in his pass catching, and it’s like, ‘OK, is this guy L.T. (LaDainian Tomlinson)? Can he have that type of impact?’”

• With Caleb Williams in place, the Bears are surely rooting for quarterbacks to be drafted before their No. 10 selection. The issue is that there seemingly isn’t a Caleb Williams or a Jayden Daniels or a Drake Maye or a J.J. McCarthy to change boards.

“It’s not a great quarterback class,” Brugler said. “It just isn’t, plain and simple.”

Never underestimate the desperation of teams that lack a quarterback, though. The Bears know that well. The Tennessee Titans (No. 1), New York Giants (No. 3), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6) and New York Jets (No. 7) could be those organizations this year. There is plenty of time for them to fall in love with a QB or two before the draft begins.

Nos. 39, 41 picks

Josh Conerly, OT, Oregon
Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
Landon Jackson, edge, Arkansas
Marcus Mbow, G, Purdue
Jonah Savaiinaea, G, Arizona
Jack Sawyer, edge, Ohio State
JT Tuimoloau, edge, Ohio State
Princely Umanmielen, edge, Ole Miss
Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State

• If the Bears want to wait to take a running back, they can. Brugler described this year’s running back class as “outstanding” with as many as 30 backs with draft-worthy grades. The Bears also have the No. 72 selection.

If finding a Gibbs-like back is a priority for Johnson, Henderson could be an option early in the second round.

“He’s got a lot of that juice,” Brugler said.

Henderson averaged 7.1 yards per carry for Ohio State in 2024.

“He’s going to run in the mid-4.4s,” Brugler said on the “Hoge & Jahns” podcast. “You get him out in space, whether we’re talking stretch runs, counters, on a screen on the outside, he is dynamite in the open field. That’s where he really shines.”

• There is already plenty of buzz about this being a lackluster class for offensive linemen. But in Brugler’s opinion, that’s only if you wait.

“It’s not a deep offensive line class, but I think it’s a decent offensive line class in the first two rounds,” he said.

(Photo of Will Campbell: Andy Altenburger / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)