If you thought the work that Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles did in free agency elevated Ben Johnson's offense into another tier, the latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft from ESPN takes Caleb Williams and his offensive teammates to the moon.
ESPN's Field Yates published a two-round mock draft that spends all three Bears picks on players who will instantly help Williams in a variety of ways as he enters his second season.
It starts in the first round, where Yates sends Chicago another reinforcement for the offensive line in LSU left tackle Will Campbell.
"I'm pretty bullish on Campbell as a prospect," Yates wrote. "Despite concerns about his 32⅝-inch arm length, he ranks fifth on my board. And in this scenario, I'm not super focused on whether he would ultimately play tackle or slide inside to guard. The Bears' starting five is already much better on paper after a busy free agency, and Campbell could play wherever he's needed."
While I agree the Bears will most likely use their first-round pick on a left tackle, I'm not sold on Campbell fitting Poles' model of what he looks for, physically, from the position. Remember: Poles elevated his grade for Kiran Amegadjie, a prospect from the Ivy League, because he checked every physical box scouts traditionally look for in an offensive tackle, including arm length. He also passed on Peter Skoronski in 2023 and opted instead for the more prototypical offensive tackle in Darnell Wright. To think he'll suddenly ignore short arms in his evaluation of Campbell ignores his past NFL Draft pattern.
Still, the point remains: the Bears should use their first-round pick to finish the offensive line rebuild.
Where Yates' 2025 mock draft gets really interesting is in the second round, where he has the Bears selecting a pair of Ohio State skill players.
At No. 39, Williams gets a new pass catcher in wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
"As the Bears look for one more playmaker to maximize Ben Johnson's offense, they could turn to the ever-reliable Egbuka in Round 2," Yates wrote. "He set the Ohio State record for catches (205) and is a great route runner."
Now, this is fun, isn't it? The Bears haven't been connected to any of the top wide receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft (yet), so Yates throwing this narrative into the universe is worth paying attention to.
Chicago has a talent deficiency at wide receiver after DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, so why not invest a top-50 pick on a skilled wideout who can thrive in the slot? And with wide receiver contracts exploding across the league, getting another starting-quality player at the position on a rookie deal is good business.
At pick No. 41, the Bears land an inside-outside running back in Quinshon Judkins.
"More offense for the Bears, two picks after I had them taking Egbuka," Yates wrote. "I have an ever-so-slightly higher grade on Judkins' fellow Ohio State back TreVeyon Henderson, but Judkins can bring a better profile of power and thump to a Chicago offense that could use it. He scored 45 career rushing TDs."
Judkins would immediately upend D'Andre Swift as the Bears' lead back because of his ability to power through first tacklers and gain the hard yards. He also has enough juice to flip the field, evidenced by his 4.48 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Combine. Judkins is an explosive dude, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if a team picking late in the first round with a need at the position pulls a shocker and calls his name (see: Kansas City Chiefs).
Overall, ESPN's mock draft is fantastic for the Chicago Bears, even with Campbell in Round 1. Remember: Campbell is a very good prospect who should be a long-term high-level starter in the NFL. Whether he becomes a Bear depends on Poles' confidence in his left tackle projection. Regardless, a trifecta of talent like this on offense would fire up the fan base and give Ben Johnson even more to work with.
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