NFL draft best available players for Chicago Bears: Kaleb Johnson, JT Tuimoloau
When the Bears met with tight end Colston Loveland, they asked him to name some of his favorite tight ends. Among them was Sam LaPorta of the Lions. Bears coach Ben Johnson liked that.
“Coach Johnson’s like, ‘Yeah, you remind me a lot of him. We can do a lot of things — obviously we did a lot of things with LaPorta,’” Loveland said. “And he’s like ‘Yeah, I can see you doing a lot of those things as well.’ That was pretty cool to hear. And obviously now seeing it all come full circle, I’m excited.”
Loveland is the newest Bear and weapon for Johnson’s offense. The Bears made him the 10th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night. But there’s more to do, more needs to fill, more weapons to find for Johnson.
Here is a look at some of the best fits heading into Day 2 of the NFL draft for the Bears, who start with the 39th and 41st selections. All rankings are from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and “The Beast.”
The offensive weapons
At the NFL’s annual meeting, Johnson said he wanted different skill sets for his skill positions. After Loveland’s selection, that leaves two more positions to address: running back and receiver.
If Loveland fits the LaPorta role in Johnson’s offense, then finding a slot receiver in the mold of Amon-Ra St. Brown could be next on Day 2. A true slot receiver would complement receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.
The Bears’ top running back right now is D’Andre Swift. There are several backs available on Day 2 who would complement him well, especially if the Bears want to install a physical, in-your-face style. They need their version of David Montgomery.
Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State | Ranking: 42
Brugler: “A sturdy and speedy athlete, Noel is smooth in and out of his breaks and plays with “stickum” hands to consistently secure throws away from his body.”
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa | Ranking: 44
Brugler: “His play style is reminiscent of DeMarco Murray with a three-down skill set to thrive in a zone-based NFL scheme.”
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State | Ranking: 46
Brugler: “Although his inside vision can get a little messy at times, and he isn’t the most graceful working through tight spaces, Henderson can bounce laterally and smash the accelerator to sprint through voids or convert his speed to power as a finisher. As a blocker, he delivers thunderbolts into his target.”
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State | Ranking: 60
Brugler: “Judkins isn’t as dynamic as other backs in this class, but he is an ‘attitude’ runner with the quickness, vision and violence to be a productive lead option in an NFL backfield.”
Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss | Ranking: 65
Brugler: “Though he’s not a burner, Harris has the stride speed to be a factor on linear/one-cut routes and displays smooth gear down for clean transitions. The best parts of his game are his hand-eye coordination and finishing toughness to make catches over defensive backs.”
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas | Ranking: 88
Brugler: “A former track star, Bond is a loose, twitchy athlete with big-time speed, which makes him a threat to make a house call every time he touches the ball.”
Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State | Ranking: 92
Brugler: “Williams might not stand out with his size or play strength, but he compensates for that with his ability to accelerate to top gear rapidly and create catchable windows for his quarterback. With more seasoning, he can become a WR 2/3 for an NFL offense.”
Cam Skattebo, RB Arizona State
Brugler: “Skattebo is a thickly built, compact runner who is more quick than explosive, but he competes with tremendous resolve and understands how to rely on his pad level and contact balance to get the most out of every carry. He is a draftable option for a team looking to upgrade its backfield physicality.”
The protection options
The Bears saw three offensive linemen go before their 10th pick: Will Campbell (No. 4, Patriots), Armand Membou (No. 7, Jets) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9, Saints).
“I don’t think that was a huge shock to anybody,” Bears senior director of player personnel Jeff King said.
Fixing the offensive line has been a priority for Bears general manager Ryan Poles, but there’s still work to do. An addition from the draft is still needed after adding guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and center Drew Dalman.
The Bears, though, might have to act soon on Day 2 to make that happen.
Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia | Ranking: 53
Brugler: “Very personable; connects well in locker room (NFL scout: “He’s a goofball, but the guys over there love him.”) … Kirby Smart said he’s as “special as they come,” because of his leadership (95% of Georgia’s 130 players voted him a 2024 team captain).”
Jonah Savaiinaea, G, Arizona | Ranking: 55
Brugler: “Savaiinaea has the length and functional movements to stay at tackle, but his square play style projects best inside at guard, where he can use his bear claws to control the man in front of him. He should compete for starting reps as early as his rookie season.”
Anthony Belton, OT, NC State | Ranking: 94
Brugler: “Belton uses his size and length to keep the game on his terms, staying centered and forcing defenders to try to go through him. When he is unable to do that, his body control and footwork break down quickly, which needs to be further addressed by NFL coaching.”
Dylan Fairchild, G, Georgia
Brugler: “At times, his feet, hands and eyes can get slightly disjointed as he responds to quickness, but he flashes dominance when his moving parts all stay on the same page. Overall, Fairchild lacks experience — and it shows at times — but he is powerful, tough and naturally aggressive.”
The defensive options
The Bears still have several defensive needs to fill: pass rusher, safety and linebacker. Their board should favor the linemen and edge rushers. Finding the right fit for coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense will be essential, but there are many capable options.
Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina | Ranking: 17
Brugler: “Emmanwori has the size, speed and mindset to play a variety of roles, although he projects best near the line of scrimmage, where he can blitz, be an eraser against the run and man up with tight ends and backs in coverage. He has the floor of an adequate starter and special teamer, but his ceiling is exciting and will put him high on NFL teams’ safety stack.”
JT Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State | Ranking: 43
Brugler: “Tuimoloau’s college tape is more good than exceptional, but he is competitive, skilled and doesn’t have major deficiencies that would keep him from being a dependable edge presence in the NFL.”
Landon Jackson, DE, Arkansas | Ranking: 47
Brugler: “Two-year team captain and a positive influence in the building (NFL scout: “I love how he doesn’t get obsessed with his own stats. … (He) just wants to win and impact the game.”)”
Jordan Burch, DE, Oregon | Ranking: 52
Brugler: “He projects as a scheme-versatile base end, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he has a similar NFL trajectory to that of John Franklin-Myers.”
Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame | Ranking: 54
Brugler: “Although his aggressive nature leads to occasional mistakes, he plays with a quick, decisive trigger and his tone-setting toughness pops versus both run and pass.”
Jack Sawyer, DE, Ohio State | Ranking: 58
Brugler: “Similar in ways to George Karlaftis, he has the competitive play personality that NFL coaches will welcome as part of their rotation.”
Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M | Ranking: 59
Brugler: “A thickly built, high-motor rusher, Scourton is quick to shoot his hands, create force and walk blockers into the pocket, but the next step in his development will be diversifying his attack by setting up counters and stacking moves.”
Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State | Ranking: 76
Brugler: “Farmer is a burly, power-packed lineman who can deliver pop at contact and get himself free with his active hands and short-area quickness. He can muddy things up in the run game, although his base strength shows cracks when he loses leverage, and his block recognition must continue to develop.”
Bradyn Swinson, DE, LSU | Ranking: 100
Brugler: “With his edge speed and flexibility, Swinson can threaten the corner. He flashes pop in his hands but will get stuck at the top of his rush too often, and his sequencing needs continued development.”
Sai’vion Jones, DE, LSU
Brugler: “Jones needs continued schooling with his hands and pad level, but he plays long, strong and persistent as a downhill force player against both pass and run. He hasn’t yet reached his football ceiling and has the tools to become a solid depth piece on an NFL defensive line.”
Demetrius Knight, LB, South Carolina
Brugler: “Knight won’t be a true three-down player for some schemes, but he fits the bill for a defense seeking a fast, thumping run stuffer and blitzer with an old-school mentality. He has early-down starting potential and should see immediate reps on special teams.
Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland
Brugler: “A toolsy prospect, Phillips jumps off the film with his light feet, explosive movements and heavy hands. Though it is encouraging that he is one of the youngest players in the draft class, his inexperience jumps off the film — he’s often neutralized and off balance, especially when he is late off the ball.”
CJ West, DT, Indiana
Brugler: “The No. 1 criteria when scouting defensive linemen is to find the guys that hate to be blocked, and West falls into that category with his fast, strong hands and high energy level.”
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