The Chicago Bears were definitely in the market for a running back in the 2025 NFL Draft, but circumstances outside their control led to them waiting until their final pick to take Kyle Monangai out of Rutgers.
Basically, upon arrival, Monangai impressed head coach Ben Johnson. So much so that the Bears' head coach singled him out for praise after mandatory minicamp, and later called the rookie someone who could be trusted come the fall.
As is common for a rookie, Monangai did not have a big role right away this season. But starting when he got double-digit carries for the first time (Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints), he topped 700 rushing yards and averaged 5.1 yards per touch over the final 12 games of the regular season.
In the backfield split with D'Andre Swift, Monangai was clearly the "Angry Runs"-winning "Thunder" to Swift's more versatile "Lightning." When it was all said and done, Swift had 34 receptions to Monangai's 18 during the regular season, while Monangai actually averaged a shade more per catch (9.1, to Swift's 8.8).
Kyle Monangai showed he can be an every-down back if needed
The idea that Swift would spend one season back working with Johnson before he was gone this offseason has pretty much gone away now. So the Bears' top two backs will be back intact next season, and a whole season with Monangai in a bigger role stands to bring things toward a 50-50 workload split. The arrangement that took hold once Monangai emerged clearly helped Swift be more effective this season.
However, surprisingly, considering the Bears lost and he averaged less than three yards per carry, Monangai was one of Pro Football Focus' highest-graded rookies from the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
"Chicago’s season came to an end after an overtime loss to the Rams. Monangai ripped off a 15-yard run late in the first quarter to move the Bears to the Rams' nine-yard line, but he finished the game with only 36 rushing yards on 13 carries. He gained three first downs and forced four missed tackles (tied for second most), but his 30.8% stuff rate was his second-highest clip in a game this season."
"Monangai earned a 77.2 PFF receiving grade (third best among running backs), catching each of his four targets for 28 yards and two first downs. His longest reception, 16 yards, came midway through the second quarter on an underneath pass."
Writer Lauren Gray then outlined what Monangai did over the entirety of his rookie season.
"The Rutgers product ended his rookie campaign with a 67.7 PFF overall grade. He carried the ball 190 times for 846 yards, ranking third among rookie rushers in rushing yards and PFF rushing grade (75.6). He picked up 46 first downs (tied for second most among rookies) and rushed for five touchdowns, generating a 24.2% first down-plus-touchdown rate (third in the class). He also recorded the lowest stuff rate in the class (14.7%), forced 30 missed tackles, and tallied 16 runs of 10-plus yards."
"Most of Monangai’s rushes came in zone schemes, where he handled 126 carries for 536 yards. The seventh-round pick also flashed his receiving ability, securing 23 passes for 222 yards. Although he had four drops, he forced eight missed tackles and picked up 10 first downs and five catches of 15-plus yards."
Some of Monangai's drops as a receiver were memorable, in that they would've been big gains if he had corralled the passes. But he was an elusive chain mover after the catch anyway, which is a surprising part of his skill set after he was so little-used as a pass catcher in college.
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Johnson knows the benefit of having two capable running backs, and his first season in Chicago fortified the idea. But Monangai showed he has the all-around skill set befitting of an every-down back, and it's possible (if not likely) the workload split with Swift moves in his favor next season.