Bears 7-round mock draft—how roster cuts reshape Chicago’s draft board

Alan Goldsher | Feb 22, 2025

Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker / Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

The dominoes at Halas Hall haven’t yet fallen, but after a couple of notable roster cuts by the Chicago Bears, they’re lined up and ready to tumble.

EDGE DeMarcus Walker and tight end Gerald Everett were sent packing, a pair of moves that will likely impact how Bears GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson approach the NFL Draft.

Up until the roster moves, it was all a virtual lock that Chicago would grab an offensive lineman in round one, possibly Will Campbell, possibly Kelvin Banks Jr. Now with a DeMarcus Walker-sized hole on the line, a defender is very much in play.

And then there’s the tight end situation. Unless Poles falls in love with Penn State’s Tyler Warren (doubtful), he won’t go tight end in the first round. But Cole Kmet isn’t Sam LaPorta, and Johnson digs his Sam LaPortas, so the position might be up for discussion on day two.

Factoring in the cuts, here’s what a Bears haul could look like:

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TRADE

CHICAGO RECEIVES

• Tampa Bay's 2025 first round pick (19)

• Tampa Bay's 2025 second round pick (53)

• Tampa Bay's 2026 sixth round pick

TAMPA BAY RECEIVES

• Chicago's 2025 first round pick (10)

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ROUND 1 (19)

Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama

Booker is listed at 6’5”, 352 pounds, and he has long arms and quick feet. He’d be a day-one starter, and landing him along with another second round pick would be a win.

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ROUND 2 (39 via CAR)

Omarian Hampton, RB, North Carolina

The Roschon Johnson Era comes to an end as Chicago nabs a three-down back who’s been compared to former (and much missed) Bear David Montgomery.

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ROUND 2 (41)

Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green

Is this too high for Fannin? Maybe, but PFF graded out his 2024 season at 95.5, the tops of any tight end in the draft class, so he’ll be a fine replacement for Everett…and possibly incumbent starter Cole Kmet.

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ROUND 2 (53)

Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas

This is such an EDGE-heavy draft that Poles can afford to wait until his fourth pick to address the position, and address it he does with the athletic 6’7” Razorback.

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ROUND 3 (72)

Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State

Caleb Williams will do backflips if this comes to pass, as Higgins is a soft-handed 6’4” possession receiver who could soften the blow of losing Keenan Allen.

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ROUND 5 (149)

Brandon Cranshaw-Dixon, OT, Florida

If nothing else, dude’s big. Cranshaw-Dixon comes in at 6’7”, and size, as they say, matters, especially in the fifth round.

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ROUND 6 (197 via PIT)

Junior Tafuna, DT, Utah

Welcome to the best-player-available portion of our program. The 33rd Team says, “Tafuna is a high-motor defender with requisite levels of strength, length, and anchor for the NFL game.” Not bad at 197.

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ROUND 7 (235 via CIN)

Antwane Wells Jr., WR, Ole Miss

Poles grabs another long pass catcher for his sophomore quarterback. As far as we know, Wells doesn’t have world-class speed, but if he shows out at the Combine, this could be a steal.

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ROUND 7 (242 via MIN)

Barryn Sorrell, EDGE, Texas

The takes on Sorrell vary widely—PFF ranks him at 114 on their big board, while Pro Football Network slots him at 243—but he’s the top EDGE left on the board, so Poles throws a dart and hopes for the best.