A look at the Bears' past two No. 1 overall picks originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
On Sunday, the Bears lost to NFC North opponent Minnesota Vikings, and the Houston Texans defeated the Indianapolis Colts.
The result of the two games hands the Bears the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
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The 2023 NFL draft will mark the third time in franchise history the Bears have had the first selection in the draft. It will have been 76 years since the last time the Bears owned the first pick.
Here's how every No. 1 draft pick for the Bears unfolded in franchise history:
1941 NFL draft: The Bears selected running back Tom Harmon out of Michigan.
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Harmon declined to sign with the Bears to pursue a career in radio and acting. In October, Harmon signed with the New York Americans to play the final four games of the season, starting and ending his NFL career there.
1947 NFL draft: The Bears selected running back Bob Fenimore out of Oklahoma A&M.
Fenimore played 10 games with the Bears in 1947, recording 189 rushing yards. The Bears finished 8-4 that season under George Halas. Fenimore never played again after the season.
Clearly, the No. 1 pick hasn't historically worked out for the Bears. The team drafted an actor and a faulty running back, the latter of which suffered injuries in college that forced him to play scarcely during the end of his college career.
This time, however, the Bears will have audacious options to use with the No. 1 pick.
Some prognosticate the front office will leverage the pick for trade offers to acquire a player, or trade down their selection in the draft.
The draft also withholds two defensive behemoths in the form of Will Anderson Jr. (DE, Alabama) and Jalen Carter (DT, Georgia). The Bears have the worst pass rush and a bottom-tier rushing defense in the league this season. E
Whatever they decide to do, the Bears will kickstart their rebuild nicely by way of the No. 1 pick.
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