Patience front and center: A 7-round Mock Draft for Chicago
Instead of drafting for need and reaching, what happens if Chicago lets value fall to them in the 2025 NFL draft?
Cole Kmet offers compelling explanation for the Chicago Bears’ losing streak
Mock Draft season is underway and Ryan Poles has been active in filling holes on the offensive line via trades. There are many edge defenders available in free agency or the trade market, and so instead of drafting for need, it should be possible for the Chicago Bears to be a little more thoughtful in 2025 instead of being reactive. I wanted to explore what that could like like, and so I used Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator and I followed a philosophy of FPA, or Favorite Player Available.
Cole Kmet offers compelling explanation for the Chicago Bears’ losing streak
To be clear, this is not a suggestion for what Ryan Poles should actually do. In each case, I did not favor the “smart” thing to do, but I instead favored the move that would make me, personally, smile a little with the result. That typically meant trading down to collect additional picks or selecting players who I believe represent value on the board for where they are at.
Cole Kmet offers compelling explanation for the Chicago Bears’ losing streak
#10 TRADE (Denver offers #20, #51, and the Broncos’s 2026 R2)
With Carter, Membou, Campbell, and Graham all taken, there was nobody on the board who I liked at 10, and this deal actually seems like an overpay to me. I could not accept it quickly enough. The Broncos took Jeanty.
Cole Kmet offers compelling explanation for the Chicago Bears’ losing streak
#20 TRADE (Los Angeles offers #26 and the Rams’ 2026 R2)
I almost took my favorite player left on the board at this point, but I gambled that he would be available. If this were real, I might have passed on the extra second-rounder to be sure I got my guy. It all worked out as the Rams took Emmanwori and a line of defenders went off the board. For transparency, Simmons did end up going to the Packers, which I might regret later. Still, I ended up getting the player I actually wanted.
Cole Kmet offers compelling explanation for the Chicago Bears’ losing streak
#26 Grey Zabel, iOL (North Dakota State)
Zabel has quickly become a rising star in this draft, but I definitely see him moving inside instead of staying at tackle. Ideally, he’d stabilize the center position after slowly coming on in his rookie season behind a veteran, but he might even be ready to start right away. In either case, he uses leverage and tenacity well and he could very easily fill in the blanks in his technique with power and motor for the half-season it could take to develop him into the part.
