Five 2025 NFL Draft prospects Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen can help target to cure Ryan Poles' stroke of bad luck in the third-round
Earlier this week, I wrote an article breaking down all of Ryan Poles' draft picks round by round since taking over as the Chicago Bears general manager in 2022.From what I found, Poles has historically struggled in the third-round making successful draft picks, more so than any other round in the draft. Here are all […]
Earlier this week, I wrote an article breaking down all of Ryan Poles' draft picks round by round since taking over as the Chicago Bears general manager in 2022.
From what I found, Poles has historically struggled in the third-round making successful draft picks, more so than any other round in the draft. Here are all the third-round selections he's made since 2022:
- WR Velus Jones Jr.
- DT Zacch Pickens
- OT Kiran Amegadjie
It's a tough list to look at. Velus Jones Jr. is no longer on the team and was a clear bust, Zacch Pickens seems to be headed that way after ending his sophomore season on the inactive list, and Kiran Amegadjie struggled during his rookie season as a developmental left tackle who was forced to fill in last season.
Luckily, Poles' next draft as the GM later this month will be different from the previous three years. That's because he will have two strong minds in head coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen helping decide which prospects to draft.
With that in mind, here are five prospects Johnson and Allen could look to target with the 72nd overall pick to help cure Poles' third-round struggles.
OL Jonah Savaiinaea
This one would be a no-brainer for the Bears with the 72nd overall pick. Ben Johnson noted wanting 8-10 quality offensive linemen on the roster, which means he wants some top level depth behind the starting five.
On Tuesday, it was reported that Jonah Savaiinaea was scheduled to have another pre-draft visit with the Bears, officially putting him firmly on the team's radar.
Savaiinaea has the ability to play both tackle positions and right guard as well, giving the Bears a valuable depth player up-front. Our A to Z Sports database currently has Savaiinaea as the 45th ranked prospect. He's an option in the second-round as well.
DT Omarr Norman-Lott
As for the defensive front, the team wants to follow a similar plan, having multiple high-quality depth options in the room beyond the starting group.
On the defensive interior, the Bears already have Gervon Dexter Sr., Grady Jarrett, and Andrew Billings. Adding a hulking guy like Omarr Norman-Lott would fit Dennis Allen's ideal mold for the position and add a fourth guy to the rotation.
Norman-Lott has already visited the Bears, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. He's currently listed as the 76th ranked prospect in the A to Z Sports database, but multiple teams are expressing heavy interest as well.
WR Isaiah Bond
Maybe some speed on offense? Ben Johnson's wide receiver room seems to be set with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Devin Duvernay but the one thing that group is missing is some serious downfield speed.
The Bears sent a strong contingency down to the Texas Pro Day, where wide receiver Isaiah Bond impressed with his top-end speed.
That's something that could entice Johnson in the third-round. Bond is currently our 66th ranked prospect in the database.
DT Alfred Collins
Another hulking interior player on defense is Alfred Collins, a second former Longhorn that made my list in the third-round. Collins has gotten some second-round looks in a few notable mock drafts but could easily slip down the board.
Collins has ridiculous measurables that again fit Dennis Allen's preferred DT type. He also was highly productive, recording 7.0 sacks and 18 TFLs in his college career.
The Bears held a formal interview with Collins at the NFL Scouting Combine. Right now, he comes in at 72 on our prospect rankings.
RB Kaleb Johnson
The last player on this list is another potential second-rounder but he'll need the right scheme fit to truly excel at the next level, something that could drop his stock.
Luckily for the Bears, Kaleb Johnson is the ideal scheme-fit playing for Ben Johnson and fills the role perfectly the team is looking to add alongside D'Andre Swift.
Depending how the Bears address the position, and how soon other running backs fall, Johnson could be a target at 41 for the Bears or he may fall and be a steal at 72. He's currently listed at 53 on our list.
Latest draft intel describes which RB prospect would be a good fit for the Bears saying they miss out on other top options on Day 2
There will be plenty of options.
