Chicago Bears (Last Year: 5-12)
Goals Entering the 2025 NFL Draft: Caleb Williams had some bright moments as a rookie, but those were overshadowed by some embarrassing situations, namely the collapses at the end of the Thanksgiving game and the Thursday night battle versus the Seahawks. Chicago responded by hiring Ben Johnson and finding three upgrades on the offensive line. The Bears are set up for a better 2025 campaign, but they need to replace Keenan Allen and spend multiple upgrades on a weak defensive line. Improving Williams’ supporting cast is paramount.
2025 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I can’t say I was a big fan of the Colston Loveland selection. Drafting Loveland, who may not have even been the best tight end on the board, felt like a luxury on a team one piece away from a Super Bowl would make. The Bears already had Cole Kmet, and while they could run two-tight end formations, the front office could have made more helpful selections elsewhere.
The Bears rebounded from the Loveland pick with two outstanding Day 2 choices. Luther Burden and Ozzy Trapilo were both stellar values who should be able to help Caleb Williams. With all of this new weaponry and blocking, there won’t be any excuses for Williams next year.
Despite a strong second day, the Bears didn’t draft very well on Saturday. They reached and wasted two picks, and they had just one selection that scored higher than a “B” on Day 3.
Overall, Chicago did a fine job in this draft. There were definitely some whiffs, but the team strengthened Williams’ support system, which was the primary goal.
NFL Draft Individual Grades:
10. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan – D Grade
Uhh… did the Bears know that Tyler Warren was available? Why would they draft the second-best player at the position when the best one was there for the taking? This pick provides poor value and doesn’t fill a need. This is a poor pick, but not quite worthy of being a Millen.
39. Luther Burden, WR, Missouri – A+ Grade
The Bears lost Keenan Allen, so another receiver makes sense. Especially one as talented as Luther Burden. No one would have had an issue with a team drafting Burden in the 20s, and yet Chicago stole him at No. 39. This is an outstanding value that fills a need. Thus, Chicago’s selection should be graded highly.
56. Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College – A Grade
The Bears signed three interior offensive linemen this offseason, but they still needed a tackle. They found one in Ozzy Trapilo, whom we projected very early in the second round. I love the value here for the Bears, who have added enough blockers that Caleb Williams will be able to spend hours in the pocket waiting to be sacked.
62. Shemar Turner, DT, Texas A&M – B Grade
Outside of the offensive line, the defensive interior was Chicago’s biggest weakness entering the offseason. Shemar Turner is a bit of a project, but he has lots of upside and could end up being a very good player for Chicago. The range is about right here for Turner.
132. Ruben Hyppolite, LB, Maryland – C Grade
The Bears needed some linebacker depth, so Ruben Hyppolite makes sense from that perspective. He was projected as a seventh-round prospect, but he has upside, so this pick could end up being a success.
169. Zah Frazier, CB, Texas-San Antonio – B+ Grade
The Bears needed cornerback help. Zah Frazier was one of the fastest cornerbacks at the combine, and he has plenty of upside. He could eventually emerge as a starter for Chicago.
195. Luke Newman, G, Michigan State – C- Grade
Luke Newman is someone I didn’t have on my board at all. He started at guard for Michigan State last year, but he didn’t seem like a draftable prospect. He also doesn’t fill any sort of need.
233. Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers – B Grade
D’Andre Swift was a huge winner in the draft because the Bears waited until the final round to draft a running back. Kyle Monangai was expected to go in this area. He was highly productive for Rutgers last year.
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