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The Bears 2025 NFL Draft Primer
- Tim Brusveen
- Apr 23
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 25
What to expect when you’re expecting Ryan Poles to draft a punter…
What follows is a comprehensive analysis of the Chicago Bears 2025 draft which examines the team’s existing needs, potential selection options at each of their current draft slots and an analysis of the potential directions the team could choose to go with each pick. These are all expandable menus, click to open. This feels like submitting a project in college except in this case I actually worked very hard and did the reading. My goal was to make this research-based. My opinion is in there a little bit but no one really cares about my opinion so all data gathered here is from an outside source. More opinions on guys I like elsewhere on the site.
How it works: An overview of the sources and analysis choices made throughout the work
Targets listed fit the positional need identified and land within ten spots of the pick number on either the full 7 round mock draft from The Athletic's Dane Brugler published on April 16th or the PFF Big Board. While the draft is always unpredictable, this identifies targets by both their likely landing spot in a team-specific draft as well as within a range based on their pure talent ranking. Players who conducted an official Top 30 visit with the Bears have also been included with an identifier of (T30). Scouting reports are provided by The 33rd Team with supplements where necessary.
Players will be sorted by their Next Gen Combine Score. This is a metric that uses combine performance, season performance and overall profile to put the prospect on a scale of 99-50. 99-90 is an elite prospect, 89-70 is a quality prospect, 69-60 is an average prospect, 59 and below is a subpar prospect. Players marked with an * did not receive a score and it has been estimated.
The analysis will be based on the selections that the Bears currently hold which are: 10, 39, 41, 72, 148, 233 and 240.
Positional Needs: What positions will be targeted?
Offensive Line: Left tackle is still unsettled with Braxton Jones hurt and most likely hitting free agency next year. The interior has been addressed pre-draft but at least a developmental prospect somewhere along the front is a certainty.
Defensive Edge: A deep rotational pass rush has proven to be an effective method of getting to the passer in recent years, expect the Bears to add to their rotation early.
Running Back: D'Andre Swift is useful but miscast as a three down runner, the team will add a backfield companion, likely in the first three rounds.
Interior Linebacker: Production from Tremaine Edmunds has been subpar and the team chose not to tender a contract to Jack Sanborn leaving an opportunity for a rookie in some capacity.
Tight End: Whether it is the top of draft or somewhere else, it is likely the Bears will find someone to replace the role Marcedes Lewis played last year at the very least, except with the hope that the replacement can outdo Lewis by having more catches than penalties.
Safety: Both starting safeties will be free agents after this season, Kevin Byard will definitely need to be replaced and Jaquan Brisker's concussion issues make an insurance policy a smart play.
Cornerback: A solid positional group that may add another player if the new Bears staff chooses to not tolerate Tyrique Stevenson.
The Picks: Who they might take or at least who would make sense
Round 1, Pick 10
The Take
First off, if Ashton Jeanty falls to 10, hand in the card, ignore all of this and watch him run. Same with Mason Graham. Second off, if the Bears can find a taker for this pick that moves them back in the first round that would probably be fine too. Along with Jeanty, they also conducted a Top 30 visit with offensive lineman Will Campbell but like Jeanty he figures to be gone by ten.
The pick will rely heavily on the evaluation of numerous prospects who all have flaws but all have upside. Tyler Warren has been the name for about a month but squaring his fit with Kmet as well as using the tenth pick on a low value position will need to be something they make their peace with. Same can be said if the pick is Omarion Hampton. The edges and lineman bring more positional value but the prospects are much less clean all with identifiable flaws. Marshall’s Mike Green has been omitted from this list as he carries multiple accusations of sexual assault and won’t be picked by the Bears. It may come down to who the Bears think they can fix. Regardless of the pick, it will have a significant cascading effect on the rest of the draft.
A more in-depth look at the first round can be found here.
Ashton Jeanty (T30)
RB/Boise State
Combine Score: 95
Pick = 6 Raiders
TE/Penn State
Combine Score: 92
Pick = 14 to Colts
OL/North Dakota State
Combine Score: 87
Pick = 18 to Seahawks
IDL/Michigan
Combine Score: 85
Pick = 5 to Browns
Will Campbell (T30)
OL/LSU
Combine Score: 85
Pick = 4 to Patriots
Omarion Hampton (T30)
RB/North Carolina
Combine Score: 85
Pick = 22 to Chargers
TE/Michigan
Combine Score: 84
Pick = 10 to Bears
Edge/Boston College
Combine Score: 83
OL/Texas
Combine Score: 82
Pick = 9 to Saints
Josh Conerly Jr. (T30)
OT/Oregon
Combine Score: 80
Pick = 29 to Commanders
Edge/Tennessee
Combine Score: 80
Pick = 26 to Falcons
Edge/Georgia
Combine Score: 80
Pick = 15 to Falcons
OT/Ohio State
Combine Score: 78
Pick = 32 to Chiefs
Shemar Stewart (T30)
Edge/Texas A&M
Combine Score: 77
Pick = 17 to Bengals
Edge/Georgia
Combine Score: 77
Pick = 11 to 49ers
Round 2, Picks 39 & 41
The Take
These two picks present the possibility of a trade back but as uncomfortable as the spot was in the first round, these two picks are just about perfectly timed for what the Bears are after. A running back in one of these two spots seems very likely; it would be hard to go wrong with either of the OSU backs. Then depending on what happens with the first round pick, the cup is still very full. Landon Jackson would be getting more buzz from his combine performance if it wasn’t for Shemar Stewart’s record-breaking day and Nic Scourton has drawn comparisons to Cam Jordan, something Dennis Allen has no doubt heard. Coming away with Henderson/Judkins and Jackson/Scourton here would be a massive win. It might be early for someone like Mason Taylor but he could be that skeleton key tight end or Carson Schwesinger starts to minimize the flaws at the linebacker spot. The Bears did have a Top 30 visit with Jonah Savaiinaea so he is in play here as well.
RB/Ohio State
Combine Score: 86
Edge/Boston College
Combine Score: 83
RB/Ohio State
Combine Score: 83
ILB/UCLA
Combine Score: 81
OT/Minnesota
Combine Score: 80
TE/LSU
Combine Score: 80
OL/Ohio State
Combine Score: 80
Pick = 24 to Vikings
OT/Ohio State
Combine Score: 78
Pick = 32 to Chiefs
Edge/Arkansas
Combine Score: 77
Edge/Texas A&M
Combine Score: 77
OL/Arizona
Combine Score: 76
OG/Alabama
Combine Score: 75
Pick = 12 to Cowboys
Edge/Ole Miss
Combine Score: 75
Edge/Oregon
Combine Score: 73
Edge/LSU
Combine Score: 69
Round 3, Pick 72
The Take
This is the point where the draft can go any direction. The assumption should be that the first three picks knock out at least three of: OL, Edge, RB and TE/WR/Pass Catcher so this list gets a lot shorter after the first two rounds but there is still a ton to work with in this spot. It seems like this is the spot to go skill in some way; if running back hasn’t been addressed yet, Kaleb Johnson is someone they have been linked to. If it’s a wide receiver someone like Jaylin Noel or Jack Bech could serve as the slot in Johnson’s offense. They also conducted a Top 30 visit with Kyle Williams. Depending on their medical assessment of Jaquan Brisker, they could add the younger version of him here with Kevin Winston. This is probably the last opportunity to get a real contributor for 2025 barring a trade so this can be seen as a hint on how Ben Johnson views his new roster and existing personnel.
OG/Georgia
Combine Score: 84
C/Georgia
Combine Score: 80
WR/Iowa State
Combine Score: 80
WR/Ole Miss
Combine Score: 79
RB/UCF
Combine Score: 79
OL/Georgia
Combine Score: 79
RB/Iowa
Combine Score: 76
Edge/Ohio State
Combine Score: 76
WR/Washington State
Combine Score: 76
Edge/Michigan
Combine Score: 76
WR/TCU
Combine Score: 75
ILB/Georgia
Combine Score: 75
RB/Miami
Combine Score: 75
OT/NC State
Combine Score: 74
OL/Purdue
Combine Score: 74
S/Texas
Combine Score: 74
OT/Boston College
Combine Score: 73
WR/Miami
Combine Score: 73
S/Penn State
Combine Score: 72
OL/LSU
Combine Score: 71
Edge/South Carolina
Combine Score: 71
IDL/Tennessee
Combine Score: 67
Edge/Ole Miss
Combine Score: 65
Round 5, Pick 148
The Take
Special Teams and developmental prospects here with the hopes of maybe landing a diamond in the rough. Demetrius Knight Jr., had a Combine score of 6.3 and Next Gen score of 74 which puts him firmly in the range of contributor with upside, if he’s available it’s a home run although this presents a huge gap in my two sources. Brugler has Knight as a 5th rounder while PFF considers him a Top 75 guy. Let's hope it's the first one. This could also be a spot to find some Ben Johnson gadget guys like Tez Johnson, Arian Smith or Isaiah Bond whose speed make them interesting manufactured touch guys if they can get in space. All bring their own flaws, Johnson is the size of a 6th grader, Smith can't catch and Bond is wrapped up in a sexual assault situation. Joshua Farmer presents some upside as a rotational interior defender and you could do worse at 3rd TE with either Gadsden or Evans. There will also be some developmental offensive lineman available here.
WR/Maryland
Combine Score: 76
TE/Syracuse
Combine Score: 75
WR/Texas
Combine Score: 75
ILB/South Carolina
Combine Score: 74
WR/Oregon
Combine Score: 74
RB/SMU
Combine Score: 74
TE/Notre Dame
Combine Score: 73
ILB/Oklahoma State
Combine Score: 73
ILB/Clemson
Combine Score: 71
WR/Illinois
Combine Score: 71
IDL/Georgia
Combine Score: 70
WR/Georgia
Combine Score: 70
S/Ohio State
Combine Score: 70
OL/Cincinnati
Combine Score: 70
IDL/Florida State
Combine Score: 69
ILB/Notre Dame
Combine Score: 68
CB/LSU
Combine Score: 67
S/Penn State
Combine Score: 66
IDL/Virginia Tech
Combine Score: 66
CB/Western Michigan
Combine Score: 64
CB/Rutgers
Combine Score: 64
CB/Oklahoma State
Combine Score: 60*
Round 7, Picks 233 & 240
The Take
We’ve reached the dart throwing phase. These guys fit the criteria laid out but there are also going to be some decent running backs hanging around here or a D2 player who some scout for some team saw play somewhere that they take a flier on. The Bears seem fairly happy with Cairo Santos whose distance improved this season but if they see an opportunity to replace him with a kicker who brings more natural power, it could be in play as well.
ILB/Kentucky
Combine Score: 71
S/Kansas State
Combine Score: 71
WR/Arkansas
Combine Score: 70
ILB/Washington
Combine Score: 70
ILB/Aurburn
Combine Score: 70
TE/Georgia Tech
Combine Score: 69
WR/San Jose State
Combine Score: 69
ILB/Miami
Combine Score: 68
S/Toledo
Combine Score: 67
ILB/Minnesota
Combine Score: 67
CB/Florida
Combine Score: 67
S/Wisconsin
Combine Score: 67
S/Cal
Combine Score: 66
CB/Western Kentucky
Combine Score: 65
TE/Iowa
Combine Score: 64
CB/North Carolina
Combine Score: 64
S/Navy
Combine Score: 63
WR/Colorado
Combine Score: 57
IDL/Tennessee
Combine Score: 57
IDL/Rutgers
Combine Score: 56*
Further Reading: Additional gold
Guys I Like (in the NFL Draft): More opinion based assessments of guys who seem good to me and my middle school-level football experience
What's Gonna Happen?: How the first round might fall or not
What Happened?: A Draft weekend retrospective (Coming Soon)
