2025 NFL Mock Draft: Ryan Poles is finally paying attention in post-Eberflus era

It's that time of year for many Chicago Bears fans. The outlook for the rest of the season looks grim, and the majority of the fan base understands what needs to happen next.

It is abundantly clear that head coach Matt Eberflus has to be (and hopefully will be) fired by season's end. Too many blown games and the inability to prepare his team is going to cost him his job, as it should.

The Bears' issues go beyond coaching, though, as general manager Ryan Poles has somehow failed to address the one area he is supposed to excel at. As a former offensive lineman, himself, Poles either cannot spot talent or doesn't want to invest in that area.

The trend stops here, though, as Poles and the Bears go after it in a serious manner in our latest 2025 NFL mock draft.

Bears fans will finally get what they've been asking for in this 2025 NFL mock draft

With the no. 14 overall selection, the Bears go with the best-available offensive lineman and it happens to be Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. The Bears may have three current starting candidates between Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright and Kiran Amegadjie, but two of those remain replaceable for now.

Banks has excellent footwork and refined hand technique as a 6-foot-4, 325-pound specimen. He'd come in, right away, and take over for the Jones side, giving the Bears a pair of first-round talents at tackle going forward.

It's never a bad idea to draft a pass rusher from the University of Michigan, and the Bears get a stud to pair with Montez Sweat. Michigan's Josaiah Stewart is a little undersized at just 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, but he's a high motor player who doesn't take a play off. Plus, he has top-end speed for his position, which allows him to be a problem.

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The center position finally gets solidified, here. Alabama's Parker Brailsford may be just 6-foot-2, 275 pounds, but his explosiveness and physical play style more than make up for any questions about size. The athleticism of Brailsford also allows him to get out in space in a hurry.

Poles stays in the trenches here in Round 3 by getting a defensive lineman who has played a whole lot of snaps in college. T.J. Saunders is your prototypical build for an interior lineman and he excels against the run, offering the Bears even more depth up front.

We're not sure how long Kevin Byard will be around, and that's why a player like Jalen Catalon makes sense here. He's a physical breed who is unafraid to get his hands dirty in run support. Catalon could potentially replace Byard in the future, but at the very least gives the Bears even more depth in the secondary.

Keenan Allen likely won't be back next year, which means the Bears' WR3 spot will be open for the taking. Will Tyler Scott earn the job? Could the Bears keep adding to the room in hopes someone else might emerge? That's where Oklahoma's Deion Burks comes in. Burks is a big play threat at any moment, and offers the Bears a potentially-explosive weapon with the ball in his hands.

In the seventh round, the Bears take their shots on some depth pieces which might end up panning into contributors down the line. Florida State cornerback Fentrell Cypress has the potential to play inside or outside and can also contribute on special teams.

The Bears are going to get the center position right in this draft, and at the very least Jonah Monheim might even be able to offer added depth at guard.