Bears' unlikely seventh-round rookie has become biggest draft steal in NFL

Chicago Bears rookie Kyle Monangai was the 22nd running back selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

Only three running backs were selected after Monangai, the No. 233 overall pick in the seventh round out of Rutgers.

But the Chicago Bears’ running back did something in their Week 13 24-15 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles that no other rookie running back has done this season. Mongangai finished with a game-high 130 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 22 carries. 

The Bears have something special in Monangai

Monangai is the only rookie running back this season to exceed 100 yards rushing in two games. When D’Andre Swift missed the Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals because of a groin injury, Monangai finished with 26 runs for 176 yards. 

There were 21 running backs taken before Monangai, but the Bears’ 5-foot-8, 207-pound ball carrier continues to prove that his draft status doesn’t mean a thing. 

The Browns’ Quinshon Judkins leads all rookie running backs with his 667 rushing yards. Ashton Jeanty of the Raiders has 604 rushing yards, and Monangai is in third with 591 rushing yards. 

Monangai is just 76 yards behind Judkins, but has carried the ball 52 times fewer than the Browns’ lead back. Jeanty was the first running back selected in the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 6 overall, but he hasn’t been as impactful on a Raiders team that has a multitude of problems on offense. 

That’s not the situation in Chicago, though. The Bears are currently No. 1 in the NFL in rushing, averaging 153.8 yards per game. The Bears are rolling at 9-3, first place in the NFC North and second overall in the NFC. 

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And Monangai has played a pivotal part in helping the Bears rush all over their opponents.