ChicagoBearsHQ's 2025 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 |
Ariana Pensy
-
- 6 hours ago
With the 2025 NFL Draft starting in just under three weeks, it is time for ChicagoBearsHQ’s first mock draft of the season. This one will assume no trades, but future mock drafts will have mock trades.
1. Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward, Quarterback (Miami) At this point, it seems like a done deal that Cam Ward will be the Titans' No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Titans need a quarterback, and Ward is the top quarterback available. 2. Cleveland Browns - Abdul Carter, Edge (Penn State) While Cleveland may have many needs, they cannot pass on arguably the top prospect in the draft. Pairing Carter with Myles Garrett would give Cleveland a scary defensive line duo. 3. New York Giants - Travis Hunter, Cornerback / Wide Receiver (Colorado) With Russell Wilson secured as the quarterback for next season, picking Hunter makes the most sense for the organization's future. He will probably have to choose whether to play offense or defense, but he will be an immediate playmaker on either side of the ball. 4. New England Patriots - Will Campbell, Offensive Tackle (LSU) The Patriots' greatest need is an offensive tackle to protect last year’s first-round pick, quarterback Drake Maye. Campbell is the top offensive line prospect in this draft and would make a lot of sense for New England. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Mason Graham, Defensive Tackle (Michigan) A talented interior defensive lineman is an anchor for any good defensive line, and the Jaguars need to boost their defensive line. Graham would be a big step in the right direction for Jacksonville. 6. Las Vegas Raiders - Ashton Jeanty, Running Back (Boise State) I personally believe Jeanty is the top player in this draft. He is a generational talent that can shape any team is drafting by. The Raiders’ top needs are running back and wide receiver. Given how talented Jeanty is, it makes more sense for Las Vegas to address their running back need here. 7. New York Jets - Armand Membou, Offensive Tackle (Missouri) The Jets also need an offensive lineman. Membou would be a good match for their need at right tackle and is also one of the top offensive line prospects in this draft. 8. Carolina Panthers - Mykel Williams, Edge (Georgia) Carolina’s defense was horrible last season in part because they do not have a strong edge rusher. Mykel Williams was a powerful presence on the Georgia defense and would be a starter on Carolina’s defense right away. 9. New Orleans Saints - Jahdae Barron, Cornerback (Texas) The New Orleans Saints have numerous needs, but they could use a player with ball-hawking abilities like Barron. He was an All-American last year after leading the SEC with five interceptions and would be a great fit for the Saints’ secondary. 10. Chicago Bears - Kelvin Banks Jr., Offensive Tackle (Texas) Running back is Chicago’s most pressing need. However, with Jeanty off the board, the Bears turn to their second-biggest need - a new left tackle. Kelvin Banks Jr. was a unanimous All-American and won multiple awards for being the best offensive lineman in college football last season. Thus, he would be a perfect fit to protect quarterback Caleb Williams’ blindside and would complete Chicago’s offensive line rebuild. One caveat to this: if Jeanty is available at No. 10 overall, the Bears will likely pick him. Running back is their top need, and he is arguably the best running back prospect in the past few decades. Otherwise, in this scenario, when they address another need, Chicago can pick a running back with one of their second-round selections. 11. San Francisco 49ers - Will Johnson, Cornerback (Michigan) With Barron off the board, San Francisco goes for the next-best cornerback available in Will Johnson. Johnson is capable of making big plays, as he had two pick-sixes last season and finished his career at No. 4 in the Big Ten in interceptions in 1976. He will make a good addition to the 49ers’ defense. 12. Dallas Cowboys - Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Receiver (Arizona) One major problem with Dallas last season was that they did not have a consistent wide receiver No. 2 to play behind CeeDee Lamb. McMillan is a physical receiver who can put up monster numbers, recording 2,721 receiving yards over the past two seasons. He would be a good fit to improve Dallas’ offense. 13. Miami Dolphins - Nick Emmanwori, Safety (South Carolina) Emmanwori came on the scene last year after he recorded four interceptions for the Gamecocks, returning two of those for touchdowns. Given safety is one of Miami’s greatest needs, Emmanwori fits their need. 14. Indianapolis Colts - Tyler Warren, Tight End (Penn State) Warren is one of the most dynamic players in this draft. In addition to playing tight end, Warren lined up at various other positions throughout the season, including running back and playing a few snaps at quarterback. Indianapolis needs a tight end, and the player who finished No. 7 in the Heisman voting this year gives the Colts just what they need. 15. Atlanta Falcons - Jalon Walker, Linebacker (Georgia) It is unfortunate how the linebacker position has been devalued. Nonetheless, Atlanta still opts to take a linebacker in the first round. The Georgia Bulldog put up 12.5 sacks in three years. He is one of Daniel Jeremiah’s top prospects in this draft class and would be a steal for the Falcons. 16. Arizona Cardinals - Mike Green, Edge (Marshall) The Cardinals' sack leader had five sacks. Mike Green led the NCAA with 17.5 sacks last season and 23 total tackles for loss. Green could provide a presence on the defense the Cardinals were missing last season. 17. Cincinnati Bengals - Shemar Stewart, Edge (Texas A&M) Stewart has a lot of raw talent and upside. At this point in the draft, a team like the Bengals is looking for this kind of player. Stewart has a lot of potential, and Cincinnati can afford to draft a player who needs some polishing. 18. Seattle Seahawks - Tyler Booker, Interior Offensive Lineman (Alabama) Seattle’s offensive line could use some work to protect their new quarterback, Sam Darnold. Booker is one of the best interior offensive line prospects in this draft class and addresses the Seahawks’ greatest need. 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jihaad Campbell, Linebacker (Alabama) Tampa Bay could use a linebacker as their free agent signee; K.J. Britt does not seem like a solid solution at that position. In his three years with the Crimson Tide, he amassed nearly 200 tackles and has consistently been a physical player. He will also have the opportunity to learn from veteran Lavonte David. 20. Denver Broncos - Matthew Golden, Wide Receiver (Texas) Golden is an incredibly polished receiver with high intelligence and fluidity. He can navigate defenses well and has strong production after the catch. Also, Golden going this late in the draft would be a gift for Denver that they could not pass up on. 21. Pittsburgh Steelers - Shedeur Sanders, Quarterback (Colorado) If the Pittsburgh Steelers do not sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers by the time the draft starts, they need to draft a quarterback. Sanders sliding to this point would be ideal for them, but it really depends on the New York Giants returning at No. 3. Sanders could be their quarterback of the future and would honestly be a better investment than Rodgers. 22. Los Angeles Chargers - Colston Loveland, Tight End (Michigan) Loveland would be a massive upgrade over their current tight end, Will Dissly. While the numbers do not jump out at you, Loveland possesses big-play ability and is solid after the catch. His blocking in the run game could use some work, but that is minor compared to his upside. 23. Green Bay Packers - Emeka Egbuka, Wide Receiver (Ohio State) There comes a time to take the best player on the board, which also happens to fit a need for the Packers at wide receiver. Egbuka had 1,000 campaigns in 2022 and 2024, and he recorded double-digit touchdowns in both seasons so that he could make an impact for Green Bay right away. 25. Minnesota Vikings - Malaki Starks, Safety (Georgia) From his All-American season in 2023 to 2024, Starks's performance dropped slightly. Nonetheless, he is still one of the best safety prospects in this draft, and Minnesota needs an upgrade at safety. Starks provides that upgrade. 25. Houston Texans - Grey Zabel, Interior Offensive Lineman (North Dakota State) Only Caleb Williams was sacked more than Houston’s quarterback, C.J. Stroud, last season. The Texans need to bolster their offensive line, and according to Next Gen Stats, Zabel has one of the top athleticism scores out of any offensive tackles in the draft. That is exactly the kind of player the Texans need to protect Stroud. 26. Los Angeles Rams - Mason Taylor, Tight End (LSU) This draft does not situate itself in an ideal way for the Rams to address their needs in the first round, as they really need a cornerback and a wide receiver. However, Taylor is still a solid pick for them, helping fill another need they have at tight end. 27. Baltimore Ravens - Derrick Harmon, Defensive Tackle (Oregon) Harmon spent his first three seasons with Michigan State before transferring to Oregon. With the Ducks, he recorded 11 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He is a physical player, which fits with what is expected from a Baltimore defense. 28. Detroit Lions - Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge (Boston College) If Detroit could have gotten some pressure on Jayden Daniels in the playoffs, they may have won their divisional game against the Washington Commanders. While they were without Aidan Hutchinson, his absence highlighted their lack of depth at pass rusher. Ezeiruaku led the ACC in tackles for loss (21) and sacks (16.5) last season, making him an ideal pick for the Lions. 29. Washington Commanders - James Pearce Jr., Edge (Tennessee) Just like Detroit lacked a pass rush in the playoffs, so was Washington. They could not get pressure on Jalen Hurts in the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Thus, they are also looking to build up their defense. Pearce Jr. being available this late in the draft would be too good to pass up. 30. Buffalo Bills - Walter Nolen, Defensive Tackle (Ole Miss) The All-American defensive tackle recorded 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season. While their MVP quarterback, Josh Allen, gets all the headlines, Buffalo has always prided itself on their strong defensive line. The addition of Nolen would be in line with that heritage. 31. Kansas City Chiefs - Josh Simmons, Offensive Tackle (Ohio State) Kansas City needs an offensive lineman. They needed additional protection in the Super Bowl and then they traded guard Joe Thuney to the Bears. So, now their need for offensive linemen is even greater. While some of the candidates are gone at this point, Simmons would be considered the best offensive line prospect available. 32. Philadelphia Eagles - Kenneth Grant, Defensive Tackle (Michigan) They sacked Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes six times. Do they really need to improve their defensive line? Defense wins championships, and it never hurts to improve your defense. He will need to be developed as a pass rusher, but he has a lot of upside. However, he will have the opportunity to learn from veterans like Josh Uche and Azeez Oljulari.
