If any of these 5 players fall in the 2025 NFL Draft, should the Chicago Bears pounce?

With the fifth pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars will select Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham.

Or will they?

With the sixth pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders will select Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.

Maybe.

With the seventh pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the New York Jets will select Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou.

It’s possible.

But it’s also possible that all three of these gentlemen will be ripe for the picking when the tenth-picking Chicago Bears are on the clock at next Thursday’s Draft Night.

Draft Night Falling Is a Thing

The aforementioned Mr. Graham is considered the draft’s best D-lineman—and one of the classes’ top players, period—but we’ve seen dozens of future stars tumble down the board, among them...

Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State,

When and Where: 2010, Round 1, Pick 24 – Dallas Cowboys

Why?: Off-field concerns.

Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

When and Where: 2020, Round 2, Pick 33 – Cincinnati Bengals

Why?: Who the hell knows. Bad scouting, maybe?

Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama

When and Where: 2013, Round 2, Pick 61 – Green Bay Packers

Why?: Injury and weight concerns.

Dan Marino, QB, Pitt

When and Where: 1983, Round 1, Pick 27 – Miami Dolphins

Why?: Drug rumors.

Randy Moss, WR, Marshall

When and Where: 1998, Round 1, Pick 21 – Minnesota Vikings

Why?: Potential character issues.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

When and Where: 2021, Round 2, Pick 52 – Cleveland Browns

Why?: Medical concerns.

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal

When and Where: 2005, Round 1, Pick 24 – Green Bay Packers

Why?: NFL institutional failure.

Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss

When and Where: 2016, Round 1, Pick 13 – Miami Dolphins

Why?: The gas mask thing. Google it.

So history tells us that weird things happen on Draft Night, especially in round one. If some of those weird things come to pass next Thursday, should Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles stick with his plan or torch his draft board?

Depends on the player.

Potential 2025 Draft Fallers

Barring a last-minute New York Giants/Shedeur Sanders love connection, the chances that any of the consensus top prospects—QB Cam Ward, CB/WR Travis Hunter, and EDGE Abdul Carter—making it past the Jints at the three-spot are miniscule. After that, however, anything’s possible.

Here are five high-end draftees about whom Poles might have to make some tough decisions.

Will Campbell, OT, LSU

Yes or No?: Campbell has been mocked between the four and ten spots, so if he lands in Chicago’s lap—doubtful but not entirely unrealistic—Poles will have virtually no choice but to grab him, as he both fills a need and projects to be a very long term starter.

Mason Graham, DL, Michigan

Yes or No?: The former Wolverine is an undisputed beast, and it would be difficult to walk away from the All-American. But after Chicago’s recent trench overhaul (e.g., inking Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo) D-line isn’t necessarily a top priority.

If Graham is still on the board, Poles could make a deal that would net him whole bunch of high-end draft capital this year and beyond.

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Yes or No?: Running back non-truthers say no, and I can’t argue with them; save for the 2024 Philly version of Saquon Barkley, we haven’t seen a top-tier RB lead his team to a Super Bowl victory in forever.

That said, Jeanty would look damn good in a Ben Johnson offense, so if I were doing the drafting, it would happen.

Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

Yes or No?: In a vacuum, this NFL Combine beast is a must-draft plug-and-play option. But outside of the vacuum, the Bears just acquired tackles Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, so positional overlap makes this an illogical choice.

But if Poles and Johnson feel Membou could slide over to tackle, sure, go for it.

Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia

Yes or No?: Poles has a ton of money invested in the EDGE position—Montez Sweat and Odeyingbo add up to a combined $33 million cap hit in 2025, as per Spotrac—plus the draft is loaded with quality defensive ends who’ll be on the board on day two.

Yes, Walker will be scary, but Poles will have to take a pass.