Grading the Chicago Bears 2025 Draft Haul
The 2025 NFL Draft has come to a close, and the Chicago Bears had an unexpected process.
But one thing’s for sure: the Bears got better.
Let’s break down the Bears’ draft haul and grade each selection to show how they improved.
10th pick // Colston Loveland – Tight End (Michigan)
PHOTO: Chicago Bears/Facebook
With the 10th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. The pick shocked many fans as Loveland wasn’t one of the top prospects connected to the Bears. With Ashton Jeanty, Mason Graham, Kelvin Banks, and Armand Membou off the board, fans expected the Bears to pivot towards a tight end. But when Roger Goodell announced Colston Loveland instead of Tyler Warren, fans were stunned. Penn State tight end Tyler Warren had been connected to the Bears for the majority of the offseason, but he was never the Bears’ favorite.
Earlier in the offseason, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller put a stamp on his “hot take” that Colston Loveland was a better prospect than Tyler Warren. He also inserted Loveland to the Bears at #10 in one of his mocks, saying the Bears would take Loveland over Warren. He further explained that the Bears already have their in-line tight end in Cole Kmet, so drafting the more versatile player in Loveland makes more sense for the Bears’ offense. On draft night, this exact scenario came to fruition. Tyler Warren was available at #10, but the Bears went with Loveland instead.
Scouting Profile
Colston Loveland is a 6’5”, 250 lb tight end from the University of Michigan. While listed as a tight end, I would classify Lovleand as an offensive chess piece. He’s a versatile player in the sense that he can line up anywhere along the line of scrimmage. He can play on the line, in the slot, or even on the outside as an X receiver. In my opinion, Loveland plays like a big slot receiver. At times, his movement skills remind me of Brock Bowers, which is very high praise. With elite athleticism and excellent pass-catching ability, Loveland will be a weapon in Ben Johnson’s system.
The Bears will be able to roll out 12 personnel with Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland anytime they want. When you combine them with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, the Bears’ offense is going to be difficult to stop.
In Detroit, Ben Johnson had Sam Laporta. I believe Loveland will play a similar role in Chicago, but he has the tools to be an even better player.
Grade: A
While this wasn’t the most popular pick among Bears fans, I personally love it. Loveland isn’t your typical tight end. He’s just an elite weapon. I would have loved to have an offensive lineman here, but the top guys were all gone. I also would’ve loved Jeanty or Graham, but they were gone as well. Colston Loveland was the perfect selection given how the board fell.
The most important thing for the Chicago Bears is to develop Caleb Williams. This pick will help accelerate that process.
39th Pick // Luther Burden III – WR (Missouri)
I think we can all agree that this was the Bears’ most shocking draft choice. Luther Burden is an outstanding wide receiver and was not expected to fall this far in the draft. When he was available at pick 39, the Bears couldn’t pass him up. Ryan Poles said that Burden was the best guy on their board at that spot.
Scouting Profile
Heading into last season, Luther Burden was considered to be a top-10 player in college football. His production was off the charts, and the talent was evident. But last season saw a dip in production, due to Missouri’s rough quarterback play and lackluster offense.
Burden is an electric player with the ball in his hands. He’s phenomenal at getting yards after the catch and can turn any screen pass into a touchdown. Burden is also a polished route runner with soft hands, making him a reliable target.
There’s a lot of D.J. Moore in his game, so seeing the two paired up will be fun to watch.
Grade: B+
As talented as Luther Burden is, he’ll be WR3 in Chicago. That’s not a knock on Burden; it just shows how great the Bears’ wide receiver room is. Adding Burden to a room with Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore will provide Caleb with plenty of weapons to succeed.
Burden was the best player available at #39, and the Bears had to pull the trigger.
56th Pick // Ozzy Trapilo – OT (Boston College)
The Chicago Bears traded back from pick 41 to land 56 and additional draft capital. They selected the 6’8” tackle from Boston College, Ozzy Trapilo. Darnell Wright is locked in at one of the Bears’ tackle positions. But the other starting spot is up for grabs. Given Braxton Jones’ injury history and inconsistent play, the Bears needed to add some competition.
Scouting Profile
Trapilo is a massive human being standing at 6’8”. He was very reliable in pass protection. Over his last two seasons at BC, Trapilo had 710 pass block snaps and only allowed two sacks and 26 pressures. In 2024, he had zero penalties in 772 total snaps, proving to be a disciplined player.
He’s a very sound lineman with excellent hands and should be able to contribute in the NFL. It’s important to note that Trapilo played right tackle in college, which could impact the Bears’ O-line room.
Grade: B
The Chicago Bears needed to add competition at tackle, and they did just that. Trapilo will step in and be a great depth piece on the offensive line. He could even take over for Braxton Jones as one of the team’s starting tackles.
62nd Pick // Shemar Turner – DT (Texas A&M)
In the trade with the Bills, the Bears picked up an additional second-round pick, which they used to select DT Shemar Turner. The Bears’ defensive tackle room is much improved after adding Grady Jarrett in free agency, but they needed one more guy to complete their rotation.
Scouting Profile
Turner played all over the defensive line at Texas A&M. He’s played on the edge and the interior. His 6’3” and 290 lb frame gives him the versatility to line up anywhere. Turner plays with a lot of juice and is a great athlete. In his senior season, he showed a lot of disruption, finishing with six sacks.
Grade: A
I loved this pick for the Bears. They needed one more defensive tackle to complete their rotation, and Turner will fit right in. He brings some energy and quickness that the Bears were lacking on the D-line. I expect Dennis Allen to use Turner on both the edge and the interior, taking advantage of his unique versatility.
Turner has a high ceiling given his elite athleticism. Hopefully, the Bears can develop him into a disruptive defensive lineman.
132nd Pick // Ruben Hyppolite – LB (Maryland)
When I saw the Bears draft Ruben Hyppolite, I immediately said, “Who on Earth is this guy?” I was stunned to see the Bears draft a linebacker in round five, let alone a guy who many analysts predicted would go undrafted.
Scouting Profile
Hyppolite is an athletic freak. He scored an 8.22 RAS score by running a 4.42 40-yard dash and a 6.96 three-cone. Unfortunately, he isn’t the most polished linebacker and will likely play special teams in Chicago.
Grade: D
I just cannot wrap my head around this pick. The Bears do need some more depth at linebacker, but it feels like they reached for Hyppolite. They had a glaring need at edge rusher and running back, and could’ve taken either in round five. Instead, they decided to bet on Hyppolite’s athleticism and raw talent.
I hope the Bears prove me wrong, but at the end of the day, a fifth-round pick isn’t make or break for a team’s future.
169th Pick // Zah Frazier – CB (UTSA)
Speaking of betting on traits, the Bears went back to the RAS well in the fifth round when they selected cornerback Zah Frazier. Day three is about finding players with special and unique traits, which the Bears certainly tried to do.
Scouting Profile
Frazier is a lengthy corner with tremendous athleticism. He posted a 9.36 RAS score while running a 4.36 40-yard dash. He also possesses excellent ball skills, which led to solid production in his senior season. It’s easy to compare him to another former UTSA cornerback, Riq Woolen. Aside from the fact that they both wore #3 at UTSA, they are also both lengthy corners with great long speed. Woolen has been a lockdown corner in the NFL, and the Bears are hoping Frazier can be just as good.
Grade: A-
I’m a major supporter of this pick. The Bears need depth at corner, and Frazier could easily make the 53-man roster. A few months before the draft, Bears’ cornerbacks coach Al Harris vouched for Frazier. Harris told Ryan Poles that he believes he can develop Frazier and would love for the Bears to add him.
Al Harris has had success developing late-round corners in the past, like Darron Bland (5th-round pick). I trust he can get the best out of Zah Frazier.
195th Pick // Luke Newman – OL (Michigan State)
Look, this pick is very simple. The Bears’ offensive line hasn’t been good in many years, so why not add more depth on the interior?
Scouting Profile
Luke Newman is another RAS star, posting a 9.69 grade. He’s a versatile interior offensive lineman who possesses a lot of potential. While he struggles to finish with power and use proper technique, Newman’s movement skills give him an uncoachable trait.
At Michigan State, Newman didn’t allow a single sack or hit in his final season. When he played in the East vs. West Shrine Bowl, he dominated, playing both guard and center.
Grade: B
The Bears could always use more depth on the interior offensive line. Newman is a versatile player who can play at both guard and center, and he has a high ceiling due to his elite athleticism.
In Chicago, he’ll sit behind Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman. This gives him time to develop and learn from some talented veterans.
233rd Pick // Kyle Monangai – RB (Rutgers)
“Who cares about seventh-round picks?” I do. When the Bears selected running back Kyle Monangai, I was overly excited. This was my favorite selection the Bears made.
Scouting Profile
Kyle Monangai is a good football player. He’s such a tough runner and plays like a wrecking ball. Analysts have called him a “human pinball” and a “muscle hamster,” which fits his identity to a tee.
Monangai rushed for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to finish his college career. His vision is adequate and has good enough long speed to play in the NFL. One of his biggest strengths is pass protection, which guarantees him a roster spot in Chicago.
Grade: A+
This is my favorite Bear’s pick in terms of need, players available, and value. Monangai will come in on day one and compete with Roschon Johnson for RB2. He can be Ben Johnson’s David Montgomery because of his physical running style. I believe the future is bright for Monangai, and we’ll see a lot of him next season.
Overall Draft Grade
The Chicago Bears simply got better after this year’s draft. As Ben Johnson said, they’ve increased the depth on this team to create some competition among position groups.
They added an elite pass-catching tight end in Colston Loveland. Then they added a YAC (yards after catch) stud in Luther Burden. Next, they had to address the trenches by selecting a massive tackle in Ozzy Trapilo and an athletic DT in Shemar Turner. On day three, the Bears selected players with elite traits, including Hyppolite, Frazier, and Newman. Finally, they capped it off by selecting my guy, Kyle Monangai.
Grade: B+
While it wasn’t a perfect draft, it’s exactly what the Bears should’ve done. At almost every pick, they went with the best player on their board, regardless of need. Good teams draft the best players. They don’t have to fit a position of need.
I would’ve loved to see the Bears add an edge rusher. I also wouldn’t have drafted Hyppolite in the fifth round. However, other than that, this was an impressive draft where the Bears improved.
The Chicago Bears capped off their electric offseason with a star-studded draft. They improved at several key positions. More importantly, they became a better and more competitive football team.
I can’t wait to see how this draft class shapes up on the football field.
PHOTO: Chicago Bears/Facebook
Discover more from Chicago Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
