We’re kicking off a Bears draft roundtable.
We’ve had nearly a week to digest the entire Chicago Bears 2025 NFL Draft class, so we answered a few roundtable questions that we’ll share over the next few days.
Topic number one: Who was your favorite Bears draft pick?
After reading our answers to the topics, give us your answers in the comment section.
Sam Householder: Luther Burden III. I follow Mizzou pretty closely, and I loved watching him play. My brother, a Mizzou alum, was excitedly sharing his favorite Burden catches and highlights with me after the pick. He’s going to be a fun piece for Ben Johnson.
Bryan Orenchuk: Favorite draft pick has to be first-rounder Colston Loveland. His age, skillset, and positional versatility jump off the charts, and he will be the ultimate chess piece in Ben Johnson’s offense.
Jeff Berckes: Luther Burden III. Yes, value. Yes, another weapon. Yes, he’s got a cool name that sounds like a Bond villain. But more than all of that, the excitement in Jacob Infante’s voice when we recorded an instant reaction to the pick was the equivalent of an Infante food review of a Taco Bell special edition chalupa made with Kobe beef painted with gold leaf. The man was excited.
Mongo Peanut: The more I’ve watched and read, the more I feel like the Bears got a dude with Kyle Monangai. He’s a ferocious blocker, built like a wrecking ball, and feels like the perfect complement to the backfield in the short term, and a potential lead back in the long term.
Erik Duerrwaechter: Luther Burden III is an absolutely insane gift for the Bears in the 2nd round. But I think the selection of Shemar Turner later on was an even bigger steal. He was almost a lock to be an early first-round pick until he played through injuries in 2024. He is also the only DL prospect I can recall in years who not only lined up in all nine different techniques between 0 and wide 9, but also produced. His ferocity, explosive/violent feet, and get-off, and his twitchiness will make teams regret passing him for so long. That Bears DT corps between Shamar Turner, Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., and Andrew Billings is stacked on paper with a very high ceiling. Shemar Turner has Pro Bowl potential.
Josh Sunderbruch: Colston Loveland. I think he was the best offensive weapon on the board at the time Chicago drafted, and I think he has the potential to really create mismatches for opponents. He was one of the only players in the draft who I thought merited sticking at 10.
Dr. Mason West: If you asked me Saturday evening, it would have been Loveland, BUT after I got to watch the pressers, it has become Shemar Turner. The dude just has an infectious energy about him. All the “yes, sirs’ and “no, ma’ams’, the high energy, and his aggressive, violent mentality… just does something for me. Plus, I thought he fit as a player as I mocked him to the Bears in an episode of Bear Bones. His inside-out flexibility and high motor are beautiful. He has that dawg in him.
TJ Starman: I’ll go off the beaten path a bit and go with Zah Frazier. As a late-round pick, I think he was well worth the flyer as a lengthy DB who showed a knack for finding the ball this past season. I was really encouraged to hear that Al Harris pushed for the Bears to make this selection.
Jacob Infante: Mine would have to be Luther Burden III. Like Jeff alluded to so perfectly, I was extremely happy when the Bears selected Burden at No. 39. Having watched him develop as a player at Mizzou and having scouted him over the years, I saw a player with WR1 upside who can feast out of the slot with athleticism, play strength, ball skills and YAC ability.
Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: Colston toughed out the season with a shoulder injury he sustained in September, and he turned 21 just last month. There’s obviously a lot of upside with him as a receiver, but he’s a much better blocker than you think. As a rookie, he’ll spend most of his time off the line, but as he matures, he’ll be able to line up anywhere. He has the potential to be one of the best all-around tight ends in the game.