Linebackers for Bears to consider in 2025 NFL Draft

The focus of the Bears’ offseason to this point has been the trenches. Because of their aggressive approach in free agency, their options in the 2025 NFL Draft have significantly opened up.

Over the weekend, I posted on Twitter/X that I anticipate the Bears to have needs at both linebacker and safety in the 2026 offseason.

Chicago’s primary starters at both positions feel locked in for the 2025 season, with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds at linebacker, and the team of Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker at safety.

I’ll dig into safeties from the 2025 NFL Draft in a later article, but for this piece specifically, I wanted to focus on linebackers they could consider and why the position could be a need next year.

The Bears would save $15 million by releasing Edmunds next offseason, and after his two disappointing seasons with the team thus far, it seems like things are trending in that particular direction. T.J. Edwards, though he played really well in 2023, took a step back in 2024 and is an impending free agent next offseason.

Plus, with Jack Sanborn’s departure to the Cowboys in free agency, the Bears don’t have a clearcut answer at LB3, either (specifically, the SAM in the base 4-3 system). Given the murky future at the linebacker position, Chicago could look to invest some draft capital there.

Here are a few linebackers I’ve come to enjoy watching whom the Bears would be wise to consider in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

Grade: Round 2-3

A walk-on turned All-American, Schwesinger exploded onto the scene in 2024 and improved his stock in a way that few other prospects were able to match. He’s a high-motored linebacker who’s physical in between the tackles with ideal fluidity moving sideline-to-sideline.

Serving in a LB3 role would be a great opportunity for him as he works on his comfortability processing in zone coverage. With his ideal build, his mobility in space, and his willingness to engage in contact, Schwesinger has long-term starting potential and should be worth considering in a trade-down scenario in Round 2, but especially if he falls to Round 3.

Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina

Grade: Round 3

A former college quarterback from his time at Georgia Tech, Knight is a bit of a late bloomer but one who dominated in 2024. He’s a muscular, physical linebacker who stacks and sheds blocks well when he squares up with offensive linemen. He’s a mobile defender who accelerates well shooting downhill, as well.

Similar to Schwesinger, Knight can be a split second too late to process in zone coverage, and he has some past inconsistencies as a tackler. He’s best as a MIKE but could realistically thrive as a SAM with how he fares in condensed spaces, too.

Barrett Carter, Clemson

Grade: Round 3-4

Carter is a versatile linebacker with significant experience in the box, in the slot and rushing the passer along the defensive line. He’s an elite athlete for his position with very good agility and impressive straight-line speed. His spatial awareness as a blitzer is quite good, and he has plenty of upside in coverage due to his movement skills.

Though he’s a bit inconsistent as a processor and less physical than some linebackers in this class, Carter has the tools to become a starter in due time. His range as a tackler gives him a lot of upside to work with.

Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma

Grade: Round 3-4

With a well-built, lengthy frame and very good athleticism, Stutsman has been a fixture in Oklahoma’s defense these last few years. He has a large tackling radius due to his size and speed, and he’s a solid blitzing defender up the A-gap or off the edge.

There are some concerns about Stutsman’s pad level as a tackler, which can provide for some missed tackles from time to time. If he can get that under control, though, he has the potential to be a serious sleeper in this class.

Kobe King, Penn State

Grade: Round 4-5

Jack Sanborn brought a level of intelligence and physicality to the LB3 role, albeit with a limited athletic ceiling. If they want a similar player with slightly more upside in the 2025 draft, the Bears might be smart to look King’s way.

He’s a physical linebacker who can take on blocks, he tackles with ideal pad level and weight distribution, and he’s a high-motored player who fights to get to the ball-carrier. Though he’s pedestrian in coverage due to average speed and agility, he’s a gamer on tape who should be a valuable special teamer in the pros.

Jack Kiser, Notre Dame

Grade: Round 5-6

Kiser is an experienced linebacker with 1,862 total defensive snaps at Notre Dame. He’s a reliable tackler who processes well executing his run fits, he wraps up with proper form, and he takes precise angles to the ball-carrier in pursuit.

I have in my notes that Kiser has “a low athletic ceiling, but he’s got that dawg in him”. If you want a reliable special teamer for your unit who could play some defensive snaps in a pinch, Kiser would be a strong candidate.

Cody Simon, Ohio State

Grade: Round 6-7

One of the key contributors to Ohio State’s championship-winning defense, Simon is another physical, smart MIKE linebacker who communicates well at the second level and tackles with precision in his movements and refined tackling form.

Due to his having mediocre speed and shorter arms, he doesn’t have sideline-to-sideline range as a tackler, nor does he have elite upside in coverage. That said, he has the tools to be a valuable depth pieces in the later rounds