:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71841294/1238387204.0.jpg "Bears draft history: When was the last time the Chicago Bears had the No. 1 overall pick?")
The Chicago Bears dropped its season finale against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, dropping them to a final record of 3-14 for the 2022 season. With some late help from the Houston Texans picking up a victory in Week 18, the Bears have officially clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The last time the Bears held the honors of having the No. 1 overall pick was in 1947, whey they selected halfback Bob Fenimore out of Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State). Despite winning the NFL Championship with an 8-2-1 record the season prior, Chicago won the No. 1 overall pick by way of a draft lottery held by the league at the time. As for Fenimore, he only played one season for George Halas' ballclub, He accounted for 219 receiving yards, 189 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns during the Bears' 1947 season before calling it career.
With the top pick in the 2023 draft, the Bears have a number of directions they can go in, especially with the quarterback position already settled. Chicago could choose to take a top defensive prospect like Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. or it could trade the pick to a QB-needy franchise and collect a king's ransom in draft assets.