Chicago Bears 2025 mock draft highlighted by massive first-round trade with Steelers

The Chicago Bears could be looking at another opportunity to trade their first-round pick to a quarterback-needy team, as this new NFL mock draft from ESPN suggests.

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The Chicago Bears and GM Ryan Poles could be staring at an opportunity to make another massive trade with a quarterback-needy team in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Two years ago, the Bears dealt the first-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers and received a franchise-changing haul of picks (that eventually became Caleb Williams) and wide receiver D.J. Moore.

Now, with the 2025 NFL Draft just a few weeks away, Poles might have a chance to trade down with a team looking to move up for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, whose first-round slide may have already begun now that the New York Giants signed veteran starter Russell Wilson.

In fact, in a revised 2025 mock draft from ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum, the former New York Jets general manager has the Pittsburgh Steelers trading into the 10th pick and sending the Bears a bundle of draft capital, including the 21st pick, a third and fourth-rounder in 2025 (No. 83 and 123), and, here's the big one, a 2026 first-round pick.

Yep, that's a no-brainer.

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Chicago Bears land edge rusher with massive upside after first-round trade

As for who Chicago lands in this mock draft? Tannenbaum has the Bears pivoting to defense and selecting Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart.

"I traded out of No. 10 in this updated mock draft, but I'm pretty happy with the outcome," Tannenbaum wrote. "Chicago was 16th in sacks last season (40), but it was also 24th in pass rush win rate (36.5%) and hasn't yet found an elite pass-rush partner for Montez Sweat. Signing Dayo Odeyingbo helps, but Stewart's immense upside is really intriguing, especially at this point in Round 1. This is a classic "traits over production" pick. Stewart had 1.5 sacks last season, but his skill set is great. He's 6-5 and 267 pounds and runs a 4.59. He also jumped 40 inches in the vertical at the combine."

While Bears fans may hesitate to endorse a selection like this -- traits over production -- there's no doubt Stewart looks the part. He ran a ridiculous 4.59 40-yard dash at 267 pounds. He lept 40 inches in the vertical jump and nearly covered 11 feet in the broad jump. He was created by the football gods to play defensive end in the NFL.

"Stewart is carved from granite, possessing a rare blend of traits, explosiveness and untapped upside," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote in Stewart's scouting report. "He’s long and sudden off the snap but hasn’t learned to weaponize his hands to control the point of attack and bypass protection with go-to moves. His bull-rush compresses the pocket off the edge, and he’s too athletic for guards when reduced inside. He can be very disruptive in both phases but requires additional training to start converting his opportunities into finishes. The lack of production relative to the traits is a concern; still, players who move like him are highly coveted. While the boom-or-bust label might be in play, it feels like a matter of time before it all starts to click at a high level."

If the first round falls the way Tannenbaum projects, I'd wager more on the Chicago Bears focusing on Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, who goes four picks later, No. 25 overall, to the Houston texans.

Shemar Stewart runs a 4.59u at 6’5” | 267 lbs on his second attempt 💨pic.twitter.com/g1UTdjtQtd

— PFF (@PFF) February 27, 2025

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