The Ben Johnson era has obviously started off great for the Chicago Bears, but what could make things even better is the realization that this may have legitimate staying power.
The Bears not only hit the ground running with success on the field, but they are also looking like they had a good draft class as well. Aaron Schatz of ESPN ranked the best draft class in the NFL this year, and he came up with the Bears as the seventh best.
The Chicago Bears have the seventh-best draft class from 2025
This is a pretty solid ranking, given that Shemar Turner, Ruben Hyppolite II, Zah Frazier, and Luke Newman are proving nothing for the team. One thing that helped was that they had a lot of picks, allowing them to miss here and there.
Still, they hit big on their top two picks, and that is just as valuable. Halfway through the year, there were questions about whether Colston Loveland was the right pick at number ten. Now, he is considered one of the best up-and-coming tight ends in the NFL.
The same can be said of Luther Burden, who was not getting work over Olamide Zaccheus a few months ago. Now, he is viewed as a lethal playmaker and one of the offense's bright spots.
Ozzy Trapilo was up-and-down as a rookie and finished the year on the IR. Still, this was a right tackle in college, and he shifted to the left side and got on the field for significant work. The team should look to him as a starter next year.
When you add in Kyle Monangai, there are four legitimate hits with the chance of two stars from this draft class. That is not bad.
Atlanta was sixth, and they also have four legitimate starters from their picks. The Panthers are fifth with three legitimate starters, but a few other helpful depth pieces. New England is fourth, and they have four legitimate starters. The Giants are third with four starters, although Jaxson Dart definitely carries their ranking.
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The Browns have four legitimate starters and the chance at a fifth in Shedeur Sanders. Meanwhile, the Saints are first with five and potentially six starters, along with a quarterback. The top three make sense, but you can argue the Bears as high as fourth and easily argue that they should be fifth in this ranking.