The Chicago Bears were widely heralded for their ability to land a very talented running back in Rutgers star Kyle Monangai in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, which is much later than most experts thought he would have survived without some team taking a chance on him.
Monangai was one of the Big Ten's best and most consistent power backs in the 2025 NFL Draft, which should have been enough for teams to see him and take him right before the waning stages. Ryan Poles made some questionable value picks, but this was one of his better selections. Rivals were begging for their team to take him.
Many Dallas Cowboys experts out there would have liked Monangai in a power-running scheme led by Brian Schottenheimer, but they decided to use a fifth-round pick on Texas running back Jaydon Blue. While Blue may be a faster player, that doesn't mean he is a better one.
Monangai will not only be able to show the Cowboys and others why they were wrong for passing on him, but he will do so in a Bears offense that doesn't have a ton of starters ahead of him as he tries to stick in the NFL long-term.
Bears stole RB Kyle Monangai from Cowboys in seventh round
Monangai played his college ball with exactly one other NFL player on his offense in left tackle Hollin Pierce. Despite that, Monangai's bruising running style was good enough to both give the Scarlet Knights an identity on offense and help make them respectable after years at the bottom of college football.
Though listed at 210 pounds, Monangai runs much harder than that. His power, consistency (consecutive 1,000-yard seasons), and surprising wiggle in between the tackles are all traits that could set him apart among the rest of the NFL running backs out there.
Monangai will start the season as the third-string running back behind D'Andre Swift and backup sledgehammer Roschon Johnson. However, with Johnson failing to even hit 3.0 yards per carry last season, it's no wonder that Monangai has a chance to end up as RB2 in the right scenario.
Monangai will likely make those who passed on him eat their words in short order, as his ability to grind out yards should make him a perfect complement to Swift in the right scenario