Bears 2025 NFL Draft takeaways: Newcomers reflect Ben Johnson’s vision, energy

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Defensive tackle Shemar Turner was the Bears’ fourth pick of the NFL Draft — and their third in the second round — but he quickly became a headliner with his news conferences. The relentlessness and edge he plays with came through in his words.

“It’s just a fire inside me — kill,” Turner said Friday night. “Take their lunch money because … offensive linemen really ain’t worth nothing, bro. They really can’t block me.”

The Bears want that attitude in the middle of their defense. They want that energy — and Turner has always been that way.

“To me, you can’t be a football player, especially a D-lineman, putting your nose in there, putting your hand in the dirt, if you ain’t got a little something to you, bro,” Turner said. “So you’ve always got to play with a little fire, with a little edge. I feel like that’s what makes football exciting, too.”

Confirmed: @TheShemarTurner is a Monster 😈 pic.twitter.com/uF0Hjug2fJ

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 26, 2025

At Halas Hall on Saturday, Turner explained why he’s excited to play with and learn from veteran Grady Jarrett, another new addition.

“He’s a dawg, bro,” Turner said. “He’s an animal. He’s not too big. He’s a guy that can pass rush. He’s quick as hell. He’s fast off the ball. His get-off is crazy. He’s a dude. There’s a reason why he’s been here so long.”

If Turner has a similar career to Grady’s, that will make him a major hit for general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears. He needs them, too. But with coach Ben Johnson at Poles’ side for the first time, this draft felt different from start to finish.

Best value pick

With the 56th and 62nd selections, taking offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo first was the smart choice. This year was deeper for defensive linemen. By taking Trapilo, the Bears beat the drop in tier for his position in the draft, especially when it came to the value and his place on the Bears’ board. Defensive tackle Shemar Turner came next at No. 62.

“Ozzy’s dependable, disciplined, technician, very intelligent,” Poles said. “He’s tough, strong. We look at lean mass for the bigs. He’s a very dense player that can get movement at the point of attack, anchor well. Tall player that needs to continue to bend, but he’s going to do a really good job. Just a very reliable player for us.”

As a second-round pick, Trapilo is here to push left tackle Braxton Jones and right tackle Darnell Wright. Trapilo played on both sides at Boston College. The Bears will see where everyone fits best in training camp, even if it means Wright sliding over to the left side.

Most surprising pick

It’s the selection of Utah State wide receiver Luther Burden III at No. 39 in the second round. The Bears’ decision even surprised Burden. He didn’t have much contact with the team during the pre-draft process. But Burden did connect with receivers coach/assistant head coach Antwaan Randle El. And when the 39th pick came up, Burden was clearly the best player on the Bears’ board.

“I am super excited to be a part of this organization and I am happy they believe in me,” Burden said on Saturday.

The other part of the surprise is his selection after tight end Colston Loveland in the first round. The Bears also have receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze and tight end Cole Kmet. But adding playmakers and difference-makers on offense was a priority for the Bears. The more they have, the better off they’ll be.

It’s on Johnson to spread the ball around.

“That’s something Ben and I have talked about,” Poles said. “I know that’s something he can handle, and he’s going to have conversations with the guys about just in terms of being selfless and doing what’s best for the team. You know, we’ve got to win football games, and I know that the more talent that you have on the team, the better your opportunity is to win games. We haven’t won a lot of games here, so, yeah, things might be a little bit different. You may not be the only person, but at the end of the day, the goal is for us to win.”

Biggest question mark

The biggest question will be a lingering one. Why did the Bears take Loveland over tight end Tyler Warren, whom the Colts took with the No. 14 pick?

“Both really good players,” Poles said. “There’s a lot of conversations there, back and forth. Tyler is going to be a great football player as well.”

That said, the Bears saw Loveland as a player who better complements Kmet but who also challenges defenses differently than Warren. Loveland’s ability to separate from defenders is what distinguished him. Senior director of player personnel Jeff King highlighted that on Thursday night.

“He has really good feel,” he said. “He has really good snap out of the top. He gets negative on cuts probably as well as any guy that I have been around.”

Loveland played receiver in high school before shifting to tight end and becoming a coveted recruit.

“He’s fast. He’s physical. But he’s explosive,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “He works at the top of his route a lot. I think (tight ends) coach Steve Casula really took his route-running to the next level. … (Loveland) was always good at creating separation, but he always found ways to get open when others couldn’t. I think it’s a credit to coach Casula but also a credit to Colston and his work ethic and what he’s done.”

Remaining needs

There are two positions to discuss: safety and running back. The Bears didn’t draft a safety. So that’s need No. 1. The Bears have Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker as their starters, but that could change quickly. Byard is in the final year of his contract, while Brisker has a history of concussions.

Running back seemed like a position the Bears would address under Johnson. They just waited until their final pick of the draft, taking Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai in the seventh round at No. 233. He joins a room with D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer and Ian Wheeler.

Got our Monangai 😤 pic.twitter.com/PGdSDI2dC4

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 26, 2025

But could the Bears have done better? That’s another lingering question. What happened early on Day 2 is noteworthy. The Patriots drafted Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson at No. 38. The Bears took Burden with the next pick and then traded back from No. 41.

This was a deep year for running backs, including Monangai. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season and a two-time team captain. He surpassed 1,200 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons.

“Everyone is telling me how blessed I am to be under a Ben Johnson-run team,” Monangai said.

Post-draft outlook

On paper, the Bears look like a different and better team, particularly on offense. Johnson has a lot to work with after everything the Bears have done this offseason. Their skill positions appear loaded with Moore, Odunze and Burden at receiver, Loveland and Kmet at tight end and Swift at running back. The Bears’ offensive line room now includes Trapilo and Newman, but guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and center Drew Dalman remain the most important additions.

Johnson and his coaching staff have a lot to figure out, from their best starting five up front to the distribution of the ball to what personnel groupings work best for quarterback Caleb Williams in the passing game.

But that’s why Johnson is here. He was a coveted coaching candidate because of his offensive acumen and play-calling brilliance. He has an offense to build around Williams, and now he has more players — exciting ones with varied skill sets — to work with offensively.

(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

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