Bear Digest

Complete first-round 2025 NFL Draft grades—Chicago Bears did…okay

Alan Goldsher|
Did the Chicago Bears' selection of tight end Colston Loveland earn them a passing grade?
Did the Chicago Bears' selection of tight end Colston Loveland earn them a passing grade? | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Considering how the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft shook out, one could assume that the Chicago Bears’ war room was a chill place to be.

After all, we never heard any serious trade buzz emanating from Halas Hall, and it was likely that Chicago’s target, Michigan TE Colston Loveland, would be available when Bears GM Ryan Poles was on the clock at the ten-spot. So it's fair to assume that Poles made and fielded a few calls, got his man, and called it a night.

See? Chill.

And chill is perfectly fine and good—but fine and good doesn’t get you a killer first-round grade.

What does? Let’s see, in alphabetical order, who passed the first round, and who failed, and who was, y’know, fine and good.

Arizona Cardinals

Walter Nolen, Ole Miss, DT (16)

  • The Skinny: In Mock Draft World, Nolen had been graded all over the board, so falling smack in the middle of the proceedings makes sense. The aggressive trenchman will thrive in a Cards’ D that, at times, lacks aggression

Grade: B+

Atlanta Falcons

Jalon Walker, Georgia, Linebacker (15)

James Pearce Jr., Tennessee, EDGE (26, via LAR)

  • The Skinny: Man, what a night for the Falcons. Walker was considered a top-ten prospect, and Pearce could be this year’s Jared Verse, a player who will make a significant impact in an ideal scheme fit. This could solidify their defense for seasons to come.

Grade: A+

Baltimore Ravens

Malaki Starks, Georgia, S (27)

  • The Skinny: A typical Ravens pick: Great value at the bottom of the round, and fills a need. If they hit on a day two defender, look out.

Grade: B+

Buffalo Bills

Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky, CB (30)

  • The Skinny: A scootch undersized, but his intense attitude and palpable confidence make up for it. Bills Mafia will be enamored.

Grade: A-

Carolina Panthers

Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, WR (8)

  • The Skinny: If T-Mac develops a connection with Panthers QB Bryce Young, Carolina will be just fine. But, as noted, do you want just fine at the eighth pick? If they lusted after a receiver—a position that didn’t have much separation between the top-rated dude and the fifth-rated dude—a trade down for a Matthew Golden would’ve made more sense.

Grade: B-

Chicago Bears

Colston Loveland, Michigan, TE (10)

  • The Skinny: The former Wolverine will succeed in a Ben Johnson offense, Sam LaPorta-style, but it feels like the Bears could’ve done better. Or at least done more.

Grade: B

Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M, EDGE (17)

  • The Skinny: The Bengals all but had to go defense, but Stewart is a project. This is a team that can contend in the AFC, and a day-one starter like, say, Derrick Harmon should’ve been the move.

Grade: C+

Cleveland Browns

Mason Graham, Michigan, DT (5, via JAC)

  • The Skinny: The Graham/Myles Garrett combo platter will be a league-wide problem for years to come, but considering the haul the Browns got in trading down from the two-spot to five, we’ll have to wait until December of 2026 to grade this one out.

Grade: Incomplete

Dallas Cowboys

Tyler Booker, Alabama, OG (12)

  • The Skinny: The Cowboys needed a skill player, and Booker—who will likely be an excellent pro—isn’t that. Good prospect, meh positional choice.

Grade: B-

Denver Broncos

Jahdae Barron, Texas, CB (20)

  • The Skinny: For months, Sean Payton’s team had been connected to North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton. Barron’s a quality option, but Hampton would’ve been a more logical fit.

Grade: B-

Detroit Lions

Tyleik Williams, Ohio State, DT (28)

  • The Skinny: Williams was a key cog in Ohio State’s scary, scary 2024 defense, but that might’ve been a system thing rather than an individual thing. Should be a nice enough rotational player, though.

Grade: C

Green Bay Packers

Matthew Golden, Texas, WR (23)

  • The Skinny: The Pack needed a fast WR1, and the Pack got a fast WR1 who might emerge as the draft’s best receiver. In front of the home crowd, the cheeseheads nailed it.

Grade: A+

Houston Texans

Traded pick to NYG

  • The Skinny: Talk to us after day two

Grade: Incomplete

Indianapolis Colts

Tyler Warren, Penn State, TE (14)

  • The Skinny: In one of the drafts bigger non-surprises, the Colts grabbed a tight end. In one of the draft’s bigger surprises—thanks to Chicago’s love for Loveland—it was the TE most everybody had at the top of their big board.

Grade: A

Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Hunter, Colorado, WR/CB (2, via CLE)

  • The Skinny: If you have a chance to get a unicorn like Hunter, you go out and get him, and the Jags did just that, (almost) regardless of the cost. The Heisman Trophy winner adds a jolt of electricity to a distinctly un-electric franchise.

Grade: A

Kansas City Chiefs

Josh Simmons, Ohio State, OT (32 via PHI)

  • The Skinny: Okay, this just isn’t fair. The Chiefs lose Joe Thuney to free agency, only to replace him with one of the draft’s top tackles. This morning, Patrick Mahomes is a happy man.

Grade: A

Las Vegas Raiders

Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, RB (6)

  • The Skinny: If Jeanty is as good as advertised—and he will be—the Boise State product will win Offensive Rookie of the Year, run for 1,500-ish yards, and deliver 25-ish total touchdowns. The Raiders will still stink, but come 2027, watch out.

Grade: A+

Los Angeles Chargers

Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, RB (22)

  • The Skinny: The Bolts needed a tight end, but with Warren and Loveland off the board, they grab the draft’s RB2, knowing there will be plenty of starter-level TEs available on day two.

Grade: A-

Los Angeles Rams

Trade with ATL (26)

  • The Skinny: An odd move, but maybe they have some sweet day two plans in place.

Grade: Incomplete

Miami Dolphins

Kenneth Grant, Michigan, DT (13)

  • The Skinny: Grant was overshadowed by his Michigan line-mate Mason Graham, but a closer look at the tape tells us the dude’s got game. He might need a season to marinate, but the Fins—who aren’t close to leapfrogging Buffalo in the AFC East—have no need to rush.

Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings

Donovan Jackson, Ohio State, OG (24)

  • The Skinny: On one hand, this is a head-scratcher, as there were multiple O-lineman still on the board with far better grades. On the other hand, if the Vikes’ brass thinks Jackson is the guy—and if it turns out he is, indeed the guy—it makes perfect sense, as presumptive starter J.J. McCarthy will need all the protection he can get.

Grade: C

New England Patriots

Will Campbell, LSU, OT (4)

  • The Skinny: Ideal match of need and talent. This one was arguably the draft’s biggest no-brainer.

Grade: A

New Orleans Saints

Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas, OT (9)

  • The Skinny: Um, say what? Banks will be a decent enough NFL player, but at the nine-spot, you want better than decent. If they luck into Shedeur Sanders on day two, this grade will go up.

Grade: C-

New York Giants

Abdul Carter, Penn State, EDGE (3)

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, QB (25 via HOU)

  • The Skinny: This was a dream night for the Jints. They land the classes’ best defender, as well as, arguably, its QB2, moves that could save Brian Daboll’s job and put them in the mix for a 2026 playoff berth.

Grade: A+

New York Jets

Armand Membou, Missouri, OT (7)

  • The Skinny: Filling the tight end position would’ve been a slick choice—as would a Breece Hall trade combined with an Omarion Hampton pick—but Membou is a plug-and-play high-level starter, so all good.

Grade: A-

Philadelphia Eagles

Jihaad Campbell, Alabama, LB (31, via KC)

  • The Skinny: Like Kansas City’s Simmons pick, this isn’t fair. Campbell comes with injury concerns, but if/when he’s fully healthy, yikes.

Grade: A-

Pittsburgh Steelers

Derrick Harmon, Oregon, DT (21)

  • The Skinny: Steelers fans will love Harmon, who will be not just a solid defender, but a great locker room guy. That said, the QB-starved franchise might regret passing on Sanders.

Grade: B+

San Francisco 49ers

Mykel Williams, Georgia, EDGE (11)

  • The Skinny: Sometimes the obvious pick is the smart pick. Williams is a day one starter who should make some immediate noise.

Grade: A-

Seattle Seahawks

Grey Zabel, North Dakota State, OG (18)

  • The Skinny: I’ve been on Team Zabel since the NFL Combine, and landing him at 18 is a massive win for the ‘Hawks.

Grade: A

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State, WR (19)

  • The Skinny: The Bucs already have Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan on the roster, and their 2024 defense was, at times, a veritable sieve, so why the heck do they need a receiver? Good player, illogical choice.

Grade: D+

Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward, Miami, QB (1)

  • The Skinny: Ward will be a decent signal caller in this league, but is he worthy of a number one pick? In this meh draft, probably. In most other drafts, not so much. But a need is a need is a need.

Grade: B+

Washington Commanders

Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon, OT (29)

  • The Skinny: If the Commanders were going offense, I’d have rather seen them grab one of the remaining running backs. But Conerly is a top tackle, so he was hard to pass up.

Grade: B+

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Alan Goldsher
ALAN GOLDSHER

Alan Goldsher has written about sports for Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Apple, Playboy, NFL.com, and NBA.com, and he’s the creator of the Chicago Sports Stuff Substack. He’s the bestselling author of 15 books, and the founder/CEO of Gold Note Records. Alan lives in Chicago, where he writes, makes music, and consumes and creates way too much Bears content. You can visit him at http://www.AlanGoldsher.com and http://x.com/AlanGoldsher.

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