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Chicago Bears make unique pick in first round of latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 1:41 PM ET

Usually, by this time in the NFL Draft calendar and the mock draft cycle, the same picks get recycled in the top 10. There are only so many ways draft predictions can go, so it's no surprise that most Chicago Bears mock drafts end up with players like Will Campbell, Ashton Jeanty, or Tyler Warren.

But the latest 2025 NFL mock draft from Newsweek sent a shockwave through what we've come to know as the likely Bears fist-round outcomes.

Chicago doesn't target an offensive tackle, a running back, or any offensive position. Instead, they select Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker.

"The Bears did a great job of adding to their weaknesses in free agency, and now the team can select possibly the best available player at No. 10 in Jalon Walker," wrote Newsweek's Bryce Lazenby. "Walker is a three-down linebacker who can play off-ball or as an edge-rusher. The Bears get a true difference-maker on defense in the first round."

Edge rusher has become a bit of a lost first-round target in the excitement surrounding the Chicago Bears' 2025 NFL Draft plan. Perhaps the addition of Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency silenced some of the calls for a complement to Montez Sweat.

Jalon Walker vs Kentucky All-22 Highlights pic.twitter.com/IbLiNtGxcc
— Justin Dolloff (@JustinDolloff) April 4, 2025

But Odeyingbo is more of a body-blow pass rusher; he'll wear down opposing offensive tackles and interior linemen throughout the course of a game. Walker, meanwhile, is a twitchy edge defender who can turn the corner in a hurry.

The biggest takeaway from this 2025 NFL mock draft is that the Bears' options in the first round extend beyond the handful of names we've gotten accustomed to over the last several months. Walker could very well fall to Chicago, and he could very well end up being the pick, which would level up Dennis Allen's unit and jumpstart this team's return to a dominant defense.