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The 2025 NFL draft is roughly two weeks away, and while there is plenty of anticipation about what the Chicago Bears will do, there's plenty of talent in this year's class to choose from.
We're taking a look at the positional strengths of this draft class, including several positions that will more than likely be a focus point for the Bears with the seven picks they currently have.
There is no shortage of options for Chicago, who addressed a bunch of their needs in free agency and could be in line to take the best player available at the time of their picks. Even better news for the Bears is their positions of need are the positions that are the deepest in this draft class.
With that in mind, here are the position rankings, from best to worst:
Thanks to the Super Bowl championship year that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley enjoyed last season, there is a renewed focus at the running back position. Not only are there more eyes on running backs this year than in recent memory, but the talent level is there for the first time in years as well. Led by Ashton Jeanty, the Heisman Trophy runner-up this past season, the position is very deep. There could be a minimum of five running backs taken in the first two rounds, and that's just getting started for the group.
There have been at least three offensive linemen -- Will Campbell, Armand Membou and Kelvin Banks Jr.-- who have all been mocked as early first round picks this year. The talent level for the offensive line group is deep, and they figure to be one of the positions that is drafted most frequently throughout all seven rounds. Just as the running backs are becoming a hot ticket once again, teams will need the big guys up front to open up holes in the running game and protect their quarterbacks.
Led by projected Top-10 pick Mason Graham, the defensive tackle position is yet another area that is very deep this year. Graham and his Michigan Wolverine teammate Kenneth Grant lead the way, but the defensive tackle position has seven players ranked inside PFF's Top 50 draft big board. As there is focus on the offensive line, there's similar depth and talent on the opposite side of the ball, especially on the interior.
The edge rusher position has talent up and down the group in this year's draft class, but it starts with Abdul Carter and then it is everyone else behind him. Carter is a bonafide superstar coming out of Penn State, but he is head and shoulders above all other players at his position. There will likely be some surprises in the selections of edge rushers, but the class is still pretty deep.
Is Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter going to be playing wide receiver or cornerback in the NFL? That'll be a question at this position group, but there are still projected to be at least three wide receivers, Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, and Luther Burden III who could go in the early part of the first round. The wide receiver position will always be one of need, but after the top five at the position, the talent level drops and they're all likely to be mid- to late-round picks.
The proposed question about Travis Hunter is also fitting for the cornerback position, but he's not the only one. There's a real debate about the top true corner in this year's draft, and there's no shortage of options with this group. Hunter, Will Johnson, Jahdae Barron, and Shavon Revel highlight the position, and after that there is talent, but none that have the high ceiling of the aforementioned group.
Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and who else? That's all that headlines the quarterback position in this year's class, a vast difference in the 2024 class that saw six quarterbacks taken in the first round. Ward is being discussed as the likely top pick in the entire class for the Tennessee Titans, but then questions surround Sanders and everyone else. Ward may be the most talented player of the bunch, but he would likely not be the top option in a class similar to what was seen last year.
Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland lead the charge at the tight end position, but after them two, the players who could excel will be a surprise. There is talent behind Warren and Loveland, but the others will need to rise to the occasion and be drafted to the right team with the right opportunities to thrive in the NFL.
Jihaad Campbell and Jalon Walker are the top two players at the linebacker position, but there's not much talent behind him. The linebacker group is relatively more weak than normal, and most of the talent behind the top two will be late Day 2 or early Day 3 picks. It's highly surprising that this group doesn't have as much depth as usual, but Campbell and Walker will be elite picks for whatever team selects them.
Nick Emmanwori lit the NFL Scouting Combine up in February with an elite performance, one of the most memorable in recent history. Outside of Emmanwori, the top safeties at the position are Xavier Watts of Notre Dame, and Malaki Starks out of Georgia. Those three are about the only names worth monitoring in this year's draft, while others are more than likely only going to be selected for depth purposes.
Although the Bears made waves last season by drafting punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round last year, the special teams group this year feels incredibly weak. It would be a shock to see any special teamers drafted early and if there are any selected, it's more than likely to be later in the draft or in undrafted free agency.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Ranking every position group from best to worst
Continue reading...
We're taking a look at the positional strengths of this draft class, including several positions that will more than likely be a focus point for the Bears with the seven picks they currently have.
There is no shortage of options for Chicago, who addressed a bunch of their needs in free agency and could be in line to take the best player available at the time of their picks. Even better news for the Bears is their positions of need are the positions that are the deepest in this draft class.
With that in mind, here are the position rankings, from best to worst:
Running back
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Thanks to the Super Bowl championship year that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley enjoyed last season, there is a renewed focus at the running back position. Not only are there more eyes on running backs this year than in recent memory, but the talent level is there for the first time in years as well. Led by Ashton Jeanty, the Heisman Trophy runner-up this past season, the position is very deep. There could be a minimum of five running backs taken in the first two rounds, and that's just getting started for the group.
Offensive line
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There have been at least three offensive linemen -- Will Campbell, Armand Membou and Kelvin Banks Jr.-- who have all been mocked as early first round picks this year. The talent level for the offensive line group is deep, and they figure to be one of the positions that is drafted most frequently throughout all seven rounds. Just as the running backs are becoming a hot ticket once again, teams will need the big guys up front to open up holes in the running game and protect their quarterbacks.
Defensive tackle
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Led by projected Top-10 pick Mason Graham, the defensive tackle position is yet another area that is very deep this year. Graham and his Michigan Wolverine teammate Kenneth Grant lead the way, but the defensive tackle position has seven players ranked inside PFF's Top 50 draft big board. As there is focus on the offensive line, there's similar depth and talent on the opposite side of the ball, especially on the interior.
Edge rusher
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The edge rusher position has talent up and down the group in this year's draft class, but it starts with Abdul Carter and then it is everyone else behind him. Carter is a bonafide superstar coming out of Penn State, but he is head and shoulders above all other players at his position. There will likely be some surprises in the selections of edge rushers, but the class is still pretty deep.
Wide receiver
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Is Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter going to be playing wide receiver or cornerback in the NFL? That'll be a question at this position group, but there are still projected to be at least three wide receivers, Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, and Luther Burden III who could go in the early part of the first round. The wide receiver position will always be one of need, but after the top five at the position, the talent level drops and they're all likely to be mid- to late-round picks.
Cornerback
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The proposed question about Travis Hunter is also fitting for the cornerback position, but he's not the only one. There's a real debate about the top true corner in this year's draft, and there's no shortage of options with this group. Hunter, Will Johnson, Jahdae Barron, and Shavon Revel highlight the position, and after that there is talent, but none that have the high ceiling of the aforementioned group.
Quarterback
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Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and who else? That's all that headlines the quarterback position in this year's class, a vast difference in the 2024 class that saw six quarterbacks taken in the first round. Ward is being discussed as the likely top pick in the entire class for the Tennessee Titans, but then questions surround Sanders and everyone else. Ward may be the most talented player of the bunch, but he would likely not be the top option in a class similar to what was seen last year.
Tight end
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Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland lead the charge at the tight end position, but after them two, the players who could excel will be a surprise. There is talent behind Warren and Loveland, but the others will need to rise to the occasion and be drafted to the right team with the right opportunities to thrive in the NFL.
Linebacker
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Jihaad Campbell and Jalon Walker are the top two players at the linebacker position, but there's not much talent behind him. The linebacker group is relatively more weak than normal, and most of the talent behind the top two will be late Day 2 or early Day 3 picks. It's highly surprising that this group doesn't have as much depth as usual, but Campbell and Walker will be elite picks for whatever team selects them.
Safety
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Nick Emmanwori lit the NFL Scouting Combine up in February with an elite performance, one of the most memorable in recent history. Outside of Emmanwori, the top safeties at the position are Xavier Watts of Notre Dame, and Malaki Starks out of Georgia. Those three are about the only names worth monitoring in this year's draft, while others are more than likely only going to be selected for depth purposes.
Special teams
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Although the Bears made waves last season by drafting punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round last year, the special teams group this year feels incredibly weak. It would be a shock to see any special teamers drafted early and if there are any selected, it's more than likely to be later in the draft or in undrafted free agency.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Ranking every position group from best to worst
Continue reading...
