3 Bears players earn first-round grades in 2025 redraft

The 2025 NFL Draft is less than a year old, and while it's way too early to firmly judge each team's picks, it appears the Chicago Bears found themselves with multiple high-end starters and contributors. General manager Ryan Poles was able to hit on selections from each day of the draft, adding to the team's foundation that helped them go 11-6 and capture the NFC North in 2025.

People around the league clearly took notice, as a few of those players likely would be selected much higher than they were a year ago. Last week, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic did a redraft of the last year's first round, and he had not one, not two, but three Bears players going on Day 1.

Tight end Colston Loveland, wide receiver Luther Burden III, and tackle Ozzy Trapilo would all be first-round selections with Baumgardner's hindsight. Loveland would still go to the Bears at No. 10. "This was my favorite pick of Round 1 last spring, and it remains so today," Baumgardner writes. "An absolutely perfect fit for Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, Loveland is built for the modern game. He is among the best tight ends we’ve scouted over the last five years." Loveland led the Bears with 713 receiving yards and scored six touchdowns at just 21 years old.

Trapilo, meanwhile, jumps first-round tackles such as Josh Conerly and Josh Simmons to go No. 27 to the Baltimore Ravens, who originally selected safety Malaki Starks. "His seven starts down the stretch, including in a wild-card win over Green Bay, were outstanding," Baumgardner says. "He’s going to miss a bunch of time in 2026 as he rehabs a patellar tendon injury, but I’m eager to see his return." Trapilo's future is up in the air due to the aforementioned torn patellar tendon, but his stock was rising steadily before the injury.