Everybody, including the Chicago Bears, understands what the 2025 NFL draft positions are strong at. Yet, the media is torn between giving the Bears an offensive tackle, running back, and defensive line early in their mock drafts. Why? Well, they talk about how Braxton Jones is an average tackle, D'Andre Swift had a disappointing year, and the limited run stops and sacks the Bears had last season are a problem.
While those are all valid points, the NFL draft early (prospect-wise) is about getting the best player and value early for some needs. That is what I did with my first mock draft for the Chicago Bears. But why isn't the media talking about positions that have actually been failing and need an overhaul early, over the average ones? What we need to do is break down the positions even more. Instead of interior defensive line and edge, we should be talking about the nose tackle, 3-technique, strong-side defensive end, and weak-side defensive end.
I was torn between taking Derrick Harmon and Kenneth Grant (I love both of them) with the 10th overall selection in this mock draft, but how important is that in Dennis Allen's defense? We keep talking about this defense like it is Matt Eberflus's defense. The Chicago Bears' defense is now Dennis Allen's defense. What does Dennis Allen need in order to succeed? If you can't tell, with this first pick for this mock draft, it's going to be defensive. Would I be mad if the Chicago Bears took Tyler Warren or Ashton Gentry if they were available? Nope. But that isn't the direction we are going today.
But I still believe Ryan Poles believes in value over pure talent. No offense to those players, but those two positions aren't the typical value spots for a top-10 draft pick. What are those positions if you don't know? Quarterback, receiver, offensive tackle, edge rusher, and cornerback. Those positions are key positions that teams should be looking at when it comes to drafting inside the top 10 of an NFL draft.
First round pick: Jahdae Barron
The Bears have a number one cornerback and a very good slot cornerback, but that number two spot is up in the air. Tyrique Stevenson could have a Jaylon Johnson-like emergence next season, but he was benched multiple times last season. The coaching was poor (excuse), but again, this is a new defense and a new coach. Stevenson isn't promised anything. Remember, Allen is a defensive back specialist.
Barron could roll back to safety, play the nickel, or play out wide, opposite of Jaylon Johnson. Due to injuries to Will Johnson (Michigan) and Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Barron is the second-best defensive back in this draft class. Barron's versatility still makes him a prime option for the Chicago Bears' secondary, regardless of the ceilings of the other two defensive backs.
Second round pick Xavier Watts
Speaking of a Notre Dame prospect, Xavier Watts remains the Bears' next pick in this mock draft, with the 39th overall selection. I understand how I just talked about how Jahdae Barron could play safety. Let training camp figure out the rest. Do you want to keep hearing Elijah Hicks, Jonathan Owens, and Josh Blackwell are going to play the next three games, or would you rather hear Kevin Byard and Tyrique Stevenson are going to spell in to start for a few games due to injury?
Watts and Barron, as a tandem, remind me of Pole's first draft ever as an NFL general manager. He looked like he had hit on both Kyler Gordon and Jaquon Brisker until the injuries started to pile up. But imagine if he did and the future at safety was Brisker and Watts. That young duo can play off each other with their willingness to tackle and get deep in the passing game.
Bears send: round two pick 41
Texans send: round two pick 58 and round three pick 79
Second round Elijah Arroyo
If the 10th overall pick didn't make you leave, this one might. With the 58th overall selection, the Chicago Bears select Elijah Arroyo, a tight end from the University of Miami. I am kind of upset with myself because that was a very tough decision. I could have had the running back TreVeyon Henderson (Go Buckeyes!), who went one spot after this pick. Henderson is my dude, and I passed on him, but I did it for the Bears.
If you want, you can pretend that I drafted him instead. Spoiler alert: The fourth-round draft pick I acquired is a running back. Swap Gunnar Helm, a tight end from Texas, with the running back I draft, and use Henderson with this pick. It's one and the same. The Bears no longer need a blocking tight end. They have a blocker and a universal guy in Cole Kmet. They need that guy who can get open all the time and play big slot. That guy in this mock draft is either Arroro in the late second or early third round or Helm in the fourth.
Third round Alfred Collins
I know you are mad that I have the Bears drafting a tight end in the second round, but this will please you. With the 72nd overall pick, the Chicago Bears select Alfred Collins, defensive tackle, Texas. When Andrew Billings went down, the run-stopping game went to crap. Billings needs to get a breather, just as anybody else on the field needs to. Collins is a run-stopping demon who can take on double teams like no other.
Bears send: round three picks 79, round five picks 148, and future sixth
Bengals send: round three pick 81 and round four 119.
Third round Elijah Roberts
The Chicago Bears select Dayo Odeyingbo with the 81st overall pick. Well, not really, but this player is a perfect clone. Elijah Roberts, an edge rusher from SMU, is the pick. Roberts really is an Odeyingbo clone. Roberts is 6'4 ", 285 lbs, and Odeyingbo is 6'6", 286. Both players are extremely long and play with a lot of power from the edge.
Fourth round Jaydon Blue
With the 119th pick in this mock draft, the Chicago Bears select Jaydon Blue, a running back from Texas University. Yes, this has been a lot of Texas. Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles will draft a running back or maybe even two from this draft class. As we discussed earlier in an article, the Bears will not primarily use a gap and power scheme when it comes to the run game. They stuck with agile blockers, which means they will mostly use zone running schemes. Jaydon Blue has speed for days, and he shows it on tape.
Seventh round picks
The Chicago Bears and all NFL teams' late-day three picks should not be taken lightly. Every player matters. If you make the 90-man roster, you are either trying to make the team or make the team better. That is the purpose of these later draft picks. Starting it off with the 233rd overall pick is Timothy McKay, an offensive guard from North Carolina State. McKay shows good movement skills from a lower competition division, but he could either push the bottom of the roster guys like Bill Murray or take over for him.
The Chicago Bears are armed with two seventh-round draft picks. If a team is looking to move up in the seventh, or if the Bears want to use one to move another draft pick, don't be surprised. In this scenario, I have a few priority free agents who need to get onto this roster, so I elected to move down to gain one more draft pick before working the phones to sign undrafted free agents.
Bears send: round seven pick 240
49ers send: round seven picks 249 & 252
Joshua Gray from Oregon State is another agile blocker I wanted to bring in. This theory will resemble Ryan Poles' first draft when he brought in Doug Kramer and Ja'Tyre Carter late to battle the back end of the roster. Gray can push the bottom end of the roster like McKay.
The last pick many people are sleeping on. Nick Martin is a speedy linebacker from Oklahoma State. The Bears have shared how they need more speed at linebacker, running back, and receiver and Martin is a priority-free agent that the Bears have targeted. There is no reason to mess around with him; find a way to draft him just in case he finds another team to sign with when the 2025 NFL draft ends