Chicago Bears' 2025 NFL Draft class lands middle-of-the-pack ranking among NFC teams

While the Chicago Bears have been praised for a successful 2025 NFL Draft, a new ranking of every draft class in the NFC suggests it wasn't all that great.

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Chicago Bears fans are still riding a high following a 2025 NFL Draft that will level up Caleb Williams and the offense under Ben Johnson in 2025.

How could you not be excited? The additions of Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III are remarkable playmaking upgrades, and the trenches received a boost with a potential new left tackle in Ozzy Trapilo and a quick-twitch defensive lineman in Shemar Turner.

In fact, ESPN's Matt Miller recently named Burden his favorite pick of the entire 2025 draft.

But not all analysts are in love with what the Chicago Bears did.

Take the latest ranking of every NFC team's 2025 NFL Draft class from Sports Illustrated. The Bears ranked in the middle of the pack at No. 8.

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"Initially, I wasn’t fond of the Bears getting complacent with their offensive line, waiting until the back end of the second round to address their tackle concerns," SI's Gilberto Manzano wrote. "But they certainly got better at the skill positions, with dynamic weapons Loveland and Burden. Still, Chicago better be right about its retooled offensive line because the team found out last year that skill players don’t go far without the quarterback being protected. Perhaps Trapilo can be an immediate starter in case the new coaching staff decides to move on from Braxton Jones, the left tackle currently rehabbing from a broken ankle. Turner is an intriguing prospect who could provide a boost for the defensive front."

I get the concerns about the Chicago Bears' left tackle, but with how the first nine picks unfolded before the Bears were on the clock, Loveland presented the most value. The top three offensive tackles -- Will Campbell, Armand Membou, and Kelvin Banks -- all got sniped before Chicago's pick, and the drop-off to OT4 was steep.

The next offensive tackle drafted was Josh Conerly at No. 29.

The Bears opted to select the best player available at No. 10, and did it again at No. 39, with the Loveland and Burden selections. And call it a hunch, but I think they'll be better off because of it.

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