The Chicago Bears hold seven picks in this year’s draft. They have the 10th overall pick, 39th, 41st, 72nd, 148, 233 & 240. Thanks to what they were able to accomplish thus far in the offseason, they are not in a position where they are drafting strictly for need. They can take a “best player available” approach with all their picks.

Over the next several weeks I’ll spotlight every position group, with the exception of quarterback (the Bears won’t draft one) and specialists (aka kickers, punters and long snappers).

Last week, I covered the offensive and defensive lines. In this piece, I’ll focus on running backs.

The Bears running game left a lot to be desired in 2024. A lot of that can be blamed on their terrible offensive line, but the fact is that they lack a consistent chain mover in the backfield.

D’Andre Swift had some big runs last season, but he averaged less than four yards per carry. Too often he was stuffed for no gain or a loss. Again, a lot of that can be blamed on the offensive line, but also that’s just who Swift is. He’s boom or bust. He’s not the type of back an offense can lean on to grind down a defense and salt away a game.

Roschon Johnson is a serviceable short yardage runner, but he’s been largely disappointing since being drafted. Travis Homer is mainly a special teamer. The Bears have no other running backs on the roster.

The Bears need a bell cow running back. That guy that can consistently get them 4-5 yards per carry.

Fortunately, for them, this is one of the better running back classes in years, headlined by the best prospect since Bijan Robinson.

First Round

Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is the premier running back in a loaded class. If he’s on the board at ten, there will be plenty of Bears fans pounding the table for him.

Can’t say I’d blame them, he’s most likely the best player available, but a running back in the top ten feels like a luxury pick to me. One the Bears shouldn’t take, especially when they can land a very good back on day two, even decent ones with upside into day three.

I wouldn’t hate picking Jeanty, and I’m sure he’d eventually become one of my favorite Bears, but I just think they can add a running back later while drafting a high impact player at a position of greater need.

Day Two

Most draft analysts, including me, think North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton will get drafted in the first round. Some mocks even have the Bears taking him at ten, which is much too high and a pick I would absolutely hate.

Not that I hate Hampton, in fact I like him very much, but Jeanty is the only running back I think should be under any consideration for the Bears.

If Hampton is on the board when the Bears go on the clock on day two, I would be ecstatic with the pick.

Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson & Quinshon Judkins are both prime second round prospects. Henderson is the more explosive player, the home run threat. I’d be okay with him, but I prefer his teammate, Judkins.

Judkins is exactly the type of running back the Bears need. He’s the consistent chain mover they lack. He’s the type of back they can wear down defenses with and salt away victories.

Judkins is also a good receiver. He’s a true three down, workhorse running back.

If the Bears haven’t taken a running back by the third round, and Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson is still on the board, they have to take him. Johnson is another physical, consistent chain mover.

Arizona State’s Cameron Skattebo is an intriguing prospect. He’s a violent runner that will not be taken down easily. He lacks top end speed to outrun NFL defenses, but he’ll provide consistent yardage and he’s a decent receiver.

I like Skattebo, but I wouldn’t take him before day three. He’s more of a complementary back than a true lead back, in my opinion.

Day Three Prospects

There’s still plenty of good running backs that will be available on day three. Most are complementary backs best suited for specialized roles as part of a committee approach. Some could develop into lead backs and others offer special teams value.

Some names to remember:

• Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
• Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
• Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
• Devin Neal, Kansas
• Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
• Kaleel Mullings, Michigan
• Trevor Etienne, Georgia
• Donovan Edwards, Michigan

Like a lot of Bears fans, I want them to take advantage of this good crop of running backs. I just don’t want them to spend their first round pick on one. I’d much prefer they add a left tackle and edge rusher before adding a running back.

With picks at 10, 39 & 41, they can go tackle/edge and still land a stud back. Hell, they could wait until the third and still might get a bell cow running back.

If you’ve followed my mock drafts, you know I’ve been zeroing in on Quinshon Judkins. To land him, I now think they’ll have to use a second round pick, I do not have any issue with that.

The Chicago Bears hold seven picks in this year’s draft. They have the 10th overall pick, 39th, 41st, 72nd, 148, 233 & 240. Thanks to what they were able to accomplish thus far in the offseason, they are not in a position where they are drafting strictly for need. They can take a “best player available” approach with all their picks.

Over the next several weeks I’ll spotlight every position group, with the exception of quarterback (the Bears won’t draft one) and specialists (aka kickers, punters and long snappers).

In a previous post, I covered the offensive line. In this piece I’ll focus on the defensive line.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

With the addition of Grady Jarrett, the Bears have the makings of a decent defensive line. Jarrett, Gervon Dexter and a healthy Andrew Billings are a good nucleus. The depth is okay, but it feels like they could use one more impact player.

This is a good and rather deep class of defensive tackles, which makes me think the Bears need to come out of this draft with one. I’m open to taking a defensive tackle with any of their picks because there’s a good chance a DT will be the best player available at that spot.

Here’s a look at some defensive tackles that I think should be on the Bears radar:

Round One

Michigan’s Mason Graham is the defensive version of Will Campbell. If he’s on the board when the Bears go on the clock at number ten, they have to make this pick.

Like Campbell, there are concerns about Graham’s arm length which I find silly. The tape doesn’t lie and Graham is a dominant, tone setter on the defensive line. A defensive line rotation consisting of Graham, Jarrett, Dexter and a healthy Billings would be very formidable.

Oregon’s Derrick Harmon, Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen, Michigan’s Kenneth Grant & Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams are also first round possibilities, but not at ten.

Harmon, Nolen, Grant & Williams could be targets of a trade down, but I’d be rather underwhelmed if any of them are the Bears first choice. I just think there are higher impact players available in the first round.

Day Two

The aforementioned Harmon, Nolen, Grant & Williams are all possible first rounders and they all could possibly slip into the second round. If one of those four are on the board when the Bears go on the clock, they should definitely be considered.

I’d be fine with any of those four, but Grant especially intrigues me. He is a massive 1-technique and elite run stuffer, he also offers some pass rushing upside.

Kentucky’s Deone Walker is a large human being and elite run stuffer. He’ll be available in the second round, but the value at the Bears current picks, 39 & 41, isn’t there. If he slips into the third round, he should be considered.

South Carolina’s TJ Sanders, Toledo’s Darius Alexander, Texas’ Alfred Collins, Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott & Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner are all names to consider in the third round.

Day Three Prospects

Taking defensive tackles on day three, especially after the fifth round, is a major gamble, in my opinion. Occasionally, a hidden gem is unearthed, but more often than not late round defensive tackles are busts because they offer little special teams value.

That being said, this year’s defensive tackle class is especially deep and there are names to keep an eye on.

• Joshua Farmer, Florida State
• CJ West, Indiana
• Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
• Jordan Phillips, Maryland
• Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon
• JJ Pegues, Ole Miss
• Rylie Mills, Notre Dame
• Elijah Roberts, SMU
• Simeon Barrow, Miami-Fl
• Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
• Patrick Jenkins, Tulane

DEFENSIVE ENDS

The Bears added Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency to pair with Montez Sweat. Odeyingbo is good edge setter and run defender, but he lacks high end pass rushing juice.

Second year man, Austin Booker, is still a work in progress. I think the Bears need to add an edge rusher that can really get after the quarterback.

This year’s class of edge rushers isn’t as deep as in years past, but it still has some very good early round prospects.

Round One

As far as I’m concerned, Penn State’s Abdul Carter is the best overall player in the entire draft. He’s the next great NFL pass rusher that will give offensive coordinators fits.

If the Bears want him, they’re going to have to move up. I don’t have a problem with that, but I’d prefer they not sacrifice a future first round pick to do so.

If the Bears stick and pick at ten, and Will Campbell and Mason Graham are off the board, Georgia’s Mykel Williams is my pick.

Williams is young, he’ll only be 21 on opening day, and raw, but he’s got all the physical traits you look for in a dominant edge rusher. He is an explosive athlete with a good combination of speed and power.

Williams will not be an immediate force as a pass rusher like Carter should be, but within two years they’ll be on equal footing.

Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr is the only other edge rusher I’d consider in the first round, but not at ten. If the Bears trade down, he could be a target in the mid to late teens.

Pearce would give the Bears something they lack; a true speed element on the edge. Pearce may be the most refined pass rusher not named Abdul Carter in this draft. However, he needs work as a run defender.

Two years ago, the Bears famously passed on Jalen Carter due to character concerns. I have defended that decision because the Bears did not have the locker room to properly mentor Carter and help him mature.

There are minor character concerns with Pearce that may have given me pause in years past, but I think the Bears now have locker room leaders with the addition of Grady Jarrett and the presence of Montez Sweat. They are better equipped to help young players mature into professionals.

Fellow draft-niks will notice I haven’t included Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart. Stewart is a freak athlete with all the physical attributes you could want. His lack of collegiate production is alarming, however. He had only four and a half sacks in his ENTIRE college career.

To me, Stewart has all the makings of a workout warrior. A player that entices teams with his physical attributes and measurables, but never lives up to the hype. I think the Bears should pass.

Day Two

There are a couple edge rushers that could go at the end of the first round, but if they slip into the second round the Bears should consider them if they haven’t taken one in the first.

Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku was a highly productive pass rusher in college. He’s smaller than Bears’ defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, usually prefers in defensive ends, but he would be a good complement to Sweat/Odeyingbo.

I think Ezeiruaku will find himself drafted in the first round, but if he slips to the second round the Bears should pounce.

Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton doesn’t possess the physical attributes, nor did he test as well as his college teammate, Shemar Stewart, but I prefer Scourton as a prospect. Unlike Stewart, Scourton has a proven record of production. He’s a smart player with an array of pass rushing moves.

If the Bears don’t take an edge in the first round and Scourton is there when they go on the clock on day two, I would love the pick.

Marshall’s Mike Green is one player I don’t think the Bears should consider. The talent is undeniable and there’s little question as to whether his game translates to the NFL.

My issue with Green is character. Yes, I mentioned character concerns in regard to James Pearce and how the Bears are better equipped to handle and mentor younger players now. But, Green has major red flags, I’d prefer the Bears look elsewhere.

Arkansas’ Landon Jackson and Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau both fit the physical profile Dennis Allen prefers and both are popular mock draft picks for the Bears.

My preference of edge rushers that will certainly be available on day two of the draft is Ole Miss’ Princely Umanmielen. Umanmielen offers little as a run defender, but he brings serious juice as a pass rusher. The Bears have good run defending edges, they need a guy with speed and burst that can make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable on a regular basis.

Umanmielen could thrive as a designated pass rusher on the Bears’ defense.

If the Bears haven’t taken an edge rusher by the third round, I’ll be disappointed but there’s still a couple they could take. Those include Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer, LSU’s Bradyn Swinson, South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard, Ole Miss’s Jared Ivey, Louisville’s Ashton Gillotte, Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart & Oregon’s Jordan Burch.

Day Three Prospects

As I said before, this is not a very deep edge class. The Bears should address the position well before they go on the clock on day three, but “best player available” could make a day three edge possible. Here are some names:

• Tyler Baron, Miami-Fl
• Sai’vion Jones, LSU
• Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina
• Que Robinson, Alabama

Abdul Carter would be an incredible get, but the price might be prohibitive. I doubt he gets past Cleveland at two. Even if he does, New England & Jacksonville lurk as potential suitors that may ask an exorbitant price.

Mason Graham might be a little more realistic, but still doubtful. Again, the chances hinge on Cleveland (sensing a pattern?). If Cleveland goes quarterback, it could throw the top ten on its ear, and who knows? I won’t hold my breath, though.

I think the most realistic scenario is the Bears taking Mykel Williams at ten. A defensive tackle with first round talent could be available when the Bears go on the clock in round two. However, if they go edge in the first, I think they’ll target Oregon offensive tackle, Josh Conerly Jr, and a running back in the second round.

I’m looking at the third round for the Bears to add a defensive tackle and Deone Walker is the name I’m thinking.