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Chicago Bears land elite offensive weapon, defensive reinforcements in bold 2025 NFL Mock Draft

In the latest 2025 NFL mock draft from ESPN, the Bears land an elite offensive stud in the first round, followed by an influx of defensive talent.
Bryan Perez|
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ESPN NFL Draft expert Matt Miller published his latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft on Thursday, and it had the Chicago Bears landing the top offensive weapon in the draft in the first round before taking a hard turn to the defense with their next several picks.

Miller's mock draft was a seven-rounder, and it kicked off with the Bears adding running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 10 pick.

"This is a best-case scenario for the Bears," Miller wrote. "Jeanty can do the same things Jahmyr Gibbs did for Ben Johnson's offense in Detroit, but with more power. Jeanty is an elite contact balance runner who does not go down on first contact. He can create his own rushing lanes and has the speed to produce chunk plays. Jeanty is also a good receiving back, with 43 catches for five touchdowns in 2023 before Boise State's offense switched to a run-heavy approach in 2024."

I agree with Miller that this would be a fantastic scenario for the Bears, but for a different reason.

If Jeanty falls to the 10th pick, there's no doubt GM Ryan Poles' phone will ring off the hook. Sure, Chicago could just take him and add him to what's suddenly become an exciting cast of skill players for Ben Johnson, but the Bears' roster simply needs more talent. They don't have one glaring need right now; being able to trade back with a team that's infatuated with Jeanty and stuff the roster with good football players feels like a winning strategy.

Still, watching Caleb Williams hand off to Jeanty would be a lot of fun, wouldn't it?

In the second round, Miller goes back to the basics, sending Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant to beef up the Bears' already improved defensive line.

"The Bears added Grady Jarrett in free agency, but they could use a 1-technique who can collapse pockets and push the pile in the run game," Miller wrote. "The 331-pound Grant would fill that need with his elite quickness and tools. He has the power to anchor in the run game and the movement necessarily to slip past blockers as a pass rusher. Grant is also elite at knocking down passes, with 11 pass breakups over the past two seasons. The Bears are better on the line now than when the offseason began, but Grant would raise their ceiling even more."

It would qualify as a pretty big surprise to see Grant at the top of the 'best remaining players' list at the start of Day 2. The Bears are in play for his teammate, Mason Graham, in the first round, but landing Grant in the second round, who some believe will be a better pro than Graham, could be a better outcome.

At pick No. 41, Miller sends the Bears a safety: Notre Dame's Xavier Watts. It's a logical target for Chicago, considering Kevin Byard's age (32) and Jaquon Brisker's health concerns (concussions). Watts has fantastic playmaking ability and is the kind of prospect who can take full advantage of a quarterback being hurried into risky throws, as the Bears hope they'll force in 2025 with Dennis Allen deploying more creative stunts and blitzes.

Watts has 13 interceptions over the last two seasons with Notre Dame.

And at No. 72? Yep, you guessed it: more defense. Miller has the Chicago Bears taking cornerback Jacob Parrrish (Kansas State), who'd represent some competition for the enigma that is Tyrqique Stevenson. Parrish totaled 108 tackles, 19 passes defended and five interceptions during his time as a Wildcat.

Overall, this Chicago Bears mock draft checks a lot of boxes. The Bears land a superstar to excite the fanbase in Ashton Jeanty while also giving back to the trenches with Kenneth Grant. The secondary levels up with this year's top playmaking safety, and another talented cornerback to offer competition in the defensive back room.

However, don't expect this type of draft class to come to Chicago. Instead, offensive linemen and an edge rusher (or two) will be part of the early-round returns for Poles.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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