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The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the start of what’s expected to be an exciting 2024 season, where No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams will look to rewrite the tortured quarterback history in Chicago.
While the 2024 season hasn’t gotten underway yet, it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the 2025 NFL draft, where the Bears have three picks in the first two rounds (including their own first-round selection, to be determined).
ESPN’s Matt Miller released an early 2025 mock draft, where he has Chicago selecting Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams with the 17th overall pick (an indication the Bears could be playoff contenders this season).
General manager Ryan Poles has done a masterful job rebuilding the roster in Chicago, but the defensive line could use someone such as Williams. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound junior has experience playing both inside and outside alignments, but his future is off the edge in the pros. His nine sacks in two seasons of rotational work point to the impact he can make with full-time reps in 2024. Williams’ combination of power and a sudden first-step could get him drafted in the top 10.
Williams, who has versatility along the defensive line, is considered one of the top edge rusher prospects in this 2025 draft class, although he’s got a long way to go to prove himself during the 2024 season.
It’s no secret that one of the team’s biggest weaknesses is the defensive line, especially edge rusher. Montez Sweat, who Chicago acquired at the trade deadline last year, is the only proven guy on the roster. The Bears need to find a long-term answer alongside Sweat to maximize the defense, a unit that could very well already be a top-10 unit in 2024.