ESPN 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Chicago Bears add big-time weapon for Ben Johnson

ESPN's NFL Nation reporters got together for a massive first-round 2025 mock draft, and the first nine picks went about as poorly as they could go for the Chicago Bears.

Here's how the first round evolved before Courtney Cronin, ESPN's Bears reporter, picked for Chicago: (1) Cam Ward, (2) Travis Hunter, (3) Abdul Carter, (4) Will Campbell, (5) Ashton Jeanty, (6) Armand Membou, (7) Kelvin Banks Jr., (8) Jalon Walker, and (9) Mason Graham.

Yep, that's nightmare fuel for GM Ryan Poles.

The odds all three offensive tackles -- Campbell, Membou and Banks -- are picked before the Bears at No. 10 seem very low, but ESPN's mock draft has it happening. Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham have to brace themselves for this possibility.

Perhaps that wouldn't be the worst result for Chicago. With all three offensive tackles gone, the Bears end up with Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, who, according to most NFL draft pundits, is one of the three or four best pure football players in the class.

"A tight end as versatile as Warren could be for the Bears what Sam LaPorta was for Ben Johnson's Detroit offenses," Cronin wrote. "The Penn State standout caught 104 passes for 1,233 yards and had 12 total touchdowns as a senior. Adding a versatile weapon to the passing game and a player who has demonstrated the willingness to block in the running game (Penn State had two 1,000-yard rushers on its run to the College Football Playoff) would be a major addition and benefit Caleb Williams' growth in Year 2."

The connection between a verstaile tight end and Ben Johnson is obvious. As Cronin noted, LaPorta was a key cog in what Johnson did in Detroit, but remember: he was a second-round pick. And his 2024 season was, well, disappointing. He ended last year with 60 catches for 726 yards and 7 touchdowns, down from 889 yards and 10 scores as a rookie.

Perhaps LaPorta's success was more about Johnson's offense putting him in a great position to succeed than it was about LaPorta being an elite player. And if that's true, then maybe Cole Kmet will finally break out in a system that is tight end-friendly.

It's why I can't get fully behind the idea of Warren being the Chicago Bears' first-round target. I'm not convinced that his style of play at the college level will produce similar results in the NFL. In fact, Michigan's Colston Loveland profiles as more of an offensive weapon than Warren, but, again, he'd be a reach at the 10th pick.

In ESPN's mock draft, Loveland goes to the Indianapolis Colts with the 14th pick.

If the first round of the 2025 NFL draft falls this way, the Bears would be best served trading down. Let another team enrich Chicago's draft-pick arsenal for Warren; the Bears can slide down a few spots and target Loveland, or even an edge rusher like Mike Green or Shemar Stewart (I know there are a lot of fans who are cool on Stewart, but he has some of the best traits in this year's draft).

The 2025 NFL draft will officially get underway on Thursday, April 24, at 8 pm EST in Green Bay.

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