Predicting the Bears' first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft
The Bears will have no shortage of top prospects to choose from with their Top 10 selection, but there are questions about how the board will fall. Offensive skill players like running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Tyler Warren have been linked to Chicago, but there's no guarantee they make it to 10. Meanwhile, it's not out of the question for the Bears to once again address the trenches after overhauling the offensive and defensive lines in free agency.
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Then there's the possibility of trading back (or even trading up). But it's important to remember that Chicago has four selections in the Top 75, so there will be opportunities to add several impact players between the first two days.
Ahead of the draft, our Bears Wire staff is taking a crack at predicting what Chicago does with its first-round selection at 10th overall. And it shouldn't come as a surprise that we all can't seem to agree in what's expected to be a "wild" first round.
Alyssa Barbieri: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Boise State Broncos during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Dec. 31, 2024.
There's been some speculation about Chicago potentially trading up for running back Ashton Jeanty, but I think they can stand pat and still land a top playmaker for head coach Ben Johnson. It's no secret that the Bears are interested in Tyler Warren, who Johnson praised as 'the definition of a football player." Add in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen talking about how Warren will give defenses a headache, and it sounds like he's a real possibility for Chicago at 10th overall -- should he make it past the New York Jets at seventh overall. Warren is one of the top playmakers in this draft, and he would thrive in Ben Johnson's offense with his ability to line up anywhere and create mismatches. A 1-2 punch of Cole Kmet and Warren would be huge for this offense.
Brendan Sugrue: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
It seems like every day, there is a new player that I think the Bears will zero in on at No. 10—or possibly earlier if you buy into the rumors swirling around. With the day of the draft finally here, I'm betting that the Bears stay put and simply cannot pass up the opportunity to draft Mason Graham when he falls to them at No. 10. Graham is the top defensive tackle in this year's class and can be the three-technique they have been lacking in recent years. Adding him to a group that includes Gervon Dexter, Grady Jarrett, and Andrew Billings would be a major boost for the defensive line. Ryan Poles has spent every first-round pick on an offensive player. This time, he goes defense.
Mike Pendleton: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
I'm not buying into the chatter of needing to trade up to take Ashton Jeanty higher than the 10th overall pick. A lot of the smoke comes up to see what team may want to jump in the fire, only to normally regret the price they paid to move up. I believe the Bears can call other teams' bluff, stand pat, and let Jeanty fall to them. While some may feel that a running back that early is a big risk, Ben Johnson proved that theory can be proven wrong when Detroit drafted Jahmyr Gibbs. There was plenty of criticism around D'Andre Swift's first season in Chicago, but an improved offensive line, and Jeanty would completely rebuild the offense and rushing attack.
Vincent Parise: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Nov 23, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) blocks Kentucky Wildcats player during the second quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears should take one of Mason Graham or Will Campbell if one of them miraculously falls to them at 10. In the likely scenario that they are both gone, Kelvin Banks Jr. needs to be the selection. The offensive line is better, but it isn't good enough to pass on using a Top 10 pick to help it some more. The defensive linemen depth in this draft makes it worth going for one in the second round if they can snag a good offensive lineman like Banks.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Predicting the Bears' first-round pick
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