After a successful free agency — and trade period — landed the Bears some big fish along both the offensive and defensive lines, the team had the flexibility to go in a number of different directions in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Bears added some more dynamic pieces to Ben Johnson’s offense early, and solidified the depth on both lines, as well as added some pieces to the defense later in the draft.
Here’s a look at the Bears’ 2025 draft class.
Round 1, Pick 10 (10): Colston Loveland, TE/Michigan
After weeks of trade rumors that only intensified in the hours leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears ultimately stood pat and selected Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick.
The pick seemed to leave the fan base divided as many wanted them to select Penn State tight end Tyler Warren instead. But Warren, despite his versatility and ability to take snaps and line up in different formations, is not quite the player the Bears were looking for. Loveland, a more polished route runner and separator, better fits new head coach Ben Johnson’s offense and complements the skill set of current tight end Cole Kmet.
Although I wish the team could have traded down before taking Loveland, they played it safe and took the guy they wanted to avoid letting him slip away.
Round 2, Pick 7 (39): Luther Burden III, WR/Missouri
With Bears fans crying out for “trench” help, the Bears ignored that call to action and instead took the number one player left on their board, Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III.
Burden is one of the best receivers in the draft and it was a miracle he fell to the second round. Rather than gripe about this being a “luxury” pick, as so many fans claim it to be, I see it as a huge addition — and a necessary piece — to Johnson’s offensive puzzle.
The way Burden moves after the catch is poetry in motion and Johnson is going to have loads of fun scheming up touches for this guy. Everyone raved last offseason about the three-headed receiving monster of D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze. Well, this trio of Moore, Odunze and Burden can be even better. Certainly more explosive.
This selection was made with the final piece of the Bryce Young trade with the Carolina Panthers.
Round 2, Pick 24 (56): Ozzy Trapilo, OT/Boston College
The Bears traded their own second round pick, plus a third and seventh, to the Buffalo Bills for the 56th selection, plus another second and fourth round pick.
When the trade was announced, the grumbling continued from the fan base because they felt the Bears were leaving good running back and offensive line prospects on the board.
But the Bears addressed the trenches with the selection of offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo from Boston College with the first of the two second round picks that the Bills traded them.
Trapilo is a mountain of a man at 6’8” and 316 pounds, who has played both left and right tackle. He had the bulk of his success on the right side, so I will be curious which side he works on, and if the team will try out Darnell Wright on the left.
The best thing about the pick, though, is that Trapilo appears to have good feet in pass protection, and that’s a major need for a quarterback who is still washing grass stains off his jersey from last year’s bloodbath.
Round 2, Pick 30 (62): Shemar Turner, DT/Texas A&M
With the other second-round selection the Bears received from the Bills — their third second-round pick overall — the team continued to address the trenches, this time on the defensive side of the ball.
With the addition of Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, the Bears have got a stone cold beast to help cause disruption in the middle of the field. The kid plays with some nasty, and will bring just the attitude and effort that new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is seeking.
Without a third-round pick, the Bears wrapped up Day 2 of the draft with three solid second-round picks who should all be key contributors to the team in 2025.
Round 4, Pick 30 (132): Ruben Hyppolite II, LB/Maryland
On Day 3 of the draft, the Bears opened the fourth round with another trade, doing business with — yep, the Buffalo Bills. They traded the 109th pick for the 132nd pick and the 169th pick (a fifth-round selection).
Now, some might speculate that the Bears made this deal because running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Cam Skattebo — two promising players who might have fit their scheme well — were taken back-to-back a few picks before 109.
Whether or not that’s true, we’ll never know. But regardless, the Bears used the 132nd pick on linebacker Ruben Hyppolite out of Maryland.
This is the pick that Bears fans seem to be complaining about the most. And I really don’t know why.
My stance is that most Day 3 picks are hit or miss anyway. Can you find contributors in the fourth round? Absolutely! But they’re not guarantees. So you have to find a guy who you think best fits your scheme and solves your needs and go take them where you think they best line up on your board.
Could this pick have been a reach? Maybe. We won’t ever know. And anyone complaining that it WAS a reach is presuming they’re some kind of draft expert or advanced scout.
Bottom line is: the Bears wanted speed at the linebacker position and they got it with the 4.42-speed of Hyppolite.
Round 5, Pick 33 (169): Zah Frazier, CB/UTSA
With the other pick the Bears received in their fourth-round trade back with the Bills, they selected UTSA cornerback Zah Frazier.
Frazier clearly fits a “type” that the team is looking for on Allen’s defense. He’s got good length at 6’3” and weighs 186 pounds. At the combine, he ran the fifth-fastest 40-time amongst cornerbacks at 4.36.
If the Bears do run more man coverage under Allen, Frazier is the guy who can do that, as he stays in stride with his coverage responsibilities.
If nothing else, Frazier will push Tyrique Stevenson and add extra competition to the defensive backs room.
Round 6, Pick 19 (195): Luke Newman, OT/Michigan State
The Bears traded a fifth-round pick — number 148 — to the Los Angeles Rams for a sixth-round pick — number 195 — and a 2026 fourth-rounder.
The beauty of the deal is that it netted them a fourth-rounder next year, which they were missing because of the Joe Thuney trade.
So, with the 195th pick in the draft, the Bears selected Michigan State offensive tackle Luke Newman.
Adding more depth and competition to the offensive line is exactly what the team needed. He could play tackle or guard and has good lateral quickness, which I think could help get him out on the edge in the run game, or help him anchor against a pass rush.
Round 7, Pick 17 (233): Kyle Monangai, RB/Rutgers
Finally, after three long days, Bears fans can stop griping as the team took a running back with their final pick of the draft.
Except the fans won’t, because it was seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai out of Rutgers.
I personally don’t have a problem with this pick. For starters, he’s short but powerful and runs low to the ground. He’ll deliver the blow to a defender and drive his legs to finish off runs. This is exactly the kind of back that the team needed to complement D’Andre Swift.
And, so what about his draft slot? You know who else was a seventh-round pick out of Rutgers? Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco. And he’s carved out a nice little start to his career.
Truth be told, if the offensive line does its job, it’s not going to matter too much who is running the ball because they’re going to hit the holes and keep moving the chains.