Bears bolster defensive line in pre-Week 1 mock draft

Bears bolster defensive line in pre-Week 1 mock draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The 2024 NFL Draft will be remembered for producing 14 consecutive offensive selections, starting with the Chicago Bears taking quarterback Caleb Williams as the first overall pick. Interestingly, the last two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks were chosen with the first two picks, and a third signal-caller was selected number three overall.

The 2025 draft might see the pendulum swing in the direction of the defense, with as many as ten edge rushers taken in the first round. So, without further adieu, let’s get to the first of several weeks of tantalizing mock drafts. Enjoy.

1. Carolina Panthers: Edge – James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Pearce is a long-limbed rangy athlete who plays extremely well utilizing leverage, speed and agility to create disruption along the line of scrimmage. He possesses elite quickness with a second step that equals his explosive first step. An instant game changer and potential Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.

2. New England Patriots: OT – Will Campbell, LSU

Campbell possesses a prototypical physique most NFL teams covet, standing a full six-foot-six, 325 pounds with an impressive 80-inch wingspan. He dominates using leverage and balanced footwork, seemingly never at a disadvantage against speed or power pass rushers. As a two-year starter, Campbell has only allowed two sacks in over 1600 snaps.

3. Denver Broncos: DB/WR – Travis Hunter, Colorado

An explosive talent, Hunter’s exceptional anticipation, paired with his uncommon athleticism, makes him an intriguing chess piece for NFL coordinators. After the first week of the season, Hunter re-established himself as a rare game-changer when he caught seven passes for 132 yards and three scores. Ironically, most pundits consider Hunter a better pass defender than pass catcher.

4. New York Giants: QB – Carson Beck, Georgia

Last season, Beck threw for 3,941 yards and 26 scores while completing 72.4 percent of his passes. Currently, he’s a Heisman front-runner who helms the Georgia football juggernaut, winners of 40 straight regular season games.

5. Tennessee Titans: WR – Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

McMillan is a physical wideout who plays with ultimate confidence on the gridiron. This past week, McMillan announced his intentions to dominate the college landscape by setting a FBS regular season record with 304 receiving yards, 30.4 yards per catch, and four touchdowns.

6. Washington Commanders: CB – Will Johnson, Michigan

Johnson’s length, strength and speed make him annoyingly difficult to beat off of press coverage. An indescribably impactful talent, Johnson has already returned an interception for an 86-yard score this season.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: QB – Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Sanders’ ability to reset his feet and consistently deliver accurate passes with NFL-caliber accuracy is impressive. The son of a coach and NFL Hall-of-Famer (Deion Sanders), Sanders is arguably the most pro-ready athlete on and off the field from this draft class.

8. New Orleans Saints: QB – Quinn Ewers, Texas

If Ewers can build off his 2023 performance (3479 passing yards / 69 completion percentage) , his live arm and tenacity could vault him into top-five draft status. After winning the Big12 Championship and competing in the College Playoffs (lost to Washington), Ewers’ growth in confidence and poise under pressure has NFL scouts talking.

9. Minnesota Vikings: DL – Mason Graham, Michigan

An adept high school wrestler, Graham employs layered leveraging techniques against opponents unaccustomed to his combination of skill and strength. Graham’s side-to-side quickness, balanced footwork and effective gripping techniques enable him to control the interior along the line of scrimmage.

10. Arizona Cardinals: CB – Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame

At six feet and 190 pounds, Morrison is one of college football’s premiere press/cover defensive backs. A ball-hawking gamechanger since his freshman year at Notre Dame (six interceptions), Morrison has tabulated nine picks and 15 passes defended in 26 contests.

11. Seattle Seahawks: DE/Edge – Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

The former All-Big Ten defensive standout from Purdue transferred to the Aggies for the 2025 campaign. An imposing athlete listed at six-foot-four and 280 pounds, Scourton’s agility for his size and flexible bendability off the edge of the defensive line makes him a three-down problem for offensive linemen.

12. Indianapolis Colts: S – Malaki Starks, Georgia

Very few football players throughout the collegiate landscape can match the athleticism Starks displays on the gridiron. Starks is a human highlight reel for jaw-dropping interceptions. He possesses exceptional ball skills coupled with superior field awareness, creating mismatches across all coverage levels.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR – Luther Bolden III, Missouri

Bolden is a smooth route-runner whose ability to accelerate and decelerate in and out of his breaks is NFL quality. He is a versatile offensive weapon that can be utilized at any receiver designation or from any backfield position, even the quarterback spot.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR – Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

Egbuka is a highly skilled and talented pass catcher who might have been a first-round selection in the 2024 draft had he decided not to return for another campaign. A graduate and three-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete, Egbuka’s maturity and professionalism are traits that project well as a future NFL draftee.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars: DT – Deone Walker, Kentucky

Walker is an unrelenting dreadnought whose power, quickness, and tenacity are, at times, unblockable.   Attacking with whirlwind-like hand combinations and violent intentions, Walker becomes a moving target that debilitates blocking assignments for offensive linemen.

16. Los Angeles Chargers: CB – Denzel Burke, Ohio State

Burke is a sticky defender with the length, size and speed to track and mirror receivers on all levels of the field. Although he isn’t a flashy playmaker, Burke’s superpowers are his unflappable demeanor and steadfast consistency as a pass defender.

17. Cleveland Browns: WR – Isaiah Bond, Texas

Bond possesses blistering speed (4.28 – 40-time) that threatens from any spot on the field. His alignment versatility and improved route-running are increasing his draft value as a potentially devastating offensive weapon for NFL teams.

18. Los Angeles Rams: OT – Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas

An improved run blocker, Banks plays with controlled aggression fueled by an uncompromising mean streak that pounds defenders into the turf. In pass protection situations, the first-team All-Big 12 lineman sustains well against power rushers, while gaining adequate depth versus speedy defensive edges.

19. CHICAGO BEARS: DT – Tyleik Williams, Ohio State

Williams is strong against the run while rounding into form as a better interior pass rusher and a complete three-technique defender. Focusing on Williams’ quick burst off the snap (1.62-second 10-yard split) and ability to penetrate into offensive backfields, Chicago might declare him their missing three-technique center-piece for its defense.

20. Atlanta Falcons: CB – Tacario Davis, Arizona

Davis is a big corner (6’4” 195 lbs) who moves lightly and noiselessly on his feet. A fundamentally sound press-cover corner with length and high-end receiving skills, he’s a talent that may ascend into the top 10 of next year’s draft.

21. Miami Dolphins: DL – Kenneth Gant, Michigan

Gant’s ability to anchor against the run, or quickly stack and shed from blockers while creating disruption on any given play is first-round worthy. Arguably, he’s Michigan’s most versatile and impactful defensive lineman, whose speed (sub-five second 40-time) and athleticism at six-foot-four and 360 pounds is mind-boggling.

22. New York Jets: OL – Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona

A highly motivated and intelligent player with scheme flexibility along the offensive line, Savaiinaea draws comparisons to the Bears’ starting right tackle, Darnell Wright. On raw talent alone, Savaiinaea plays with balance in pass protection and consistently executes combo blocks into a defense’s second level with success.

23. Green Bay Packers: CB – Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

A bit of an unheralded player in the talent-rich SEC, Hairston quietly led the powerhouse conference with five interceptions while returning two in the same game (Vanderbilt) for touchdowns. Hairston is a complete defensive back whose athletic versatility defends the run equally as effectively as the pass.

24. Houston Texans: OT – Emery Jones Jr., LSU

A massive human, Jones’ six-foot-six frame contains his 322 pounds proportionately without affecting his agility, quickness or flexibility. A powerful puncher and astute grappler, his ability to mix it up at the point of attack leaves little doubt that he’s in charge at the line of scrimmage.

25. Dallas Cowboys: RB – Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State

If Gordon falls to the Cowboys, it’ll be hard for Dallas to pass on a younger, faster, more athletic version of Ezekiel Elliot. Gordon displays great contact balance, pairing omniscient-like vision with patient running to maximize every yard of every carry.

26. Buffalo Bills: WR – Evan Stewart, Oregon

Stewart isn’t just another speedy wideout with limited route-running skills and inconsistent hands. He is an extremely talented receiver whose expanding skills include toe-dragging sideline awareness, execution of efficient routes, and leaping fearlessly into contested jump ball passes for dynamic receptions.

27. Philadelphia Eagles: LB/Edge – Abdul Carter, Penn State

Another impactful NFL-caliber linebacker from “Linebacker U,” Carter is a marvelous blend of size, athleticism, speed, instincts, and power when attacking offenses. Coaches are using Carter more as an edge rusher, making him alignment-friendly and problematic for offenses to account for on every down.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: DE/Edge – J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State

Despite his six-foot-four, 270-pound frame, Tuimoloau is unusually nimble for his size, displaying above-average agility while dropping into coverage zones. He is a unique athlete with the ability to line up on the defensive front or play in the second level as a linebacker.

29. Detroit Lions: DE/Edge – Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss

Umanmielen is a twitchy, athletic pass rusher with length and sinkable hips that generate a smooth change of direction when pursuing offensive playmakers. Considering how bad the Florida Gators are playing, Umanmelien’s transfer from them to Ole Miss should skew interested talent evaluators in his direction.

30. Baltimore Ravens: DE/Edge – Mykel Williams, Georgia

Despite suffering a Grade 2 ankle sprain last week against Clemson, Williams still tracks as a first-round NFL prospect. Williams is a lean six-foot-five, 265-pound defensive end whose quickness, length, and strength allow him to power through double teams while leveraging his size in unpredictable ways.

31. San Francisco 49ers: DE/Edge – Landon Jackson, Arkansas

Jackson is a freakishly athletic defensive edge with skills to rush the passer, stuff the run and drop 10 to 15 yards downfield into coverage lanes. His long strides quickly close the distance to retreating quarterbacks, and his elongated form decisively grapples ball carriers from odd angles.

32. Kansas City Chiefs: TE – Colston Loveland, Michigan

In the mode of modern tight ends like Travis Kelce and Dalton Kincaid, Loveland possesses the versatility of alignment to create mismatches from any area offensively on the field. An adept route-runner with consistent body control and reliable hands, he would make an excellent understudy to the aging Kelce in Kansas City.

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