Bold Approach to Draft Could Help Chicago Bears Build a Winner

The 2025 NFL Draft is coming and mock drafts are popping up. They are certainly fun to read and help us get a clearer picture of how a team might draft in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears have room to do creative things with this draft. Don’t think that anything is off the table when it comes to their picks.

The Bears’ first-round selection is something that people are doing a lot of speculating about. What might they do at number ten in the first round?

Let’s look at the possibilities that the Bears might face in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. We’ll look, round by round, at what the Bears might do with each of their selections and try to get a grasp on what kind of outcomes might be had in this year’s draft.

First Round, 10th Overall

The Bears aren’t going to be in a rush with his pick like they would have been should they not have made the moves they did in free agency. This means that they have a ton of flexibility with this selection.

For the value, one might feel that it’s best if the Bears do a little wheeling and dealing to get the most of their first-round pick. Not having a “desperate” need for an offensive or defensive lineman right now might allow the Bears to do something that they rarely ever do in the draft.

Trade back.

If they can find a willing trade partner to trade with and pick up additional picks from, that would be the ideal scenario.

For this mock draft, the Bears will find a willing trade partner in the Pittsburgh Steelers, at the 21st position in the first round. The Steelers will trade down and grab their guy, likely a quarterback which is something that they need. The Bears will take the 21st pick.

Who would the Bears take at the 21st spot in the 2025 NFL Draft? There is a myriad of options here but for the value at the 21st pick, the Bears could select a guy like offensive tackle/guard Grey Zabel. Zabel, a product of North Dakota State University, is an interesting player. He played offensive tackle in college but projects to be a guard or even a center in the NFL. The Bears really don’t need a guard or a center right now, but he could fill in nicely as needed and be there in case of injury.

He could be the Bears’ “guard of the future” perhaps. For the value, this would be a smart pick for the Bears.

Second Round, 39th Overall (from Carolina)

The Bears get two picks in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. With their first second-round selection, at 39th overall, they need to look at getting a “banger” at running back. Ashton Jeanty, the consensus top running back in the draft will be long gone. There might be a couple of others taken in the first round as well, but the Bears will hold out hope that one falls to them at number 39.

Here is where Iowa Hawkeye running back Kaleb Johnson would be a good selection. He’s a solid running back, one of the best in the draft, and would be a great fit in Chicago. Head coach Ben Johnson would have a nice backfield with D’Andre Swift and Johnson in it.

Second round, 41st Overall

The Bears pick again just a short while later at number 41 overall. This would be a good time to hit the defensive side of the ball and here is where they could get some help at linebacker. With the defense likely to do a little shifting around, the two linebackers that they currently have as starters, T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, will need someone else to stand by them.

Looking at the linebackers who are rated as early second-round picks, there is one guy who stands out as an earlier second-round possibility. He would be a good fit in Chicago and help them succeed on defense.

With the 41st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears should think about taking UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger. This guy is reminiscent of such former Bears linebackers as Nick Kwiatkowski and Lance Briggs. He’s got a nose for the football, plays lights out all the time, and would be a nice fit in Chicago.

Third Round, 72nd Overall

The Bears must do another dip into the defensive side of the football in the third round and get someone who can help beef up their defensive line. This player could be an edge rusher or a defensive tackle, but they need to keep stocking their defense.

Who would be the best pick at this point?

Oregon’s Jordan Burch, a defensive end, needs a little work. However, at this point in the draft, you expect the players that you draft to need some work. Burch could be a guy that they develop behind Dayo Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat. He could come in in certain special situations. He’s raw but he has talent that can be developed to be a great player in the future.

Third Round, 83rd Overall (from Pittsburgh)

This will be one of the picks that the Bears get from the Steelers for trading up in the first round. The Bears will get another third-round pick, and they should be looking to beef up their offensive line with a solid backup at the offensive tackle position.

Darnell Wright is going to be a mainstay at the right tackle position for a while. The other tackle position appears like it will be manned by Braxton Jones. Hopefully, he gets back from his injury in good order and is ready to go. He should be but there needs to be a lot more depth behind him.

At this point in the draft, you don’t find that many great offensive tackles who can start right away. That’s not what the Bears are looking for in the third round. A project player that doesn’t take too long to get up to speed is what they need.

With the 83rd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears should take offensive tackle Logan Brown from Kansas. He’s a little rough around the edges but with some work, he’s someone who could end up being a starter. The Bears might consider him in the third round and beef up that offensive line.