The 2025 NFL Draft is eight days away. With the Chicago Bears slated to be on the clock with the 10th overall pick in next Thursday draft, we’ll highlight five offensive names for fans to keep an eye on.
April is flying by, which means we’re inching closer to the kickoff of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. This class’s lack of top-end talent and overall first-round talent has created plenty of entertaining conversation. In the end, clarity will be provided soon, and fans should expect multiple surprises early in Round 1.
So, where does that leave the Bears?
Sitting at No. 10 overall in this class leaves them in a difficult spot. On one hand, next Thursday could roll around and Chicago could jump on the clock with multiple quality options. On the other hand, some scenarios exist where they might be forced to choose between reaching for an offensive player, taking an unproven defensive lineman, or accepting pennies on the dollar for a trade back. Luckily, I firmly believe there will be one to two “obvious” options on the board when the Bears select. The first round is always full of surprises, and a lack of consensus after the first few players could lead to multiple surprises in the Top 10. Frankly, all it will take is two quarterbacks or one surprise for the Bears to be looking at (at least) one of these names on the board next Thursday night.
With the table set, let’s dive into five “realistic” options for the Bears at No. 10 overall (ranked in no particular order).
OT Will Campbell (LSU)
NFL Comp: Ryan Ramczyk (Pro Football Focus)/David DeCastro (Bleacher Report)
Like it or not, length will be the biggest question heading into next Thursday night. If teams are comfortable with his 33-inch arms and see him as a tackle, the LSU product could go as early as No. 4 overall. Offensive line, especially both tackle spots, is always a high-value area of need for teams inside the Top 10. I’m not head over heels in love with Campbell’s play, but it’s easy to see how he could become a Pro Bowl player with minimal effort. In this type of draft class, “very good” is the best the Bears can hope for, assuming they don’t trade up.
If Campbell slips to No. 10 and becomes the pick, it would obviously put current starting left tackle Braxton Jones’ future into question. It’s worth noting that he’s still recovering from a broken leg and is expected to be a slow entry once training camp begins in late July. That should give Kiran Amegadjie a shot to at least compete for the job, but that would go out the window if the Bears take a tackle in the first round. Campbell feels like the least likely player to be on the board at 10, but as we’ve learned over the years, never say never when it comes to the draft.
Pre-Draft Prediction: No. 4 overall to the New England Patriots.
OT Armand Membou (Missouri)
NFL Comp: Matthew Bergeron (Pro Football Focus)/Duane Brown (Bleacher Report)
If Campbell does go in the first half of the Top 10, the Bears will have another interesting decision to make. While Campbell’s issues are related to length, Membou’s biggest question mark will be his ability to successfully transition to the left side of the offensive line. The Mizzou product has spent his entire college career on the right side. For some players like Kyle Long, switching sides isn’t an issue. For others like Charles Leno Jr., the difference in mechanics and muscle memory is between an above-average and a replacement-level player. That’s the gamble the Bears might have to take if they like Membou enough.
Watching the tape, I see that Membou’s play style is much more in line with what general manager Ryan Poles has previously coveted. He’s a finisher and someone who can aggressively get up to the second level. His 9.90 RAS highlights his athletic ability, which could give Chicago hope that he could make a smooth transition to the left side. In the end, Membou is slightly more likely to make it to 10, but teams like the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints could snatch him before the Bears are on the clock.
Pre-Draft Prediction: No. 7 overall (New York Jets)
RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State)
Pro Comp: Alvin Kamara (Pro Football Focus)/LaDanian Tomlinson (NFL.com)
Jeanty has been quite the hot topic of conversation around Chicago since hiring head coach Ben Johnson. We all assume that the Bears will put a heavier emphasis on the running back position, and rightfully so. Call it a gut feeling, but I firmly believe that the should-have-been Heisman Trophy Winner is at the top of the team’s draft board heading into next Thursday night.
He’s a high-character player and a do-it-all back with speed to breakaway in the open field. He’s the clear-cut No. 1 running back for my money in this class. With that said, two teams stand out as strong contenders for his services, and both are in front of the Bears. The Las Vegas Raiders have long been tied to the star running back and are the odds-on favorite to draft him. If the Raiders pivot to a different direction, which they should, considering the current construct of their roster, the New Orleans Saints are the next team on the list that could make sense. Sure, they’ve got Alvin Kamara, but he’s seen a lot of action in his NFL career and is at the age where his body could start breaking down at any point. New head coach Kellen Moore just spent the last year in Philadelphia with Saquon Barkley, which means he should fully understand how valuable a star running back is to his offensive success.
I’m not usually one for valuing running backs so highly, but similar to the narrative surrounding Jahmyr Gibbs when he was selected at No. 12 overall by Detroit a few years ago, it’s easy to make the argument that Jeanty would be far more than just a running back in most offenses. He’s an offensive weapon.
Pre-Draft Prediction: No. 6 to the Las Vegas Raiders
TE Tyler Warren (Penn State)
NFL Comp: Dallas Clark (Pro Football Focus)/Jeremy Shockey (NFL.com)
Speaking of offensive weapons, the Penn State product has had quite the pre-draft process. It felt like a toss-up between him and Colston Loveland for TE1 earlier in the offseason. Since that point, Warren has pulled away in the eyes of most evaluators and feels like a Top 10 pick, especially in a shallow top-end of the class. Similar to a few other names on this list, the Saints feel like a considerable contender for his services at No. 9. The Jets are another team with heavy ties to him, although, there’s a strong argument to be made for drafting a right tackle to book-end with Olu Fashanu for years to come.
When Johnson was asked about Warren during his media availability at the NFL Owners’ Meetings, the first-year head coach was very complimentary. More importantly, he noted that new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was bullish on the 23-year-old tight end, pointing out how difficult he could be to scheme for as a defensive mind.
I’ll be honest and say I’ll always have some reservations about taking a tight end this high. Not only do they take a year or two to fully develop, but the “bust” rate for tight ends taken in the first round is far too high for me. Even so, I can understand why the Bears (and others) would feel he’s worth the risk. Despite not having a ton of wiggle, he’s a versatile, impressive weapon in the open field. He’s drawn comparisons to Rob Gronkowski coming out of Arizona, which I’m not sure I agree with. Either way, it feels like at least one of these Top 4 players will be on the board at No. 10, and Warren is starting to feel like the most likely candidate.
Pre-Draft Prediction: No. 10 to the Chicago Bears
OT/OG Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas)
NFL Comp: Christian Darrisaw (NFL.com)/Justin Pugh (Bleacher Report)
The biggest question moving into the draft (similar to Campbell) is how the Bears evaluate Banks Jr. Athletically, he’s exactly what Chicago would look for in a left tackle. He moves well and can get to the second level. He checks just about every box needed for a tackle in a zone blocking scheme. The biggest issue I’ve seen on tape with him is that he ends up on the ground too much. Especially in wide-zone, that could be a big issue.
At 6’5, 315 pounds, the Texas product has the ideal size to play tackle at the next level. His 33 ½ inch arms and 84 ⅜ inch wingspan only help that. Even so, multiple draft analysts, including The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and Bleacher Report’s Brandon Thorn, have him as a guard at the next level. In my evaluation, he’s not as polished as a technician as Campbell, but physically, he looks the part more than Campbell. Banks shines as a pass blocker but must stay more balanced in the run game.
It goes without saying, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the Bears would take someone like Banks if they believe he’ll eventually end up at guard. So, much of his placement on the team’s board will come with where they see him long-term. He’s in the late teens or early 20s on most boards, including coming in at 17 on The Athletic’s most recent Top 100 consensus board, but with this draft lacking a second tier of talent in the first round, I’m not sure how much people could classify a pick like this as a “reach”, unless he’s immediately placed at guard.
Pre-Draft Prediction: No. 25 to the Houston Texans