Chicago Bears NFL Draft Target: Kenneth Grant

Kirby Lee - USA Today Sports

Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Saturday, March 29 2025

This draft class has an incredibly deep defensive line, with many defensive linemen projected to be drafted in the first round. One of them is defensive lineman Kenneth Grant from the University of Michigan.

When looking at his numbers, Grant’s production does not jump off the charts. During his three seasons playing with the Wolverines, he only mustered 69 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. However, as an interior defensive lineman, this lack of statistical production is not unusual.

Other concerns have been expressed about Grant’s ability. NFL analyst Lance Zierlein stated that Grant lacked consistent play and struggled against some opponents. Further, Grant has tended to lack explosiveness. At the same time, Zierlein also stated that Grant has been good at using his power to get around single blocks and double teams.

Overall, while he may need to develop more than some of the other defensive line prospects in his draft class, he has an incredibly high ceiling. Furthermore, it can be harder to find a strong interior defensive linemen and Chicago could use a big, physical player like Grant in the middle of the defense.

According to NFL Draft Buzz, Grant has done exceptionally well against the run. This is crucial for the Bears given how their run defense struggled last season. He has also generally played well against the pass, although his tackling could use some work. Overall, he is still seen as one of the best interior defensive line prospects in the draft.

There are some differing opinions on when he should be drafted. While NFL Mock Draft Database gives him a 75.6 percent chance of getting drafted in the first round, the mock drafts for when he gets drafted ranges from No. 10 overall by the Chicago Bears to No. 31 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Walter Cherepinsky is one person who had the Bears drafting Grant at No. 10 overall citing that Grant has been underrated and would serve to help Chicago’s defense now that they have bolstered their offensive line in the trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, as well as the free agent signing of center Drew Dalman.

The fact that Chicago signed Grady Jarrett also provides another compelling reason for the Bears to draft a player like Grant. While he has a high ceiling, he has not come close to reaching his full potential. Learning from a seasoned veteran like Jarrett would set the Bears up for several years into the future.

In the mock drafts that have Grant falling, his lack of production seems to be the underlying reason. Many of these mocks acknowledge his raw talent and high potential but have teams opting for players who had higher overall production.

The lack of production should not concern Chicago given Grant frequently opened up other players to get sacks. This is precisely the kind of player the Bears need and have been missing since they released interior defender Eddie Goldman. Goldman is actually a good player comparison for Grant - both were underrated interior defenders who opened up opportunities for other players to get in the backfield and cause chaos while also sometimes getting the sack themselves.

As far as size goes, Grant is actually a slightly taller and heavier version of Goldman, which offers him more plus side. Given how deep this class is, drafting Grant may be a bit of a gamble when there are players who have a better chance of being immediate plug-and-play talents. Nonetheless, given the potential Grant has, he is someone the Bears should consider taking at No. 10 overall.