For an NFL franchise to be successful, talent acquisition is a key component. For as fun as free agency and blockbuster trades can be, there’s no quicker and more sustainable way for a team to get “good” than drafting well. For a team like the
Chicago Bears, the results of that process have long been a mixed bag. Missing on back-to-back first-round quarterbacks will always set a franchise back, as will trading up and trading away valuable first-round picks for veteran players (Khalil Mack).
Although general manager Ryan Poles’ record as the general manager through four years doesn’t look good on paper, his “hit rate” early in the draft, especially in the first round, has been promising. While we aren’t evaluating each of his draft classes in this breakdown, it’s worth noting that for as many high-round picks as Poles has had in past years, last year’s draft class is shaping up to be his most impactful. Part of that equation is a new head coach, Ben Johnson, but last year’s offseason was also the fourth year the front office has been together. Effectively, the Bears’ most recent draft class is the product of a “new regime” and should be graded as such.
With the table set, let’s take a deeper dive into the Bears’ 2025 and how things are shaping up after Year 1.
1st Round (#10) TE Colston Loveland (Michigan)
By The Numbers: 16 games (11 starts) | 58 receptions (82 targets) | 713 yards | 6 touchdowns
What Went Right:
Over the second half of the season, what didn’t go right? Including the playoffs (12 receptions for 193 yards), the 21-year-old had four games of 90-plus yards. After an adjustment period early in the season, Loveland was the team’s most reliable and targeted pass catcher, finishing the season as the Bears’ leading receiver. His 70.7% catch rate also ranked first on the team.
Loveland’s 107.7 passer rating when targeted (minimum 50 attempts) was the highest among all NFL tight ends in 2025. If that wasn’t impressive enough, his Wild Card performance was the best we’ve ever seen from a rookie NFL tight end. In terms of EPA per reception, the rookie ranked sixth in the league (.0591), which is almost unheard of. If his credentials as a receiver weren’t impressive enough, the evolution of his blocking from early in the season until their final playoff game sure was. On the final drive of regulation against the Rams, he matched up against Rams’ edge rusher Jared Verse in pass protection and completely stonewalled him.
As a whole, Loveland proved to be a complete tight end in Year 1. Not only was he one of the more dangerous pass catchers in the league, especially at the position, but his blocking in both the run and pass game drastically improved. At just 21, his ceiling is incredibly high, and he’s just scratching the surface. At a position that is notoriously tough for rookies, Loveland is already considered to be a Top 5 tight end by most.
What Went Wrong:
Although Loveland was only credited with one drop in the Divisional Round, it’s safe to say that there were three passes where he absolutely should have made the catch. For most of the season, the rookie tight end was the team’s most reliable pass catcher. He made catches that not many on the team were making, but more importantly, his reliability in “must-have situations” was about as good as it gets.
Outside of that minor complaint in one game, there wasn’t a whole lot to go wrong for Loveland in Year 1. His slow start could easily be attributed to an offseason shoulder surgery, which forced him to ramp up for the majority of training camp. Once head coach Ben Johnson trusted him, he became one of Caleb Williams’ top targets in the second half of the season. Like any player, progression is always the key, so building off a strong second half and parlaying that into a full year of production will be the next step in his development.
Outlook For 2026: From “Surprisingly Good” To Elite.
While there’s still an entire offseason’s worth of moves to play out, it’s hard to imagine many scenarios (outside of injury) where Loveland doesn’t profile as one of the Bears’ top three receiving targets for 2026. He’s a matchup nightmare that can line up anywhere on the field. Assuming his reliable hands remain a thing, the bigger question will be: How high is his ceiling? In Johnson’s offense, I’m not sure there’s a limit.
One way or another, it’s fair to expect the Bears’ offense to run through a combination of Loveland and Luther Burden or Loveland and Rome Odunze in 2026. Assuming he can continue to build on his growth as a blocker, there are plenty of reasons to believe his total snap count could end up finishing closer to 80%.
2nd Round (#39) WR Luther Burden III (Missouri)
By The Numbers: 15 games (5 starts) | 47 receptions (60 targets) | 652 yards | 2 touchdowns
What Went Right:
Get the ball to Burden in open space, and good things will happen. That was my primary takeaway from 2025. He entered the league after a down year in his last season at Missouri, and some questioned his route-running. When he’s focused and not making rookie mistakes, the nuance is there, and he is extremely hard to cover.
Burden set an NFL rookie record with a 2.82 yards per route run and ranked third in the league overall. His 124.5 passing rating when targeted ranked fifth among receivers, and his 78.6% catch rate when targeted ranked fourth. By all accounts, the second-round rookie was one of the best rookie receivers in 2025.
His ability to make tacklers miss in the open space might be his most special trait, but fans can expect him to be much more involved down the field in 2026, especially with a league-high 158.3 rating down the field when targeted. His overall burst and suddenness as a route runner are special, especially if he can consistently piece it all together. It was always worth wondering what Johnson’s plan was for him after missing on their top two running back targets, but after one year, it seems clear that he, along with Loveland, should be a significant part of the offense moving forward.
What Went Wrong:
Similar to Loveland, Burden’s role in the offense was relatively minimal early in the season. Part of that could be attributed to how much time he missed in camp, but there was always going to be a “break-in” period for a player like Burden, who freelanced a lot in college. Overall, when Burden was actively schemed into the offense, he delivered. His blocking and overall commitment to the offense improved throughout the season.
That said, concentration drops and a lack of a firm grasp of the offense will need to be improved upon this offseason. The drops shouldn’t be as concerning, but the number of times he was corrected on where to line up and the countless occasions when the quarterback was yelling at him post-route due to a miscommunication happened far too often.
Again, most of that can be credited to “rookie moments,” but as we’ve seen with Odunze, if those mistakes go unfixed, they can recur more often in Year 2. The talent is there for Burden to not only take a leap forward in 2026 but to become one of the league’s more dangerous receivers. The small details must be a big focus before Week 1 of next season, though.
Outlook For 2026: WR1 or WR2? That is the question.
No matter what happens with DJ Moore this offseason, Burden’s role in this offense should jump drastically. As the season went on, he became a bigger part of the offense, but that productivity fell off in the playoffs a bit once Odunze returned from injury. No matter what decisions they make in the coming months, Burden’s role should grow drastically. Whether he’s WR1 or WR2 is yet to be determined, but fans can feel comfortable knowing that he’s got star potential. The details of his route running and overall understanding of the offense will need to improve, but that’s far from uncommon for rookies going into Year 2.
2nd Round (#56) OT Ozzy Trapilo (Boston College)
By The Numbers: 14 games (6 starts) | 70.0 Overall PFF Grade | 491 Snaps | 2 sacks allowed
What Went Right:
Following what the coaching staff classified as “hitting a rookie wall”, Trapilo started the season as the team’s primary backup at right tackle. In front of him on the depth chart on the left side were Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet. Heading into October, Benedet took over for Jones at left tackle, and shortly after, Jones was placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury. Midway through November, Benedet went down with a minor injury, and the No. 56 overall pick finally got his shot.
It was always pretty smooth, but the growth from camp and the preseason into what he did during in-season practice was impressive. In total, Trapilo’s six starts graded out well above-average, and although he had moments of struggles, he started to anchor against power rushers much better as he got his feet under him. Without the torn patellar that he suffered in the Wild Card round, the Bears likely feel good about going into 2026 with him as their unquestioned starter at left tackle. That said, that won’t be the case.
What Went Wrong:
I’m sure I speak for most fans when I say I wish his hitting a rookie wall and sitting on the bench for half the season were the worst part, but unfortunately, they weren’t. When he played, he looked promising. Like I said above, if he remained healthy, the probability of any questions about left tackle would be slim to none.
Instead, Trapilo tore his patellar on one of the last plays of the Wild Card game in the fourth quarter, and because of that, he is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season. The issue with this injury is that many players never fully recover. Luckily, Trapilo is young enough to rebound, but at 6’8 and being an offensive lineman, he’s going to have a long road of recovery ahead of him. The organization will need to take a wait-and-see approach with him, but all options should be on the table this offseason.
Outlook For 2026: If he plays, he plays.
That’s really where the mindset needs to be heading into next season. In a best-case scenario, maybe Trapilo can be ready for the second half of the year, but more realistically, fans should probably count on him missing most, if not all, of next season. How the team handles the offseason should also be telling. His injury is also a prime example of why teams should take the approach of having more bites at the apple in the draft rather than trading up. Teams can control development (to a certain extent), but injuries like this are an ugly part of the game.
2nd Round (#64) DT Shemar Turner (Texas A&M)
By The Numbers: 5 games (0 starts) | 6 tackles | 2 tackles for loss | 34.4 Overall PFF Grade
What Went Right:
Not a whole lot, if we’re being honest. A torn ACL is bad enough, but he started the season as a healthy scratch, and when he played, he wasn’t overly effective. The only plus about his injury-shortened rookie campaign is that the coaching staff slid him outside on the edge and seemed to like his production as a run defender. Poles dsaidhe’s on pace to be back at some point during the offseason program, which should help him in the weight room and with his NFL development.
What Went Wrong:
When Turner was drafted, the Bears seemed convinced that he would be an interior defender and stay there. Despite a so-so depth chart at tackle, he struggled to earn playing time, and when he did, it wasn’t pretty. Once he was moved to the edge, he did enough to give the coaching staff trust that he could be a reliable run defender.
That said, playing time will always be key to his development. Considering their injuries, his staying healthy would have led to plenty of playing time. Instead, he appeared in just five games and will be well behind the eight-ball heading into the offseason. Frankly, they need to go into the offseason assuming he will not provide much production in 2026. If he does, that’s a bonus, but it cannot be counted on.
Outlook For 2026: Any quality production should be an added bonus.
As I noted above, nothing about Turner’s production in Year 1 should lead the Bears to count on him as a key contributor. Maybe the situation would be different if this were a defensive line ripe with proven talent, but heading into the offseason, it is not. Now, that doesn’t mean Turner can’t develop over time, but with this team in a competitive window and relying on the defense to take a big step forward in 2026, fans should view anything gained from Turner as a bonus, nothing more.
4th Round (#132) LB Ruben Hyppolite II (Maryland)
By The Numbers: 7 games (1 start) | 6 tackles | 46.7 Overall PFF Grade | 82 Special Teams Snaps
What Went Right:
He got a fair amount of special teams snaps? I’m not really sure. In his only start of the season, he left midway through the game with an injury, which allowed both DeMarco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga to move ahead of him on the depth chart. When he played, his speed showed, but so did his lack of overall instincts. The speed is there, and maybe the more football he plays, the better his play will get, but there wasn’t a whole lot to love in Year 1, especially with how many injuries the team’s linebacker group saw in 2025.
What Went Wrong:
What’s the lesson Poles and the front office should have learned? Don’t go against the consensus board. Hyppolite was nowhere to be found on anyone’s Top 300. His 40 time clearly wow’d the Bears, but nothing that he did (in the preseason or the regular season) should give them much optimism moving forward. In fact, he was a healthy scratch more often than not in the back half of the season. Considering their need for speed on defense, don’t be surprised to see him get another chance to win a more minor role, but it would be best not to expect much moving forward.
Outlook For 2026: Just make the roster and show something.
That might be somewhat unfair, but we’ve seen this string play out before on other teams, and it rarely ends well. Linebacker will be a need heading into the offseason, and it might be a bigger one if they release Tremaine Edmunds for additional cap space. In no way will Hyppolite be relied upon for a starting role heading into training camp, but he’ll have an opportunity to carve out a bigger role in 2026.
5th Round (#169) CB Zah Frazier (UTSA)
By The Numbers: Did Not Play In 2025
While the details are still fuzzy, the reality (no matter how you cut it) is that Frazier missed the entire season after being placed on the NFI list to open up training camp last July. Frazier was an older prospect coming out last year, so his runway for a successful NFL career is shorter than most. That said, he has many of the traits that Dennis Allen looks for in a defensive back, and assuming that Nahshon Wright isn’t back in 2026, Frazier still has an opportunity to carve out a role for himself next season.
Outlook For 2026: Earn a roster spot and show the promise that got him drafted
In many ways, Frazier was a one-year wonder at UTSA. The former basketball player has the length and athleticism that should keep Allen excited, but he’s fighting from behind in a big way going into his sophomore season. That said, we’ve seen how quickly things can go south from a health standpoint, so if he comes in ready to prove himself in May, there’s no reason that he can’t still show some value in Year 2.
6th Round (#195) iOL Luke Newman (Michigan State)
By The Numbers: 9 games (0 starts) | 66.5 Overall PFF Grade | 25 Snaps
What Went Right:
Let’s start with him making the roster out of training camp. Nothing is guaranteed for a sixth-round pick, especially when that player wasn’t anywhere near the Top 300 consensus board. That said, it’s clear the Bears found something, even if Newman continues to develop as a cheap, quality depth option. With more experience earlier in the season, maybe the coaching staff felt more comfortable with him starting a playoff game. That said, when he was out there, including the preseason, he did not look out of place. Newman was always going to be a player who took a year or two of development. It helps when all three interior offensive linemen start and play all 19 games, including the playoffs.
What Went Wrong:
Outside of going on Injured Reserve for a short stint, there wasn’t a whole lot to “dislike” in Year 1. It would have been nice to see Newman start and/or play in the Divisional Round, but it’s also nice to see why the coaching staff was more comfortable going with a veteran like Jordan McFadden. This is far from a complete evaluation, but considering where he was taken in the draft, it’s easy to count Year 1 as a “win” for both sides.
Outlook For 2026: Challenging for a bigger role.
Is there a world where Joe Thuney starts the season at left tackle and there’s a competition at left guard? If so, that’s where Newman could find some guarantee of playing time in 2026. Obviously, there’s no guarantee that Thuney will “stay” at left tackle, but in that scenario, Newman should be a prime candidate to enter Week 1 with a starting job. If Thuney stays at guard, there’s still plenty of paths to playing time. Reality is, the chances of all three starting interior linemen being healthy for a full season again might not be as high. No matter what, with a strong camp and preseason, Newman should be the Bears’ primary backup interior option.
7th Round (#233) RB Kyle Monangai (Rutgers)
By The Numbers: 17 games (1 start) | 783 rushing yards (4.6 per attempt) | 5 touchdowns | 18 receptions | 164 yards | 0 fumbles or fumbles lost
What Went Right:
So, so much. Where do we even start? Monangai, like any seventh-round pick, came into his rookie year without anything guaranteed. Luckily for the former Rutgers product, the running back position was up for grabs. Even if he never established himself as the true RB1, he was a great complement to D’Andre Swift. Not only did he average 4.6 yards per carry, but he was a primary red zone option on the ground, and both his pass protection and pass catching developed well over their 19-game season.
Although Monangai might never profile as a true RB1, he has a valuable skillset as a physical runner. If he continues to show his reliability in other facets of the offense, he’ll continue to be a great 1B option to a speedier 1A runner. In total, he finished 4th in rushing yards among all rookies, and tied for second in yards per carry. By all accounts, it was a highly successful rookie year for the Bears’ seventh-round selection.
What Went Wrong:
I’m sure there are things the coaching staff wants tweaked, but overall, nothing I can think of went “wrong” for the rookie running back. He was efficient, kept the offense balanced, and showed plenty of growth. His lack of top-end speed might hamper his ceiling, but as a part of a two-headed monster, he’s a perfect fit in Johnson’s scheme.
Outlook For 2026: Keep doing what you’re doing.
In theory, Chicago could opt for a change at running back this season. Even if they do, that change would come at the top with Swift and should not impact Monangai. Similar to the interior offensive line, the Bears were remarkably healthy at the running back position this season. That said, if Swift goes down with something more long-term next year, that’s where Monangai could shine in a bigger role. Heading into 2026, I expect this position (and his role) to be status quo.
