Bear Digest

Chicago Bears 2025 In-Season Mock Draft 1.0 for On SI

The first attempt at a Chicago Bears On SI mock draft this season is ideal for a weekend without football, and identifies needs the team might have.

Gene Chamberlain

Dontay Corleone of Cincinnati, "the Godfather" of the defensive line, makes a tackle against Iowa State.
Dontay Corleone of Cincinnati, "the Godfather" of the defensive line, makes a tackle against Iowa State. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
In this story:

The perfect time for a mock draft in season is bye weekend.

Unfortunately with the Bears, it comes so early this year that it's difficult to even conduct a full mock. The Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator doesn't even have the capacity to conduct seven-round mock drafts at the moment, only five.

So we'll stop at the fifth round in this mock draft.

The other problem with these is one always an issue early and that's you can't know where a team is picking. At this point, the Bears are in the 18th spot. That's much better for the team's image than to be picking in the top 10 all the time. They have to hope they'll be picking even later by the real draft -- much later.

Another major stumbling block is teams' needs really aren't determined at this point. You might have an idea, but it's much more clear come December.

For instance, Pro Football Focus' mock simulator says they need an interior defensive lineman and a guard and tackle on offense.

What about running back? It's unlikely they'd have Khalil Herbert next year because his contract expires. It's also possible they'll give Teven Jenkins a contract extension before next April and their need at guard won't be as severe.

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They actually look like they need help at edge rusher more than interior defensive line at the moment, or even another linebacker or safety. Jaquan Brisker's concussion situation is tough but it's the kind of thing that leads to shorter careers.

Anyway, this is the first attempt to conduct a 2025 mock draft in-season. The Chicago Bears are on the clock.

Round 1

No. 18. T Cameron Williams, Texas

The Pro Football Focus AI actually gave me an F for this pick when he was available and graded 17th best player. The other reason the AI looks foolish is they were the ones who claimed tackle was a Bears need. PFF posts tackle, guard and interior defensive line as the chief Bears needs for 2025.

PFF was upset my pick wasn't Georgia edge rusher Mykell Williams, who fell to this spot. To be honest, Williams should have been the pick and was my inclination was to take an edge rusher because the Bears can use another high-level edge rusher. They're counting on low-cost players and fifth-rounder Austin Booker to be the help behind DeMarcus Walker and all you need to do is look at the Detroit Lions to see what can happen when you lose your main pass rush threat. It's the same situation the Bears would face without Montez Sweat.

However, PFF did not have edge rusher listed as a Bears need so to please the ALOI (Artificial Lack of Intelligence) I selected the best player available at a position where the Bears really don't need help just because their said the need is there. So they know what they can do with their ALOI.

Either way, this Williams, Cameron, is a 6-foot-5, long-armed 335-pound tackle with great movement and several scouting reports on line have suggested he is a player who might be best used as a guard. This would definitely work for the Bears. But maybe it won't work for PFF's ALOI.

If they decided to let Teven Jenkins leave as a free agent, or just as a replacement for Nate Davis, the Bears can use another guard. They drafted a tackle who hasn't really played much yet in Kiran Amegadjie. They really have no tackle need at the moment even if ALOI says they do.

One thing about Cameron Williams, though, is he let himself get up to 360 and that won't fly with the Bears no matter what his quickness is like. He lost 25 pounds and they'd make him lose more. One thing we've learned by the use of Matt Pryor at right guard has been Matt Eberflus doesn't necessarily have to have a smaller, lighter guard in their wide zone-dominated blocking scheme. He likes a big player at guard who can handle bull rushers, and they'll definitely have this with Williams.

Round 2

No. 36: DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati

Yes, the Godfather of the defensive line. The 6-1, 320-pounder is a big man who can play either of the defensive tackle positions. Remember, ALOI says the Bears need an interior defensive lineman, not an edge rusher. But the truth is so far they haven't had much from Zacch Pickens and they can use a third player on the interior behind Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings, especially one who can apply pressure on QBs. And Corleone definitely can do this. He had an incredible 93.7 grade from PFF as a freshman. He has seven sacks and 53 total pressures in his 2-plus seasons.

The big guy had a medical scare but is doing fine now. QBs will vouch for it.

No. 50: G Tyler Booker, Alabama's

They could be in the market for two guards because of Jenkins' uncertain status. They know they should sign him but the injuries he's had are a good reason to play hardball in negotiations. So who knows where this will go. Either way, Booker is a 6-5, 325-pound guard who stands out as a pass blocker but has work to do as a run blocker. PFF had this pick rated No. 50 on their big board and maybe as a result, the ALOI gave my pick of Booker and also the pick of Corleone "A" grades. That's better than an F.

But this must be asked about my pick. Are the Bears only going to draft people named Williams or Booker now?

Round 3

No. 82: Edge Ashton Gillotte, Louisville

Another pick the ALOI didn't like but the Bears do need an edge rusher and the first three picks were spent on players the computer said the team needs, so this is one I say they need. Gillotte is exactly the size defensive end Matt Eberflus likes. He's 6-foot-3, 270 and has speed to get around the edge. A highly productive edge rusher who has 22 career sacks and 118 total pressures for four years, according to Pro Football Focus stats. He was particularly effective in 2023 and this year as a run stopper in addition to rushing the passer.

Round 5

No. 141: RB Woody Marks, USC

Another pick I took a beating for from the computer but I stopped listening in Round 2 to that loser. The Bears will need a third running back when Khalil Herbert leaves after this year. This isn't a back who played with Caleb Williams as he transferred this year from Mississippi State. The good thing about Marks is he is quick, isn't really big at 5-10, 208,  but the best thing about him is he is a real threat in the passing game. Herbert as a backup doesn't seem to fit this system because he's not the greatest receiver and pass blocker. Marks has 169 receptions in four seasons and has been targeted 203 times. He's more of a threat as a receiver than many receivers. He set the Mississippi State record for receptions by a back. He also has 2,462 yards rushing.

No. 154: RB Jonah Coleman, Washington

The goal here was to draft a safety because of Brisker's status and also because they can use high quality help at the position. But Coleman was just too good to pass up. They carried four running backs in the past. Coleman has averaged 6.9 yards a carry for the Huskies this year and has 681 yards on 99 carries, 97.3 yards a game. He also can be used in the passing game with 124 yards on 16 catches after a 25-catch 2023. He spent his first two years with Arizona and averaged 11.3 yards a catch for the Wildcats that year. For his career, Coleman has a highly respectable 6.4 yards per carry average and has 302 attempts for 1,924 yards. He has both power and speed, with the ability to break tackles and take it the distance at 5-9, 229.

This ends the mock draft. The Bears do not have a fourth-round pick and they could use one because it's a good place to find safeties or linebackers.

PFF's ALOI didn't think much of this effort, scoring this mock in the bottom 23% of all mock drafts conducted so far and giving it a B-. They must grade on quite a curve to give B- for the bottom 23%.

That's OK, I consider the PFF ALOI bottom 23% of all mock draft simulators. So there.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.