Picking 25th overall in the 1st round of the NFL draft presents challenges. Teams face a talent pool that will be picked through extensively and must try to find a difference-maker anyway. Many teams picking in that range often fail the test. Those who do are usually able to maintain their success from one year to the next. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Kansas City are such examples. Now the Chicago Bears are about to try their hand this April, unless they plan to do something aggressive by moving up. NFL Network draft insider Daniel Jeremiah doesn’t think that will be necessary.
During a conference call with the media ahead of the scouting combine, the former scout insisted the Bears don’t have to overthink their position. Based on the projected needs for their roster, like defensive line, left tackle, and safety, he is confident there will be a clump of very good players available. The Bears just have to sit tight, let the board unfold as it will, and take the best player available from one of those three positions. If their evaluations are solid, they’ll end up with somebody good.
Daniel Jeremiah understands the draft is a marathon. Not a sprint.
Smart teams realize that not all of the good players go in the top 10. Hell, most of them don’t even go in the 1st round. Every year, there is an assortment of future studs who slip through the cracks for one reason or another. This idea that the bones will be picked clean by the time the Bears go on the clock at #25 is ridiculous. Dalton Kincaid went at that spot three years ago. Tyler Linderbaum went the year before that. The trick is not overthinking it and not leaning too heavily into your most pressing need.
As to who that will be? We won’t know until April 23rd. The draft order might be set, but it’s still a fluid process to determine who goes high and who may slip. The scouting combine is always a big factor in shifting draft stock up or down. Daniel Jeremiah seems confident the Bears will have somebody they want on the board. It sounds like the defensive line will be the group to watch. They have lots of names capable of going in teh 1st round. It’s no secret the Bears need more pass rush help.
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| Prospect | School | Position | Career Sacks | Key Stat/Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Bailey | Texas Tech | EDGE | 29.0 | Led the nation with 14.5 sacks in 2025. |
| Cashius Howell | Texas A&M | EDGE | 27.0 | Recorded 11.5 sacks in the SEC during the 2025 season. |
| Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami | EDGE | 20.5 | Consensus All-American; had 9.5 sacks in 2025 and 7.5 in 2023. |
| Arvell Reese | Ohio State | EDGE/LB | 7.0 | Breakout 2025 season with 6.5 sacks in only 119 rush snaps. |
| Keldric Faulk | Auburn | EDGE | 10.0 | Recorded 7.0 sacks in 2024 and 2.0 in 2025. |
| Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | DT | 7.5 | Interior force with 172 career tackles across UCF and Tech. |
| Peter Woods | Clemson | DT | 5.0 | All-American in 2025; career production is lower than his “elite” trait grade. |
| Christen Miller | Georgia | DT | 4.0 | Elite run-stuffer; recorded 1.5 sacks in both 2024 and 2025. |
| Caleb Banks | Florida | DT | 6.5 | Primarily a run-defender; consistently ranked as a top-15 interior prospect. |
| Kayden McDonald | Ohio State | DT | 3.0 | Top-ranked interior defender noted for physical run-stopping traits. |
All of this comes down to the Bears’ priorities.
Jeremiah is working from incomplete information. All he knows is what Chicago’s needs are. He doesn’t have the knowledge of what Poles and the coaching staff believe should be the focus. Yes, we talk about defensive line. However, the conversation goes deeper than that. What type of defensive lineman? Maybe they want an edge rusher with some speed. Maybe they’re eager for an interior pass rusher. Don’t forget they need a nose tackle to shore up what was a weak run defense, too.
Everything depends on head coach Ben Johnson. He has significant sway on this decision. If he’s committed to finding a left tackle, that is where the Bears will focus. On the other hand, if it’s about best player available, defense will likely be the way to go. It all depends on which linemen are on the board and if any of the safeties might rank above them on the value scale.
