Kyle Monangai: Biggest steal in the 2025 NFL Draft?

Now, I know the Bengals weren't exactly fielding a defense that would rival the '85 Bears or '00 Ravens today. Still, they were coming into the game thinking Chicago wasn't exactly trotting out Walter Payton. Monangai made them rethink their stance with his best Sweetness impersonation (that's hyperbolic, but I want there to be no mistake on how bullish I am on him).

Monangai is also two games removed from a 94-yard performance against the Saints. He's not a flash in the pan, one-hit wonder. He's a promising player with a sustainable skill set. Ben Johnson's ideal offense is predicated on running the ball well and gashing defenses with play-action shots down the field. That's his deep-rooted mantra.

The question before the season began was who would be the thunder to D'Andre Swift's lightning. Who will be the Bears' version of David Montgomery from Johnson's days in Detroit? Monangai has answered that question emphatically. He's the gai.

Monangai might not be as physically gifted as Ashton Jeanty, who got selected with the sixth overall pick. However, you could make a case that the seventh-round pick has had a better start to his career. He has only 83 fewer rushing yards despite having 53 fewer attempts. The Raiders' abysmal offensive line has played a role there, and Jeanty still passes the eye test with flying colors. Regardless, Monangai absolutely does too, and he got taken 227 picks later.

No position has become more devalued in the modern day NFL than running back. That's why the Raiders selection of Jeanty at sixth overall was somewhat surprising considering their other glaring weaknesses. Seemingly every class features a handful of runners who significantly outperform their draft position. The former Scarlet Knight looks like the latest example of that.

It might be early to make a declarative statement, but he also looks every bit like one of the biggest steals in the 2025 NFL Draft right now.