The 2024 NFL Draft just ended a few weeks ago, but for hardcore draft fanatics, it’s already onto the 2025 class.
I’ve already shared my Round 1 mock for the 2025 NFL Draft, but now that I’ve spent a few more weeks preparing for next year’s draft, I thought it would be a fun exercise to expand into a Bears mock draft.
Chicago was aggressive in filling needs this offseason, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Not only was there a changing at the guard at quarterback by drafting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall picks, but the likes of Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, D’Andre Swift, Gerald Everett, Kiran Amegadjie, Coleman Shelton and Ryan Bates were all brought in to boost the unit, as well. Hell, you could even argue they added Iowa’s most valuable offensive player in the form of punter Tory Taylor, too.
While a lot of the focus for the Bears this year came from a skill position perspective, the 2025 offseason might be focused more on defense. The defensive line still seems like a work in progress on paper, and while the secondary looks strong heading into 2024, they’ll still need a long-term answer at free safety opposite Kevin Byard. Offense probably won’t require as much investment, but they could be in the market for a new starting offensive lineman or two.
As of now, these are the draft picks the Bears have in the 2025 NFL Draft:
- Round 1
- Round 2 (via Panthers)
- Round 2
- Round 3
- Round 5
- Round 6
- Round 6 (via Steelers, could become a fourth-round pick if Justin Fields plays in above 51 percent of Pittsburgh’s offensive plays)
- Round 6 (via Dolphins)
There’s also the chance that assistant general manager Ian Cunningham gets hired elsewhere as a team’s general manager, which would give the Bears another selection towards the end of Round 3.
This obviously isn’t meant for predictive purposes, and it’s more a fun exercise to introduce you all to some top college football players heading into next season. That said, I’m excited to share with you all my first 2025 Bears 7-round mock draft.
Note: Draft order comes via NFL Mock Draft Database.
Round 1: Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
This feels like a boring choice on my part, seeing as though I had the Bears taking Grant in my Round 1 mock. However, his talent along the interior is undeniable — I get shades of Dontari Poe from him.
Here’s what I had to say in my first mock:
Grant is a behemoth at 6-foot-3 and 339 pounds who excelled at Michigan. His sheer size and power forces teams to draw double-team attention towards him. Coming out of high school, he ran a 40-yard dash at 5.00 seconds, which is an absurd time for someone of his size. He’s quick off the ball and dynamic in short areas, and he rushes with a high motor, which is apparent in how he strings together moves with his hands and how he keeps churning in his lower half. His ability to rush as a 3-tech, 2-tech or 1-tech would be helpful for the Bears here. The big question is how he’ll fare as a full-time starter in 2024, but Grant’s physical attributes would make him a fantastic, high-upside pick at No. 19.
The Bears have a young riser in Gervon Dexter Sr., an effective gap-eater in Andrew Billings, and another young athlete who could be a good rotational player in Zacch Pickens. That said, Billings is a good starter but not a long-term answer in all reality. Chicago needs a star along the interior, and Grant could be that guy.
Round 2 (via Panthers): Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville
Ryan Poles was aggressive in filling several needs this offseason, but the starting edge rusher spot opposite Montez Sweat remains a hole. Luckily for him, there should be a strong 2025 draft class at the position.
Gillotte is coming off a stellar 2023 with 11.0 sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss. For whatever reason, he seemed to fall under the radar in draft circles for this year’s class, but with another strong season in 2024, he’ll be firmly in the mix as one of the top edge rushers in the class. He’s a stout EDGE at 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds with inside-outside versatility. He has a deep arsenal of moves he can use to shed blocks, a sturdy anchor at the point of attack, and ideal weight distribution. Though his speed might not jump off the charts on tape, he’s still a solid enough athlete to warrant early Round 2 consideration, especially for an EDGE-needy team like the Bears.
Round 2: Xavier Nwankpa, S, Iowa
I recently mentioned on Twitter that the Bears could take advantage of a strong safety class in the 2025 draft to find a successor to Kevin Byard. It wouldn’t shock me at all if the position becomes a priority.
Nwankpa is a high-pedigree, former five-star recruit who would’ve been my SAF1 in the 2024 draft if he were eligible. With an 86.6 PFF grade last year, he broke out as a true sophom*ore and now figures to be one of the top defensive backs in the nation. He’s a big safety at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, and that size helps him in run support. His versatility is a major plus, having taken 235 reps as a deep safety, 243 reps out of the slot and 357 snaps in the slot last year. He’s a fluid athlete with loose hips in deeper shells, giving him above-average range for any safety, let alone one who’s bigger like he is. I’d like to see Nwankpa become more instinctive than reactive in 2024, but he still plays his ass off on every down. The ceiling with him is quite high, and he could develop into a strong starter in the NFL.
Round 3: Clay Webb, OG, Jacksonville State
Webb was a second-team All-C-USA in 2023, and it’s honestly a surprise he wasn’t a consensus first-team guy based off the tape. The former Georgia Bulldog dominated to the tune of an 87.4 PFF grade, placing him first among all FBS guards last year. He allowed just one sack, one hurry, two pressures and had one penalty in all of 2023. On tape, you’ll see his 45-1 wrestling record in high school come into place. He does a great job of winning with leverage and low weight distribution.
Not only does Webb have good pad level and a nasty motor, but he’s also a good athlete. He changes direction well in pass protection, blocks with coordination on the move and climbs to the second level with impressive mobility. He seems like a big-time RAS guy next year. The Bears have an out in Nate Davis’ contract after this year, and Teven Jenkins is slated to hit free agency. If one of them leave, Webb would be a great additional.
Round 5: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
Neal is a productive runner with 3,077 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns from scrimmage in his first three seasons at Kansas. He’s one of the most explosive backs in the 2025 draft, showcasing top-notch acceleration out of the back and ideal feet quickness that allows him to evade would-be tacklers at a high level. Power and consistent vision aren’t strong suits of his yet, but the tools are there for him to be a good change-of-pace back with some pass-catching chops.
With both Khalil Herbert and Travis Homer slated to hit free agency in 2025, the Bears could end up looking for running back depth in next year’s draft. We’ll see if Neal ends up going this late in real life, but he has the potential to carve out a nice niche for himself in the pros, especially for an offense like the Bears’.
Round 6 (via Steelers): Jordan van den Berg, DL, Georgia Tech
The grandson of the former Mr. South Africa in bodybuilding and of a record-holding swimming grandmother, van den Berg’s ancestry shows up in his weight-lifting prowess. He benches 455 and back-squats 690, and there’s a clip of him from last year cleaning 380 with one arm. He’s also a tremendous athlete, having been tested at elite marks through a 4.74 40-yard dash and a 4.20 shuttle time.
On tape, van den Berg is a work in progress, but the testing numbers show. He’s explosive off the ball with instant penetrating ability as a 3-technique. He served as a backup at Penn State but now moves to Georgia Tech in hopes to break out at the Power 5 level. His plan of attack as a pass-rusher and weight distribution will need work, but the freakish tools are too much to deny. As a backup, van den Berg is worth taking a flyer on.
Round 6: Ty French, EDGE/LB, West Virginia
After a dominant career at Gardner-Webb, French looks to make the jump from the FCS to the Big 12 in 2024. He finished his four seasons (really three seasons with four extra games from his spring 2021 COVID year) with 34.5 sacks, as well as 61 tackles for a loss. With a 4.57 40, a 35-inch vert, and a max-squat of 585 pounds as of last year, he has the athleticism to match, too. He’s quick off the ball, flexible turning the corner and rushes with a relentless motor off the edge.
Size will be a question for French. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds at Gardner-Webb — still pretty light for an edge rusher — he’s listed now by West Virginia as 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds. That might make him a transition candidate to off-ball linebacker, but his pass-rushing chops and athleticism could give him unique versatility there.
Round 6 (via Dolphins): Tommy Mellott, QB/RB/WR, Montana State
With the ball in his hands, Mellott can do some dangerous things on the field. He ranked as the fourth-best FCS quarterback with a 92.1 PFF grade, and as a runner, he has tallied 2,149 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground in the three seasons he’s been Montana State’s starting quarterback.
Here’s what then-Montana State offensive coordinator Taylor Housewright had to say about Mellott for the annual Freaks List for The Athletic:
“Smartest human alive. Will be president of the United States. Every father wants their daughter to date him. Every mother wants to adopt him. Every wife wants him to be their husband’s idol. Hardest worker in the room (this room includes Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter).”
The list also mentions Mellott has a 4.3 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical and a 4.0 GPA in engineering. In high school, he was the president of the National Honor Society. On the field, though, he’s an electric athlete with great top-end speed, impressive agility and creative vision with the ball in his hands. I don’t see him staying at quarterback in the NFL, meaning he could project as a speed back or a slot receiver. However, somebody with his athleticism, playmaking ability and work ethic belongs in the league.
