The margin for error was small. GM Ryan Poles knew he couldn't afford any careless mistakes. With only four picks when the action kicked off, the Chicago Bears had to be deliberate with every decision they made. After three days of work, including a trade that netted them a fifth pick, the team came away with a group of players they're thrilled about. Poles believes they've put together a class that has a chance to be a big help to this team, both now and in the near future. Initial returns from the draft community are exciting.
Most gave the Bears' class A grades. While some didn't like its small size, most agreed it was a group high on quality. One person went a step further. Dane Brugler of The Athletic is among the most respected draft experts in the field. He's notorious for his remarkably detailed evaluations. He went through every single draft class this year, ranking them from #1 to #32. Familiar names like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Detroit filled out the top five.
However, one stood alone at the top.
1. Chicago Bears
Favorite pick: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Obviously, teams with multiple early-round picks have a decided advantage for this exercise over those with fewer selections. But the Bears aren’t No. 1 merely because they had two top-10 picks. They’re here because of what they did with those picks — and I went back and forth on my “favorite” between Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze. The answer, though, has to be the quarterback who can be a franchise-changing player for Chicago. I am also a fan of third-round OT Kiran Amegadjie, who has the talent to be Chicago’s left tackle of the future.
Day 3 pick who could surprise: Austin Booker, Edge, Kansas
Chicago only had two Day 3 choices, and I’m not going to pick the punter (Tory Taylor). The Bears used a 2025 fourth-round pick to trade back into this draft (at No. 144) and scoop up Booker, who easily could have been drafted on Day 2. Although he isn’t ready for a meaningful role as a rookie, Booker has the promising pass-rush savvy to be a steal when we look back at this selection in two or three years.
The Chicago Bears made the most of their opportunity.
They got the best quarterback in the class, according to most experts, including Brugler. Caleb Williams has franchise-altering ability. Then, for good measure, they gave him a legitimate #1 wide receiver in Rome Odunze, who might be the third-best player on the team going into this season because of D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. Kiran Amegadjie needs time to learn the speed and complexity of the NFL after playing in the Ivy League, but his talent is 1st round-caliber. That punter Brugler didn't want to talk about is Tory Taylor, a prospect many feel is one of the best to come out of college in years.
As for Austin Booker, he's been drawing comparisons to Maxx Crosby. His body isn't ready for the NFL yet, but a year with the Bears training staff will change that. If he continues to show the rapid progress he did at Kansas, he could be a legitimate pass rusher for this team. Poles should be proud of what he accomplished. This roster is completely unrecognizable from where it was two years ago. There is at least one Pro Bowl-caliber talent in every position group. If health prevails and the young guys step up, this team should compete for the playoffs.
