Chicago Bears draft shocker: local insider predicts unexpected round one defensive pick

Alan Goldsher | Feb 13, 2025

Michigan DT Mason Graham: Future Chicago Bear? / Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns, The Athletic’s two lead Bears writers, are among the most well-connected, insightful scribes in the industry, so when they drop a new mock draft, Chicago pays attention.

And drop a new mock draft they did. And it’s an interesting one at that.

Kevin’s Bombshell

In their latest seven-round Bears-only pretend draft, Jahns has GM Ryan Poles going O-line in round one, making LSU’s Will Campbell the pick.

No surprise. Lots of people have Campbell going to Chicago at the ten-spot. But not Fishbain.

The veteran beat writer believes that D-tackle Mason Graham will fall into Chicago’s lap at the ten-spot—and that would be a coup, as many experts cite the former Michigan Wolverine as the second-best defender in the draft, after Penn State’s Abdul Carter.

The Take

In explaining why the Bears shouldn’t pass on Graham, Fishbain wrote, “The defensive line also needs an influx of blue-chip talent, and our colleague Dane Brugler called Graham one of the ‘safest’ picks in the draft.

“Think about what Graham and Gervon Dexter could do on the interior, with Andrew Billings rotating through. This would allow defensive coordinator Dennis Allen a lot of flexibility and a player who can help collapse the pocket, while Poles gets a prospect with a high floor.”

He’s not wrong.

Best of the Rest

The remainder of Fishbain’s imaginary draft gives the Bears a nifty offense/defense split:

• Round 2: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

• Round 2: Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State

• Round 3: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

• Round 5: Oluwafemi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA

• Round 6: Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon

• Round 7: Malachi Moore, S, Alabama

• Round 7: John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming

For his part, Jahns has Poles going trenches early, and offensive skill players late:

• Round 2: Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State

• Round 2: Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas

• Round 3: Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia

• Round 5: RJ Harvey, RB, UCF

• Round 6: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa

• Round 7: Ricky White, WR, UNLV

• Round 7: Dan Jackson, S, Georgia

The longtime friends and colleagues agree on exactly zero picks, the takeaway being that either nobody knows nothin’ or everybody knows somethin’.