Let’s round up what some of the NFL Draft experts think the Chicago Bears will do in next week’s draft.
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports alternated picks in their latest mock draft, with Tice getting the even numbers and the Bears.
10. Chicago Bears — Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Let’s keep juicing up that Bears offense. I was tempted to give the Bears another player on the trenches to work with (Will Campbell and Derrick Harmon were both considered), but instead go with Loveland. I profiled Loveland recently, he’s already a dynamic receiving threat and shows real chops to be a full-time in-line blocker. Loveland and Cole Kmet would create a fun tight end room in Chicago, help the run game on the edges, and give Caleb Williams and new head coach Ben Johnson another fun toy to work with in the passing game.
This mock was interesting because LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell was still on the board, but Tice went with a tight end. Taking Loveland over Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is something that has been gaining steam over the last few weeks.
Jordan Plocher from also has the Bears passing on Campbell (and Missouri’s OL Armand Membou), but they take the top running back on the board.
10. CHICAGO BEARS: RB ASHTON JEANTY, BOISE STATE
A workhorse running back like Jeanty should help take some pressure off quarterback Caleb Williams. In addition to his well-established ground-game ability, Jeanty is also an excellent pass catcher who averaged 11.1 yards after the catch per reception and forced 41 missed tackles as a receiver during his college career.
Running back at ten isn’t my favorite idea, but if Jeanty is there, that pick seems likely, and I’ll be excited to see how Ben Johnson would incorporate him into the offense.
Nate Davis has the Bears going in an unexpected direction, but with Jeanty, Campbell, and Membou off the board, this could be the best player left.
10. Chicago Bears – CB Will Johnson, Michigan
He’s providing a personal workout Monday in Ann Arbor – and that could carry a lot of weight given the shoulder, toe and hamstring injuries Johnson has dealt with over the past year. But if he looks like the player who was a first-team All-American for the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship squad, then he could (should?) be the first pure corner off the board. And the Bears could certainly use a better outside cover man opposite Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson. Will Johnson has prototypical size (6-2, 194) and ball skills for the position, swiping nine passes (two of them pick-sixes) during three seasons at Michigan.
Johnson is a good prospect, and in this scenario, getting the number one corner might be the best play.
Doug Farrar from Athlon Sports has some wild picks in his top nine, and that continues with his Chicago pick.
10. Chicago Bears: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Bears did a lot of necessary work in the offseason to fix an offense that continued their 75-year quarterback curse by making Caleb Williams less impressive in his rookie season than Williams’ attributes would indicate. They hired offensive wunderkind Ben Johnson to be their new head coach, and they fortified their interior offensive line with Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson from left to right. The receiver corps is already fine with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze as the headliners, and while offensive tackle is still a question mark, I’m more inclined to give Williams and the Bears a running back they can really feature.
If you want a back who can take advantage of a vastly improved interior line, consider this: Last season, Omarion Hampton led all backs in college football with 977 yards and 603 yards after contact on runs charted up the middle, or to the inside either left or right. We also know that Ben Johnson loves him some outside zone — only the Atlanta Falcons ran more of it in 2024 than Johnson’s Lions. Well, last season, Hampton ran outside zone 55 times for 364 yards, 200 yards after contact, and two touchdowns.
As is the case with the Ashton Jeanty pick, this is one you don’t want to overthink. Just push the big red button.
Hampton is going to be a good pro, but I’d rather he not be the pick at ten.
CBS Sports has a few mocks, but the latest from Garrett Podell has the Bears going trenches, but it’s the third offensive lineman off the board.
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas • A key factor of new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson’s success as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator was having a dominant offensive line. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams needs help after getting sacked 68 times as a rookie, tied for the third-most sacks taken ever in a single season. That’s why the Bears take Kelvin Banks, an All-America offensive tackle who has top-tier technique as a pass protector.
Banks has tackle traits to me, but is there more value in Chicago getting OL3 or in getting CB1, TE1, or WR1?
Let’s finish this roundup with Mike Band of NFL.com, and yet another different prospect.
Tyler Warren, Penn State · TE · After overhauling the offensive line this offseason, GM Ryan Poles and HC Ben Johnson turn their attention to completing a 12-personnel-heavy attack by giving Cole Kmet a running mate at tight end. Warren’s ability to block inline and work the short-to-intermediate areas makes him a natural fit as a security blanket for a young quarterback like Caleb Williams. His versatility and toughness align with the offensive identity Johnson is looking to establish in Chicago.
I’ve come around to a tight end at ten because Ben Johnson’s run game and willingness to use play action would scheme up so many easy looks for a double tight end sets.
Which of these mocks do you like best?
