Bears 2025 NFL Draft Doomsday Scenario: Making the case for Omarion Hampton or Shemar Stewart as the fallback option at 10
In honor of Avengers Doomsday coming out next year and the 2025 NFL Draft kicking off in just over a week, I thought I'd explore what the Doomsday first-round could look like for the Chicago Bears and how the team plans to adapt in the face of Doom.As it stands, the Bears hold the 10th […]
In honor of Avengers Doomsday coming out next year and the 2025 NFL Draft kicking off in just over a week, I thought I'd explore what the Doomsday first-round could look like for the Chicago Bears and how the team plans to adapt in the face of Doom.
As it stands, the Bears hold the 10th overall pick and seem to be content with letting the board fall as it may in the first nine selections, which is always a dangerous game.
Even still, the Bears seem to believe that one of their top targets will wind up being available with the 10th overall pick. What if the commonly mocked players to Chicago are all off the board by the time the Bears are on the clock? Welcome to Doomsday.
Doomsday Scenario Top-9 Selections:
TEN- Cam Ward, QB Miami
CLE- Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado
NYG- Abdul Carter, DE Penn State
NE- Will Campbell, OT LSU
JAX- Mason Graham, DT Michigan
LV- Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State
NYJ- Tyler Warren, TE Penn State
CAR- Jalon Walker, DE Georgia
NO- Armand Membou, OT Missouri
This is honestly a legitimate possibility to kick off opening night. The top two selections seem locked in at this point and all signs point toward the Giants passing on a QB with the third overall pick.
If that's the case, New England has done a lot of work on Will Campbell and the Jacksonville Jaguars have always been linked to Mason Graham (one of the Bears top targets).
After that, the Las Vegas Raiders pull the trigger on Ashton Jeanty, the New York Jets land a top weapon in Tyler Warren, and the New Orleans Saints pass on a QB to first add protection up-front in Armand Membou. Carolina doesn't seem to be a true threat for any of the Bears top targets, unless Graham falls to 8.
Bears Response In Doomsday Scenario
So, where does this leave the Bears? In a state of confusion and maybe shell shock? Perhaps, but the team is already preparing for this exact scenario unfolding where Campbell, Graham, Jeanty, Warren, and Membou are all off the board.
Earlier this week, the Bears held Top-30 visits with running back Omarion Hampton and defensive end Shemar Stewart. And after those visits, it seems like these two prospects are the Doomsday saviors for the Bears, so let's make the case for each.
Case for Omarion Hampton
Let's start with Omarion Hampton, the second-ranked running back prospect in the class. As we get closer and closer to the draft, Hampton's name continues to rise up the expected draft boards with people around the league noting he's closer to Jeanty than many think in terms of his ability to be a complete back.
Hampton is a physical runner and pairs well with D'Andre Swift's ability to be a shifty/explosive runner. Ben Johnson is also no stranger to selecting a back higher than expected after being on the Detroit Lions staff that drafted Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall as the second back behind Bijan Robinson.
Some still believe this would be a reach for the Bears to make, especially when you factor in the other backs potentially available on Day 2. But, if the Bears view Hampton closer to Jeanty and well ahead of the Day 2 options, it makes sense to draft him 10.
Case for Shemar Stewart
Similar to Hampton, Shemar Stewart has a wide expected range in the first-round. He has Top-10 potential, but could also easy fall to the 20s given his production concern.
Those concerns are valid. Stewart only recorded 4.5 sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M but is ripe with athletic potential in the right defensive scheme. The Bears meeting with Stewart proves defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants to get his eyes on this guy in person to see if Stewart can be a fit in his scheme.
Drafting Stewart 10th overall would upset a lot of fans. But, if Allen can get the most out of that potential and turn Stewart into a dominant edge defender rotating with Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, they could prove a lot of people wrong really fast. On the flip side, if it doesn't work out, it'll be a hard decision to validate.
