Bears 7-round mock draft: Chicago makes MASSIVE trade to land elite defensive stud

The Chicago Bears have a ton of hype around them right now, and for good reason. When you look at the moves they've made over the past year, from drafting Caleb Williams first overall to hiring Ben Johnson and investing heavily in the trenches, they have all the ingredients of a team trying to win now.

Well, almost all.

Despite all the improvements, the Bears would still need to add one more blue-chip prospect from the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft to really feel good about winning right away. In this full 7-round mock draft, they do exactly that.

In this scenario, Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Travis Hunter are the first three picks, leaving pass rusher Abdul Carter on the board. GM Ryan Poles decides to make his move, moving up to 4th overall by sending the New England Patriots the 10th and 39th overall picks, giving the Patriots a slight surplus value, according to Drafttek's trade value chart.

The Patriots accept this trade because they're still in rebuild mode and could use the extra picks, and the Bears land the top defensive talent in this draft.

Now let's get into the draft.

1.4 (via NE) Abdul Carter - Defensive End, Penn State

Carter is the definition of a game-wrecker and by far the top defensive prospect in this draft. Paired up with Montez Sweat, he has the potential to be a yearly double-digit sack guy and perennial Pro Bowler. This would be a homerun for the Bears.

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2.41 Josh Conerly Jr. - Offensive Tackle, Oregon

While Braxton Jones has been a solid left tackle over the last three years, his return in 2025 is marred by an unfortunate leg injury that is healing slowly. The Bears can't afford to put all their eggs in this basket, should the worst come to pass.

Conerly would provide good competition for the starting left tackle spot and could quickly develop into a reliable starter, in case Jones' injury continues to hamper him and if Amegadjie can't take the next step.

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3.72 Kaleb Johnson - Running Back, Iowa

Johnson's draft stock has slipped a bit in recent weeks, which is good for the Bears. In this 2025 mock draft, they're able to get him early in the third round. Johnson has a similar style to Ashton Jeanty, though obviously not to the same extent. But he's a powerful runner with good instincts and he refuses to be brought down by the first defender to hit him.

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5.148 Jack Kiser - Linebacker, Notre Dame

An older prospect, Kiser would be 25 years old as a rookie, but that comes with the benefit of an experienced player with a higher, more stable floor than most. While he's unlikely to ever develop into a star, Kiser has good size, terrific tackling technique, and can contribute on special teams.

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7.233 Jimmy Horn Jr. - Receiver, Colorado

Ben Johnson recently said that he places a lot of value on slot receivers and believes he can get the most out of players who excel there. That's where Horn comes in. He played almost exclusively in the slot for Colorado and showcased some explosive potential. Many draft analysts would love to see his upside in a Ben Johnson offense.

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7.240 Rayuan Lane III - Safety, Navy

Lane could be the next Elijah Hicks in Chicago, a seventh-round safety who provides dependable backup duties and a good special teamer, though I think he brings more upside than Hicks did. Lane hauled in 7 interceptions and forced 8 fumbles over 4 years at the Naval Academy, and he made 43 consecutive starts for the Midshipmen.