Mock Draft fatigue is real, and it's here.
We're, what, 170 months into Draft SZN and things are pretty bland at this point. Everyone's kinda in the same boat about most picks, which is not necessarily their fault, but maybe a larger indictment of how pointlessly drawn-out Draft SZN is.
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It makes new mock drafts hard to get excited for. BREAKING NEWS: Titans still probably drafting Cam Ward with the first overall pick. But! Disclaimer: they may not. Commit that line to memory for the next month. (Or don't. I certainly wouldn't blame you.)
That's what makes Mel Kiper's latest mock so exciting. The new projections, which dropped on Tuesday, have him changing his mind! What a world. After two rounds of mocks that had the Bears fixing their offensive line in the first round, Kiper pivoted to the other side of the ball after watching Ryan Poles fix the line in free agency.
Bears address major roster hole in Mel Kiper's latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Bears pick: Mykel Williams, OLB, Georgia
"I've gone offensive line for the Bears in both of my previous mock drafts, but that box was checked in free agency. Chicago traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson then signed center Drew Dalman. And while the Bears also added Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett on the defensive front, they could still use someone like Williams coming off the edge. They ranked in the middle of the pack last season in sacks (40) but were 24th in pass rush win rate (36.5%). Williams is a toolsy prospect who can beat blockers with his speed or power. He missed time with an ankle injury early last season but still picked up five sacks. Given a little more time to develop, he could be a really solid NFL edge rusher."
It's definitely not the first mock to project Williams to the Bears, so in that sense, not a ton has changed. But credit where it's due: changing your mind, and then (calmly) admitting it, is a rarity on the internet. Keeping things fresh is always appreciated here in the world of aggregators. And I guess Williams makes sense for the Bears too? That doesn't seem nearly as important though. What matters is that we have something new to talk about for 24-36 hours. Mel Kiper single-handedly saved our attention span, and that's more newsworthy than any 1st round pick.