The hidden gem who might force the Chicago Bears to trade down at the 2025 NFL Draft

If you claim to have heard the name Grey Zabel before last week's NFL Combine, you’re either, A) An NFL Draft nerd/expert of the highest order, B) A resident of North Dakota, or C) Lying.

The versatile North Dakota State offensive lineman, as more of us now know, crushed his Combine performance, flaunting quick feet, fantastic awareness, and confidence bordering on cockiness—all traits you’d want out of a rookie trench dude.

Or, for that matter, a veteran trench dude.

.@NDSUfootball @GreyZabel was impressive at the senior bowl and throughout his career. Next Bison headed to the NFL. #nfldraft #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/aNC7fDEVOK
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) March 4, 2025

Zabel’s 36.5” vertical jump was tops among all offensive linemen who worked out at the Combine, while his athleticism score was 89 (second-best), he cranked out 26 bench press reps (seventh-best), and his 9’3” broad jump placed him second.

This is why we now know about Grey Zabel.

Shades of Grey

A recent mock draft from The Athletic has the majority of the Draft’s top-rated offensive linemen off the board by the time Chicago picks at the ten-spot, with the Bears grabbing Alabama guard Tyler Booker, of whom The Athletic’s Dane Brugler reports had “...below-average athletic testing.”

The same mock has Zabel landing in Houston’s lap at 25, with Brugler raving, “[A]fter his Senior Bowl and combine performances, a spot in the top 25 is certainly possible.”

If Booker does indeed have some holes in his game, it would behoove Bears GM Ryan Poles to kick the tires on a Draft Day trade-down.

Let’s Go Buffalo

The Buffalo Bills are one of just three teams who own multiple second round picks, and they might be willing to ship their first rounder (30) and one of their seconds (56 or 62) to Chicago in exchange for the Bears' first rounder (10) as well as a day three pick TBD.

The danger is, of course, that Zabel might be off the board by 30, but there are other quality options who could be ripe for the pickin', among them Minnesota tackle Aireontae Ersery (who also had a helluva Combine). And who knows: Options like Tyler Booker or Kelvin Banks Jr. could take a first-round tumble.

HOLY MOLY. #Gophers Aireontae Ersery with a 5.01 40-yard dash at 6’6”, 331 lbs.

pic.twitter.com/f2Y4tfIG5A
— Noel Thompson (@N0ELTHOMPSON) March 2, 2025

But if Poles can find a way to nab one of the Draft’s potential steals in addition to some high-end day two draft capital, he needs to make it so.