Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

2025 NFL Draft: 4 prospects the Chicago Bears should avoid in first round

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Pete Martuneac | Last updated Mar 13, 2025 3:09 PM ET

Armed with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles is in a good position to add an elite player on draft night. And after his spending spree in free agency, addressing the most dire needs on the team, Poles has also given himself some flexibility on who he could select.

However, that doesn't mean he should go crazy and draft just anyone. There are a few prospects who might be good fits for other teams or would provide value if selected later on, but at tenth overall, the Bears would probably earn a poor grade.

Here are four prospects that Poles shouldn't have near the top of his board for his first-round pick.

1. Shemar Stewart - Defensive End, Texas A&M

Stewart has seen his draft stock skyrocket after crushing the NFL Combine and earning a perfect 10 RAS score. The problem with Stewart is that he has just 4.5 sacks across three seasons of college football.

He is an unbelievable athlete, no denying that. But football games aren't won by sprinting a 40-yard dash or showing off a 40-inch vertical jump. You have to have elite football players to win games, and Stewart hasn't shown that he can be that guy. It's fine to bet on traits over production in later rounds of the draft, but not with a top-ten pick.

2. Tyler Warren - Tight End, Penn State

Another prospect who has seen his draft stock rise lately is Tyler Warren. Unlike Stewart, he at least has shown terrific production in college and he'll certainly make for a great addition to some teams, but not the Bears.

Chicago already has Cole Kmet, who has proven to be a force in the passing game (when he's actually utilized properly by the play-caller), and his contract runs for two more years. Spending the tenth overall pick on a TE2 just seems like poor asset management.

3. Mike Green - Defensive End, Marshall

Green put up some incredible numbers over the last two seasons, but there are some big red flags in his profile. First, there are character concerns related to his departure from Virginia. Second, he's quite a bit undersized to play defensive end in the NFL at just 251 pounds and with 32-inch arms. He could get bigger and stronger, but that arm length will always be a negative factor in his game.

4. Tyler Booker - Guard, Alabama

Booker is the best pure guard in the 2025 NFL Draft, but two things work against him in terms of being selected by Chicago. One, his Combine performance was flat-out terrible. Two, the Bears have invested heavily at the guard position already by trading for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney. It's no longer a position of need.

However, Thuney is 32-years-old and Jackson has a substantial injury history, so Chicago could still use some promising young guards. Just maybe not at tenth overall.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bears from Chicago Bears on SI —

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: