Aaron Leming’s Chicago Bears Mock Draft 3.0 (It’s Finally April!)…
April is finally here and the 2025 NFL Draft is getting closer. With the free agency dust all but settled, the Chicago Bears will be one of 32 teams that will be locking in their draft boards over the next week or two. In his second to last seven round mock draft, Aaron Leming is putting a lot of value into Day 2.
It’s finally April, meaning we are just over three weeks away from the opening night of the 2025 NFL Draft. It’s been quite the offseason in Chicago, with a renewed sense of energy, a brand new coaching staff, and a re-made roster that signals that this franchise believes they are ready to win now. Bears fans are no strangers to “winning the offseason”, and optimism in the offseason has rarely translated to wins on the field once September rolls around. That said, there are real reasons to believe this team is headed in the right direction.
As the old adage goes, free agency can grab the headlines, but drafting well is what wins Super Bowls. For fans, there’s hope this will be the last time the Bears select inside the Top 10. For that to happen, an impactful class is needed. That can be helped with their four selections in the Top 72. The pieces are there, with second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze as receivers, as well as a rebuilt offensive line. With their cap fluidity expected to tighten up moving forward, the need for impact from this draft class doesn’t all need to come in Year 1. For the first time in a while, the Bears can attack the draft with eyes on the future and the patience to develop each player at their own pace. I’ll be doing one more mock draft before the kickoff of Round 1, but until then, let’s dive into my Mock Draft 3.0.
Since the dust settled from the team’s coaching search that led them to Ben Johnson, I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how the Bears can add an additional Day 2 pick in this class. The reality at No. 10 is quite simple: There’s not going to be a lot of “value” for Chicago, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that another team won’t want to leapfrog a group of teams to grab a coveted player. Tight end would be the target for Denver, guaranteeing one of Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland.
For the Bears, it keeps their options open, gives them another Day 2 pick, and allows them to go multiple different ways without feeling like they are reaching. In some ways, this trade is getting a return of about 75 cents on the dollar, but that might be the nature of the first round. I’ve gone back and forth on what I’d like to see them do in this spot. Ultimately, I think the defensive line wins out, with the talent in Round 2 favoring other areas.
Williams fits the athletic bill for Dennis Allen, but didn’t have ideal production at Georgia. Unlike Shemar Stewart, Williams’ instincts and production showed up on tape. He dominated Texas in two games, despite being asked to do things he won’t be asked to do at the NFL level. This is the ultimate gamble with upside, but this is a much better value at 20 than it would have been at 10. I don’t love this pick by any means, but it’s a fair mental compromise for me to make.
I’m still pro Ashton Jeanty at No. 10, but I’m not remotely convinced he’ll last nine selections. From a value standpoint, adding an additional pick and still adding an explosive runner like Henderson could end up being the best of both worlds. Henderson can do it all, including hitting the home run. Most importantly for him, his ability to stay on the field will be most important. He’s not the most ideal pairing with D’Andre Swift, but he does fit a wide zone scheme well, and it would give them the explosive option for Ben Johnson’s eventual one-two punch out of the backfield.