Chicago shocker—Bears move up to snatch can’t-miss game-changer in trade-filled 2025 NFL mock draft

Alan Goldsher | 14 Hours Ago

In a wild 2025 NFL mock draft, Miami QB Cam Ward finds a home in New York. Who will land at Halas Hall? / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Would it behoove an NFL team in need of both individual upgrades and a wider array of options to accumulate as much draft capital as possible? Or should they trade their way to the top of the draft board?

Considering that the current iteration of the Chicago Bears could use both quantity and quality, there’s no cut-and-dried answer for GM Ryan Poles—especially taking into account the quantity and quality of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The current draft class doesn’t boast an obvious top pick—there are several players worthy of the number one slot; anybody from Cam Ward to Travis Hunter, to Abdul Carter, to Ashton Jeanty would be considered a reasonable choice. It would thus stand to reason that a team will likely land a first round dawg whether they’re picking at five, or 25, or somewhere in between.

All of which is why the 2025 NFL draft is a movable feast. Here’s some of the top-ten big board movement we might see on April 24, 2025 at Lambeau Field.

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TRADE

Tennessee Titans receive

• New York Giants 2025 first round pick (3)

• New York Giants 2025 third round pick (65)

• New York Giants 2026 third round pick

New York Giants receive

• Tennessee Titans 2025 first round pick (1)

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1) NEW YORK GIANTS (via TEN)

Cam Ward, QB, Miami

The Giants decide it’s time to address their post-Eli quarterback conundrum in a logical fashion. Ward is a safe pick—unlike Daniel Jones, who was a bit of a dart throw back in 2019—and should help the Jints dig their way out of the NFC East cellar. Eventually.

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2) CLEVELAND BROWNS

Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State

If Ward slips by whoever ends up picking at one, Cleveland will—or at least should—grab their quarterback of the present and future. If Ward is off the board, GM Andrew Berry will add the draft’s highest-rated defender to an already darn good defense.

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TRADE

Tennessee Titans receive

• New England’s 2025 first round pick (4)

• New England’s 2025 third round pick (77, via ATL)

New England receives

• Tennessee’s 2025 first round pick (3, via NYG)

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3) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

The Patriots have made no secret of their love for Hunter, and the Titans—well aware of said love—accumulate another day two pick for moving down a mere one spot, while New England gets their guy and retains their own third-rounder.

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4) TENNESSEE TITANS (via NE)

Mason Graham, DL, Michigan

The Titans cap a fruitful evening with the draft’s top interior defender and a pocketful of additional picks. Not a bad way to kickstart their 2025 season.

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TRADE

Chicago receives

• Jacksonville’s 2025 first round pick (5)

Jacksonville receives

• Chicago’s 2025 first round pick (10)

• Chicago’s 2025 third round pick (72)

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5) CHICAGO BEARS (via JAC)

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Jeanty’s already lofty stock is rising, and at this point, it looks like he won’t make it past Las Vegas at the six-spot. So if Poles and the Bears want to welcome the draft’s most can’t-miss offensive option—which they should—they’ll need to leapfrog the Raiders…and they do just that while holding on to their two second rounders.

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6) LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Will Campbell, OT, LSU

If the Raiders—who are pretty cheesed off that Chicago screwed up their draft plans—can’t find a trade partner to bring in extra picks, they’ll grab a plug-and-play tackle to protect newly acquired QB Geno Smith.

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7) NEW YORK JETS

Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

For all of his athleticism, new Jets signal caller Justin Fields is prone to getting dropped behind the line. The Jets aren’t having it, and welcome a combine beast to the Meadowlands.

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8) CAROLINA PANTHERS

Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

The Panthers are eternally in best-player-available mode, and make the stud D-backfielder—and legit top-five talent—the second Wolverine off the board.

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9) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Tetairoa McMillian, WR, Arizona

The Saints' wide receiver depth chart isn’t, um, deep—after Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, the pickings, as they say, are slim—so New Orleans GM Mickey Loomis gifts returning QB Derek Carr a much-needed weapon.

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10) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (via CHI)

Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M

The Jags are thrilled to walk away from day one with an EDGE who some grade just behind Abdul Carter, in addition to another second rounder.