The order isn’t set just yet, but we know where the Chicago Bears will be picking in the first round when the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around in April.
Chicago’s football team is set to pick 10th overall. It could have been picking as high as seventh, but beating the Green Bay Packers in Week 18 at Lambeau Field took that possibility out of the equation. And while moving up a few slots in the draft order would have been nice, taking down the Packers at their place and locking them into the seventh seed and a playoff matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles (which they lost) is a consolation prize most Bears fans would accept.
MORE: What Picks Do the Chicago Bears Own in the 2025 NFL Draft?
The 2025 NFL Draft won’t begin for another 98 days. That means we have time to dissect prospects, analyze possible fits, and unearth potential Bears targets. And with the seemingly never-ending waves of mock drafts that wash ashore, I have a good feeling that we will get acquainted with a bunch of uniquely talented prospects. But with that being said, this might be the wildest mock draft pick I’ve seen for Chicago to this point:
This is one of the wildest mock draft scenarios that you’ll see (especially if you’re a Bears fan)
— Funky Cold Luda (@funkycoldluis.bsky.social) January 16, 2025 at 12:47 PM
[image or embed]
Mike Renner’s mock draft at CBS Sports is a doozy. It has Shedeur Sanders dropping out of the top-5, trench standouts Abdul Carter (Penn State EDGE) and Will Campbell (LSU OT) jumping INTO the top-5, and the Bears taking a running back with a top-10 pick. Sure, Ashton Jeanty isn’t just any run-of-the-mill running back prospect. Jeanty is one of the best running back prospects we’ve seen in a while. Arguably the best running back prospect to enter the NFL Draft since Saquon Barkley. Few running backs get first-round grades these days. That Jeanty is getting that treatment suggests how hot his prospect stock is right now.
On the one hand, the logical-thinking part of my brain believes there is no way the Bears would use a top-10 pick on a running back. Taking a running back when an offensive line prospect such as Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. (Oregon) or a defensive line prospect like Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. is still on the board would cause Bears fans craving upgrades in the trenches to implode. But on the other hand, the logical thinker in me knows that the Bears do not think logically — which means it is important to be prepared for the unexpected.
For instance, in a scenario in which the likes of LSU’s star offensive lineman Will Campbell, Texas standout offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr., stud Georgia EDGE prospect Mykel Williams, and Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham are off the board, it would behoove us to prepare for the possibility of Chicago’s front office doing something that would be deemed unpopular, unconventional, and even unfathomable. This is the Bears we’re talking about, folks. Nothing should be viewed as being off the table.
Other mock drafts and Bears picks
A rundown of who other mock drafters are forecasting will come Chicago’s way in April:
- Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) has what I believe would be a far more palatable mock draft. At a minimum, it would line up better with the sensibilities of Bears fans. Trapasso has Chicago sticking with the No. 10 pick and landing Penn State edge defender Abdul Carter. It would be an absolute steal to land Carter, who might be the NFL Draft’s best non-quarterback prospect, with the No. 10 pick. Whatever sacrifices to the football gods that need to be made here should be considered.
CHECK IT OUT: All-American Abdul Carter Declares for the 2025 NFL Draft
- The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has cooked up a new mock draft. This one is a two-round mock. In it, Brugler provides significant upgrades to the trenches. With the 10th pick, Brugler sends Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons with the No. 10 overall pick. This is what Brugler had to say about the Buckeyes offensive lineman:
Simmons was trending towards being OT1 in this draft class until he suffered a knee injury in mid-October, which required season-ending surgery. His draft stock will be in limbo until the combine, when teams receive medical feedback from their doctors. But if he’s healthy, Simmons is a natural left tackle with a high ceiling.
- Taking an offensive lineman coming off an injury-shortened season might not sit well with some fans. But if the juice is worth the squeeze, we won’t think twice about it. As for the Bears’ second-round picks, Brugler has Chicago choosing West Virginia interior offensive lineman Wyatt Milum (39th overall) and Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson (41st overall). I’ll feel better about this team’s future if it can fill some glaring needs in the draft.
- The latest Tankathon mock draft has the Bears taking Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. with the No. 10 overall pick. And for what it’s worth, so does this mock draft from Pro Football Focus. Banks cleaned up in the awards banquet circuit and profiles as a safe pick along the offensive line. Stability in the trenches would be welcome.
- ESPN’s Jordan Reid has LSU’s Will Campbell falling to the Bears with the No. 10 pick. Reid is one of my favorite draft analysts to read, so I’ll re-share his thoughts on Campbell here:
After a humbling season, the Bears’ concerns again center around an inconsistent offense. They finished this season with the worst sacks per dropback rate in the NFL (10.3%), so offensive line should be their top priority. Campbell would be a massive boost for a unit that needs multiple new starters. A consistent technician, the 6-foot-6, 323-pound Campbell is a polished blocker who can step in as a Day 1 starter at either tackle or guard and help protect Caleb Williams.
- If the Bears can land a top-2 offensive line prospect with the No. 10 overall pick, then they shouldn’t hesitate to turn in the draft card should the opportunity present itself.