The Chicago Bears are in unfamiliar territory heading into this year’s NFL Draft - not because they’re holding a top-five pick, but because they’re not. After a season that saw them push into playoff contention, they now find themselves selecting 25th overall.
That’s a good problem to have - it means progress - but it also means the margin for error shrinks. General manager Ryan Poles has built a promising foundation, but if the Bears are going to keep climbing, he’ll need to hit on picks like this one.
Mid-to-late first-rounders can be the difference between staying in the playoff mix or sliding back into the middle of the pack.
So what direction might the Bears go at 25? NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah dropped his first mock draft of the offseason, and let’s just say he didn’t play it safe. With several top offensive tackles, edge rushers, and corners already off the board - as tends to happen early - Jeremiah sent a curveball Chicago’s way: a safety.
That alone would be a surprise. The Bears haven’t taken a safety in the first round since Mark Carrier in 1990. But what really raised eyebrows was who they passed on: Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods, a player many evaluators believe could be the best interior lineman in this class.
Jeremiah’s reasoning? The league is split on Woods.
Some scouts don’t see him as a first-rounder. Others believe his upside is too tantalizing to ignore.
He’s got the kind of quickness you want in an interior disruptor - the ability to shoot gaps and create chaos in the backfield. And when a guy draws comparisons to Jeffery Simmons, you start paying attention.
Sure, Woods didn’t have a true breakout season at Clemson. His production was solid, not spectacular.
He’s still raw in some areas and could stand to trim down. But the flashes?
They’re real. He combines burst and power in a way that’s tough to teach, and for a Bears team that hasn’t gotten enough interior push, he feels like a player worth betting on.
Now, if the Bears do go with the safety Jeremiah projected - Purdue’s Cam Allen Thieneman - they’re still getting a quality player. Thieneman is a rangy, instinctive defender who always seems to be around the ball.
He’s not afraid to get physical in the run game, and he’s shown the kind of versatility that defensive coordinators love. He’s drawn comparisons to Jevon Holland, which tells you a lot about his potential impact.
But here’s the thing: Poles has already shown he can find quality safeties without using premium picks. That’s what makes the idea of taking one at 25 feel like a luxury - maybe even an unnecessary one - especially when there’s a potential game-wrecker like Woods still on the board.
The Bears are in a good place - better than they’ve been in years. But if they want to stay there, they’ll need to keep stacking wins in the draft room.
And with the 25th pick, Ryan Poles has a chance to make another one. Whether that’s a high-upside defensive tackle or a do-it-all safety, the decision could say a lot about where this team is headed next.