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Georgia D-lineman Mykel Williams doing Mikel Williams things Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chicago Bears 2025 NFL mock draft — three rounds, defense only

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Alan Goldsher | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 9:26 AM ET

It’s hard to point at the 2024 Chicago Bears' stat sheet and say, “Man, they crushed it on the [fill in the blank] side of the ball."

Their offense managed just 284.6 yards per game, fewest in the NFL, a whopping 140.3 yards behind league-leading Baltimore.

Chicago's defense wasn’t much better, allowing 354.3 yards per afternoon, sixth-most in the league, 75.0 behind the top dog Philadelphia Eagles.

(Don't worry, we won’t do a deep dive into the Bears' meh 2024 special teams—suffice it to say that, as it stands right now, grabbing punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round of the 2024 Draft wasn’t Bears GM Ryan Poles’ slickest move.)

This all is a roundabout way of saying that when it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft, there isn’t a position that’s off the table for Chicago.

Except, of course, punter.

Run-Stuffers, Pass-Interceptors, and Quarterback-Sackers Wanted

The 2025 NFL draft class is annoyingly balanced—save for presumptive top pick Cam Ward going to Tennessee, it seems that every other slot is up for grabs.

At the two-spot, few would be surprised if Cleveland selected Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, or even Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.

The Browns' move will kick off a whole series of dominoes that could blow up draft boards throughout the land.

Will Sanders have an Aaron Rodgers-like slide to day two?

How many EDGEs will hear their name called in the first 15 picks?

Might we see a Matthew Golden (WR, Texas) or a Jihaad Campbell (LB, Alabama) sneak into the top-ten.

Or, most importantly for the sake of this missive, what would it look like if the Chicago Bears used each of their four picks in the first three rounds entirely on defensive side of the ball?

It might go a little something like this.

ROUND 1 (10)

Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia

You can’t count the 6’5”, 265-pounder among the Draft’s sexier names, but he’s been comped to Aldon Smith, and the Athletic’s NFL insider Nick Baumgardner says, “A case certainly could be made for [the Bears to select Williams here.”

Alongside Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, Williams would help give Chicago a legitimately scary EDGE group. Not sexy, but scary.

ROUND 2 (39)

Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

Of Grant—who was understandably overshadowed by All-American teammate Mason Graham—The 33rd Team raves, “Grant should have little issue locking out and pressing blockers on the interior when faced with vertical releases from offensive linemen and should be considered a reliable option early on to help keep linebackers clear. His ability to anchor and reset will be a valuable cog to any team’s run defense.”

Even more appealing, 33 grades him out as a first-round talent. Not a bad way to kick off day two.

ROUND 2 (41)

Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

What with their bank-busting contracts, Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are locked in at cornerback, but the safety position could use some shoring up, and Watts would do just that.

His 4.56 40-yard dash on his pro day shows us he has the wheels, and his 13 interceptions over the last two seasons show us he has the hands.

ROUND 3 (72)

Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA

Linebacker is arguably the thinnest position in the draft, but Poles, whether or not he wants to admit it, has a hole to fill—after T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago's LB cupboard is relatively bare—so if the gritty 6’2”, 242-pounder is still on the board at 72, the GM needs to pounce.