All throughout the 2025 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears fans were waiting for one specific position to be addressed.
There were times when it seemed like the Bears could wind up with a running back on Day 2, but alas, Chicago entered Day 3 having yet to take one. And then, the seventh and final round opened up and the Bears were in the same place.
Finally, the Bears selected Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai with the 17th pick in the seventh round.
But, would Monangai actually ease the Bears' running back concerns? So far, the reactions to the Monangai pick have been mostly positive, especially coming from the experts. Noted draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. loved the Monangai pick and said as much in his post-draft grades.
Kiper wasn't the only one to believe in the pick, though.
Another expert likes what the Bears got in running back Kyle Monangai
Draft expert Chad Reuter of NFL Media also praised the Bears for selecting Monangai. In his post-draft grades, Reuter highlighted Colston Loveland and the comparisons to Tyler Warren. He also said he believes Luther Burden III "will be a stud in Chicago."
But, Reuter ended his Bears segment with this:
"Monangai could prove to be the best value of all these picks."
That's high praise considering the Bears got tremendous value with a player like Burden in Round 2. At one point, Burden was viewed as arguably the best wide receiver not named McMillan in this class. Even going into the draft, some still held that opinion.
But, Reuter highlighted a seventh-round pick by the Bears, specifically.
Monangai is a shorter, stronger running back who doesn't possess breakaway speed. But, he offers that gritty, tough running style similar to an old friend of both the Bears and Ben Johnson: David Montgomery.
Monangai is coming off two-straight 1,200-yard seasons at Rutgers where he scored 21 touchdowns and averaged over 5.0 yards per carry during his final two years. His relentless running style is certainly reason enough to believe he'll make an impact.
Will his impact be enough to unset D'Andre Swift or Roschon Johnson on the depth chart? It's a matter of time before we find out the answer to that question.