Bear Digest

Chicago Bears On SI Mock Draft In-Season 2.0 for 2025

The Bears go hunting for line help on both sides of the ball in this second version of the in-season mock draft for Chicago Bears On SI.
Gene Chamberlain|
LSU's Will Campbell is rated the best offensive lineman in the draft by many scouts and internet draft sites.
LSU's Will Campbell is rated the best offensive lineman in the draft by many scouts and internet draft sites. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The first in-season mock draft for Chicago Bears On SI came during their bye week.

It's probably the greatest of understatements to say things have changed for the immediate and long-term future of this team since then.

They haven't won since the week before that mock draft and went from 4-2 division contender to a 4-9 team with the offensive coordinator and head coach fired.

Some of their needs have changed and some haven't, but obviously they'll be drafting much earlier than they would have hoped. Some needs can be met in the draft. Their biggest need can't and that's a head coach.

The needs still look chiefly to be linemen on both sides of the football. By draft day this might change based on free agency, but the needs heading into the offseason are fairly clear. Injuries or poor play in the final four weeks can also impact this.

They must find dependable pass blockers to keep Caleb Willilams from taking a beating, as well as run stuffers and edge rushers.

The real problem with conducting a mock draft at this point is you don't know who the coach will be, the type of defensive system or offense they will be running. It affects types of skill sets required of players.

If it's a 4-3 defense like they have now, then not much changes in the type of player. If it's 3-4 with two-gap responsibilities up front, they're going to need wide-body monsters to hold up blockers. If they're going inside zone and gap blocking scheme instead of the wide zone they might want the bigger offensive linemen instead of the mobile guys.

Either way, they can't go wrong with linemen who can pass block but there are other needs like running back, safety and center to be considered.

Fortunately, the Bears are well stocked with picks this year.

It's Chicago Bears On SI in-season mock draft 2.0 and they are on the clock from much earlier than they were in mock draft 1.0.

Round 1, No. 9

T Will Campbell, LSU

The 6-foot-6, 324=pounder was graded eighth by Pro Football Focus so he was taken a spot after he should have gone. He's the top tackle in this draft, top offensive lineman. A starter as a true freshman and among the top three pass blockers nationally after his second season, according to PFF. I would have leaned to taking Mason Graham, the Michigan defensive lineman. However, he was long gone at No. 2 to the Giants. This is a no-trade draft at this point so your hands are tied as far as moving up. Campbell has played in 37 games and the Bears would probably put him at left tackle. They need guards and you could always put him there, too. An excellent tackle could almost always be a guard. There seems to be no pure guards graded high enough to be taken in this portion of the draft, although much can change after bowl games, playoffs, the all-star games and combine. Cory Kinnan of NFL Draft on SI.com doesn't have Campbell ranked even as best tackle on his own team, and prefers Emery Jones, but admits Campbell looks to be the consensus top tackle nationally.

Round 2, No. 36

DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

A 3-technique type of defensive tackle who is 6-foot-4, 305 with good quickness and strength. He had 114 career tackles, 25 for loss, with 11 1/2 sacks and three fumble recoveries for a 34-game career heading into December. It's apparent Gervon Dexter can rush the passer but can he also stop the run? He may eventually get this down well enough. The Bears can't gamble on it because their run defense was far better last year when Justin Jones played 3-technique. They need that line fortified to prevent opposing running attacks from going wild the way they have this year, but Nolen also can rush the passer from this position. At this point in the draft, the available talent with comparable grades included him and a group of cornerbacks. They need the bigs, not the cornerbacks.

Round 2, No. 41

DE Princeley Umanmielen, Ole' Miss

Nolen's teammate at 6-4, 260 and a real pass rushing force. He has 10 1/2 sacks this year, 25 1/2 for his career, 39 tackles for loss and 133 tackles overall. He has stripped the ball four times and recovered one. A Florida player for four years first, he had 15 sacks in four Gators seasons, and had 17 1/2 sacks the last two seasons, one for Florida and one at Mississippi. This year his sacks include seven in his last five games, including two each against Georgia, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Why are the Bears drafting defensive ends in the top 41 when they just drafted  Austin Booker in the fifth round and took Dominique Robinson in the fifth round of Poles' first draft? It's a good question. So far they've gotten exactly what you'd expect from those Day 3 picks. They need someone who arrives already with the well-developed skill set to make plays on the edge.

Round 3, No. 73

G Tate Ratledge, Georgia

Reached a bit and took the 85th-ranked player but no guards were available and they need this position addressed. Besides, a Georgia guard in Round 3 should be like a guard from somewhere else in Round 2. He'll be higher quality than many third-rounders. You can always draft one of the tackles and make them into a guard, it just doesn't usually work the other way. But with Ratledge, he has always been a right guard only. He had to miss half this season after tightrope surgery on his ankle. He's built like a tackle at 6-6, and 310. An excellent athlete for a big man, he played basketball and was third in the state in shot put in high school. Experienced as a gap and inside zone blocker at Georgia but his athleticism will let him block wide zone if needed. Best about him is his strength and technique against bull rush, according to scouts.

Round 5, No. 145

C Jonah Monheim, USC

In a trading draft, the goal would be to get someone between the third and fifth rounds. But not today in this mock. Caleb Williams' old center would be the pick here. Bears starter Coleman Shelton is on a one-year contract and there's no telling this position's future. Bringing in a young center who isn't too far down the line on Day 3 of the draft would be a good move. They might bring back Shelton, as he didn't have a terrible season by PFF grading. But they also have Ryan Bates and everyone's favorite fullback/center Doug Kramer. Maybe they'll actually let Kramer snap a ball for a change instead of run. But if you want to strengthen the position and make Williams comfortable, there's no choice like his former guy at USC. Monheim is projected as a 5.0-second 40 guy, so he's a mobile lineman at 6-5, 310.

Round 6, No. 201

S Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa

This is probably too late for the Bears to wait to select a player at this need position. They need of someone who can start or at least develop quickly into a starter because Jaquan Brisker's future is uncertain. He might return yet this year from his third concussion in three seasons. They need someone who rates as a potential starter at his position in case there is no future for him in the league. It's a position with a lot of contact involved and someone with three concussions in three years definitely is not a certainty.  Brisker is in his contract year next year, too. Nwankpa probably wouldn't be much of an upgrade from Elijah Hicks. He has two career interceptions and 91 tackles to go with three pass breakups, but at this point was graded 200th best player. So it's the talent level fit the spot. A 6-2, 215-pounder who is big enough to come into the box or to go back in coverage.

Round 7, No. 224

RB Woody Marks, USC

Not only do they wind up with Williams' former center but also a former backfield teammate. Marks is 5-10, 208 and an excellent receiver out of the backfield. In fact, his stat lines in the passing game sound like he was a wide receiver. He had 83 catches in 2021. For his career, he made 261 receptions in five seasons while also rushing for 3,016 yards. Marks would be a steal this late in the draft because of his versatility and experience in a pro-style attack. The Bears do need a back. They could really use one with more power, though. They have a speed back in D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson hasn't proven capable of stepping into a starting role in two seasons.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.