NFL Mock Draft: Bears 3-round 2025 projection before free agency begins

At this time last year, the Chicago Bears were already on the clock in the NFL Draft. That top overall selection netted them their franchise quarterback, Caleb Williams, which was one of the happiest moments in recent Bears history. It's fair to say that the former Heisman Trophy winner had his ups and downs in his first year in the league, but it's also fair to say that Bears fans are excited as all hell to see what he can do now that Ben Johnson is his coach.

The Bears had two top-10 picks last year, and they took Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the second one. This year doesn't feature as much first-round capital, but general manager Ryan Poles is still well-positioned to improve the team with four picks in the first three rounds, including the 10th overall pick.

Poles has done a lot of good in the draft in his time in Chicago, from taking Williams and Odunze to unearthing guys like Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker and Gervon Dexter in Round 2. Despite what last season's 5-12 record would indicate, this is a talented roster, but it does have some glaring areas of need.

Poles will address some of those weak spots once free agency hits, then he'll hope to fill in the rest in the draft. We don't yet know how he'll use the Bears' $64+ million in cap space, though after years of neglecting the offensive line, Bears fans are hoping he'll finally commit substantial resources to pursuing players that can prevent a repeat of the 2024-25 season in which Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times. Defensive line also needs to be a point of emphasis after the Bears' formerly No. 1-ranked rushing defense plummeted all the way to 27th.

For the sake of devising a coherent draft plan, let's assume Poles is able to land a guard like Trey Smith or Kevin Zeitler and a difference-making defensive lineman like Levi Onwuzurike or Chase Young. What would he then look to do in the draft? Let's make some projections.

Round 1, Pick 10: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise St.

It seems that everyone and their mother has the Bears selecting LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell with this pick, but the glowing scouting reports I keep reading about him make me wonder how he's going to make it to No. 10.

Other offensive linemen would certainly make the fanbase happy, such as Kelvin Banks of Texas, but I think new head coach Ben Johnson is going to announce his presence in a big way here. Johnson's Detroit Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft, and they were lambasted around the NFL for it. Running backs are no longer valuable, these people argued, but boy have they been wrong. Gibbs has been a superstar for the most dynamic offense in the league, and he even proved that he could carry the load when David Montgomery went down with injury.

The Lions traded D'Andre Swift after drafting Gibbs, and the Bears could do the same thing if they draft Jeanty, the Heisman finalist and consensus best back in the draft. Swift underwhelmed in his first season in Chicago, but it seemed that not a Saturday went by this past autumn without Jeanty breaking multiple long, highlight-reel runs. He has the speed, vision and balance to be a star in the league, and as Gibbs, Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley have proven, having an elite running back is a key ingredient to fielding a top offense.

If the Bears come away from free agency without at least one high-end player on both the offensive and defensive lines, then Jeanty probably won't be the pick here. If they do though, this could be not only one of the splashiest moves of the draft, but one of the most immediately impactful.

Round 2, Pick 39: Grey Zabel, OG/C, North Dakota St.

Poles has fond memories of the 39th pick, as this is the exact spot where he took Kyler Gordon three years ago. If he doesn't get a lineman at 10, he'll certainly want one here. Grey Zabel was a relative unknown coming into the Senior Bowl, but he became one of the draft's fastest risers thanks to the dominance and versatility he showed there.

Zabel projects to be able to play at center or either guard position, which is perfect for the Bears, because the interior line is where they need the most help. The only question is whether he'll still be available at 39, but we often see players get a big Senior Bowl bump and then settle into a slightly lower slot once the exhibition fades a bit from view.

North Dakota St. has a run-heavy offensive scheme, but Zabel holds up in pass protection, too. At 6-foot-6, he has similar size to the Lions' interior line trio of Graham Glasgow, Frank Ragnow, and Kevin Zeitler, which should make it easy for him to fit into Ben Johnson's offensive scheme.

Round 2, Pick 41: Jack Sawyer, DE, Ohio State

If the first thing you think when you see the name Jack Sawyer is that Lost was a great TV show, you're not alone. If the second thing you think is that it would be nice to have someone with a national championship pedigree on the Bears, then I'm with you there, too.

Sawyer is a three-down defensive end that can stop the run and get to the quarterback. The Bears badly need someone with both of those attributes. Sawyer had 59 tackles and nine sacks last year, plus he forced and recovered three fumbles and even picked off one pass.

Scouting reports see Sawyer as a less athletic edge prospect than guys like Nic Scourton, Mike Green and Shemar Sweat, but that's why he's not projected to go in the first round. He doesn't have the explosive quickness to consistently win around the edge, but he's a guy that can collapse the pocket and set the edge. If Poles knew he could get a really solid D-lineman to plug and play at this spot, he'd take that in a heartbeat.

Round 3, Pick 72: Tate Ratledge, OG, Georgia

Poles drafted Kiran Amegadjie in the third round last year as a left tackle project. I believe he'll look for more NFL-ready guys this time around. To that end, Tate Ratledge would provide great value in the third round. Like Sawyer, he's a national champion that's been a multi-year starter at an elite program. Unlike Sawyer, he has a hairstyle that will instantly make him a fan favorite. Behold:

Ratledge had ankle surgery early in his senior season, and his draft stock has fallen a bit after he looked stiffer on tape once he returned. The Bears could be understandably reticent to invest in another guard with an injury history after moving on from Teven Jenkins, or they could see an opportunity to get great value on someone who should be back to his old self by time his name is called.

If the Bears leave the first three rounds of the draft with the best running back in the draft, two quality interior lineman and a defensive end that could be a 10-year pro, it will be a huge win.