For the first time since 2022, the Chicago Bears enter the offseason without the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

General manager Ryan Poles should feel good about the picks he does have, though, starting at No. 10, and then two second-round picks.

Our pre-combine mock draft, like every one that follows, will be an exercise in how many starting offensive and defensive linemen can Poles add. The needs are obvious. The strength of the draft lines up. Draft picks are opportunities, Poles likes to say, and the Bears have three opportunities in the first 41 picks to build up the trenches.

It’s very early. Ten scouting services will have 10 different big boards. We have no idea where anyone will get drafted — unlike last year, when we felt pretty good about who was going No. 1. What we do know is that the Bears have to get better at protecting Caleb Williams, and affecting the opposing quarterback. Here’s our first attempt at laying out a 2025 Bears draft class, the first one with Ben Johnson as head coach.

Note: Until the compensatory picks are released, we won’t know the exact draft slots for the Bears in Rounds 4-7.

Round 1, Pick 10

In my scenario, Will Campbell is gone by No. 10, but the Bears may have lucked out as Graham slips to No. 10 and Poles takes the best player available. The defensive line also needs an influx of blue-chip talent, and our colleague Dane Brugler called Graham one of the “safest” picks in the draft. Think about what Graham and Gervon Dexter could do on the interior, with Andrew Billings rotating through. This would allow defensive coordinator Dennis Allen a lot of flexibility and a player who can help collapse the pocket, while Poles gets a prospect with a high floor.

Well, in my scenario, Campbell is available for the Bears at No. 10. Peter Skoronski “fell” to No. 11 last year because of his less-than-ideal arm length. The same can happen to Campbell, despite him being an All-American and the consistency he displayed at LSU. The Bears need more help at guard with Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright at tackle. Campbell can be plugged in immediately as a starter. Brugler rated him as his No. 6 prospect in the entire draft.

Round 2, Pick 39 (from Panthers)

It might be a coup if Conerly dropped to the top of Round 2, but if he did, he could vie to start at left tackle. He had an impressive Senior Bowl, earning the title of best offensive lineman in Mobile. He comes from an Oregon program that has had a prolific offense and been one of the best teams in the country. The Bears might have a nice situation at left tackle if Braxton Jones returns healthy, and if they like the development of Kiran Amegadjie. Throw in Conerly and you’ve got a strong competition and maybe someone who becomes a trade chip.

This is a good year to find a pass rusher. Brugler has 17 edge rushers listed in his top 100, including several who could be available early on Day 2 of the draft. My decision here was Sawyer or J.T. Tuimoloau, a teammate at Ohio State. The Bears can’t go wrong with either player. There are other rushers to consider, too. In Sawyer, the Bears would get a team captain who made big plays in big moments. Ohio State will never forget his sack and scoop-and-score against Texas. The Buckeyes listed him at 6-5 and 260 pounds.

Jack Sawyer – a Columbus native… Ryan Day’s first recruit… former roommate of Quinn Ewers… the 5 star who stayed home delivers the final nail to send Ohio State to the National Championship. Pretty incredible.

Round 2, Pick 41

A repeat from my Bears Senior Bowl mock draft as this makes a lot of sense at this juncture of the draft. The Bears can get a starting center (or guard) at No. 41, and Zabel proved himself very well in Mobile facing top competition. I do think the Bears should re-sign Matt Pryor as a swing guard or tackle and maybe even Coleman Shelton … as a backup center, or they have Ryan Bates. The depth could be there, but Zabel would give them — they’d hope — a long-term center to pair with Caleb Williams.

Another pass rusher? You bet. Spending money in free agency and drafting Campbell in the first round will improve the Bears’ offensive line. That should leave the draft for the defensive line. Looking at the Saints’ draft history, Allen seems to prefer big defensive ends: Marcus Davenport (6-6, 265 pounds) in 2018, Payton Turner (6-6, 270 pounds) in 2021 and Isaiah Foskey (6-5, 270 pounds) in 2023. At the Senior Bowl, Jackson measured in at 6-5 1/2 and 273 pounds with 33 ⅝-inch arms. Jackson had 6 1/2 sacks in each of the past two seasons.

Round 3, Pick 72

The Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs No. 12 overall, so can we really rule out Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty in Round 1? Maybe, considering the needs up front, but this is both a good draft for backs and a time when the Bears need to add to their backfield. Henderson is a home run hitter who might make it to Round 3 because of his injury history. If the Bears’ doctors give it the OK, he’d be an asset for Johnson.

The TreVeyon Henderson screen TD was more than just speed and poor defensive design.

You have to prepare for all scenarios. What if Trey Smith sticks with the Chiefs? What should the Bears do? They should still spend on their offensive line in free agency. But taking multiple swings on linemen in the draft will help, too. It’s not considered a deep year for offensive linemen. So it makes sense to keep some in mind for the third round. Ratledge was a three-year starter and team captain at Georgia who earned third-team All-America honors for his 2024 season.

Round 5

One of the Senior Bowl standouts, Oladejo put an exclamation point on an already impressive week by recording two sacks in the Senior Bowl itself. In the practices, his get-off caught my eye a few times as he was able to burst past offensive tackles. This mock draft doesn’t fully address the need at defensive end, so it’d have to be addressed in free agency, but Oladejo can be part of the pipeline.

Harvey had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl, which included throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass in the game. He also showcased his speed and route running in Mobile. When you add his college production, this feels too low for him to go in the draft. You never know, though. Teams do value running backs differently. What I do know is that Johnson will be looking closely at what’s widely considered a deep and talented running back class — and Harvey just might have the skills he wants.