It's finally April, which means NFL Draft month is officially here.
There's no better way to start than by releasing my first Chicago Bears Mock Draft. As it stands, the Bears have seven picks entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
Here is just one of the endless ways Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson can approach the draft.
Round 1, Pick 10
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
The Bears select their offensive tackle of the future in Armand Membou. The 6-foot-3, 313-pound Missouri Tiger played exclusively at right tackle the past three seasons (1,964 snaps) but will flip to the left side for the Bears to replace Braxton Jones. An adjustment period is expected, but the transition may not be as difficult as it appears. Former Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long was asked about the difficulty for Membou to switch to left tackle and responded on X on Monday afternoon.
“I played on the left side exclusively in college and the right side exclusively in the NFL so the prospect of him switching [sides] for the league doesn’t really concern me.”
While protecting his quarterback’s right side last season, Membou was elite – allowing zero sacks and no quarterback hits on 392 pass-blocking snaps. He has a strong anchor against bullrushes and uses quick hands to snatch defenders' hands away to break away the contact and disrupt the rush. As a run blocker, Membou uses his quickness to his advantage, making him ideal for a zone-blocking scheme.
Selecting Membou completes the overhaul of the offensive line and places the three new interior O-linemen between two top-10 tackles, with Darnell Wright manning the other side.
Round 2, Pick 39 (from Panthers)
Darius Alexander, DL, Toledo
The emphasis on the trenches continues in the second round with Toledo’s Darius Alexander. What showed up on tape consistently was Alexander’s strength. He overpowered opposing offensive linemen and finished with an elite 90.3 run-defensive grade, according to Pro Football Focus. He also had 33 total pressures – ninth most among interior defensive linemen last season. Alexander showed his effectiveness as a pass rusher throughout the week in Mobile, Ala., at the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl and was named the top defensive lineman on the National Team, which is voted by the offensive line group.
At 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, he also has the versatility to line up in multiple positions along the defensive line. Toledo primarily played him in the B gap, but he had a few reps outside of offensive tackles. He likes his club and swim move and displays those if his bullrush doesn’t work. Taking on double teams and staying on his feet are areas of his game where he can improve.
Round 2, Pick 41
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Here is another playmaker to add for head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. Quinshon Judkins gives the Bears a physical north-and-south runner. At 6-foot, 221 pounds, Judkins punishes opposing tacklers by lowering his shoulder pads to finish runs and that allowed him to bounce off of tacklers to gain an additional 587 yards after contact.
Judkins has the frame and mentality to run in between the tackles, whereas D’Andre Swift wasn’t as effective last season for the Bears. An improved interior offensive line will benefit both Judkins and Swift. Johnson now has two different styles of backs to operate his offense however he sees fit in Chicago.
Round 3, Pick 72
Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas
One of my favorite draft prospects in this class, Andrew Mukuba becomes the Bears’ free safety of the future. In his one season at Texas, after transferring from Clemson, where he played mostly in the slot, Mukuba looked natural at the position, showing off his range and instincts consistently in coverage. In 15 games, he made 69 tackles, four for loss, seven PBUs, and was tied for the fourth-most in the FBS with five interceptions.
Mukuba also plays with physicality and will deliver a punishing blow if he sees an opportunity. He did, at times, miss blocks due to poor angles or had trouble bringing down ball carriers, which could be due to his 5-foot-11, 186-pound frame. Still, Mukuba showed plenty of upside in one full season as a safety, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will get an opportunity to maximize his skill set at the next level.
Round 5, Pick 148
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, EDGE, Georgia
To add more depth to the Bears’ defensive line, Chicago selects Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. The 6-foot-5, 276-pound defensive lineman lined up all over Georgia’s defense last season. According to PFF, he played 218 snaps outside the tackle, 186 over the tackle, 104 in the B gap, and 26 snaps in the A gap. The Bears could use him in a variety of ways, and Ingram-Dawkins has the frame that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen likes in his edge defenders.
Last season, Ingram-Dawkins finished with three sacks, 15 hurries, and three batted passes. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he competed with the defensive tackles and finished as the top performer in the 3-cone (7.28 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.34 seconds), broad jump (10’4”) and vertical jump (36.00”) and had the third fastest 40-time (4.86 seconds).
Ingram-Dawkins has an elite athletic profile but needs to be coached well to capitalize on his traits.
Round 7, Pick 233 (from Bengals)
Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
Back-to-back Georgia Bulldogs here with wide receiver Arian Smith. The Bears added receivers this offseason who can stretch the field vertically with Olamide Zachieus and Devin Duvernay and now Smith gets added to the mix.
The 6-foot, 179-pound receiver ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He led the Bulldogs with 817 receiving yards and caught four touchdowns on 48 receptions. If he wants to see the field, he needs to work consistently catching the football, especially since he had 10 drops last season.
Round 7, Pick 240 (from Browns)
Drew Kendall, C, Boston College
For the final pick, Ryan Poles goes to his alma mater and selects offensive lineman Drew Kendall from Boston College. In the past three seasons, Kendall has played all his 2,436 snaps at center and has given up just 5 total sacks, six quarterback hits, and 26 hurries in 37 games played.
In the NFL, his ability to anchor will be tested and he doesn’t provide position flexibility, having played all his snaps at center in college.