When Ben Johnson was hired as the Chicago Bears’ next head coach, it didn’t just mark a fresh start for Chicago, it signaled a shift in how the franchise evaluates and acquires talent. Johnson and his staff wasted no time making their imprint, working closely with general manager Ryan Poles and the scouting department to define exactly what they wanted at every position.
Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune highlighted how Poles and Johnson constructed—and stuck with—their first draft board together.
“He was as disciplined as I’ve ever seen in terms of staying true to how we set it up,” Johnson said regarding Poles’ approach.
Let the Board “Speak to Us”
GettyBears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden is looking to prove the doubters wrong.
Hammond detailed how Poles was happy with how the Bears let their board and all the predraft work with Johnson spoke to them. Many fans were filled with mixed emotions when the Bears drafted Colston Loveland in the first round, yet Poles felt that the board “told them to go with Loveland.”
The Bears continued to follow this philosophy throughout the draft, leading to some wild selections. Instead of panicking and trading up for one of the Ohio State running backs, Poles sat and watched Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III fall into his lap. He called Burden the “clear” best player remaining on their board, and many analysts agreed it was a fantastic pick.
In fact, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller released his rankings on the 100 best picks, steals, and fits in the 2025 NFL Draft, labeling Burden as the best selection in the entire draft.
“Burden was my top wide receiver in the class (I’m counting Travis Hunter as a two-way player), and he landed in a great situation with the Bears and new coach Ben Johnson. Burden’s yards-after-catch ability is terrific, and Johnson’s scheme has been elite at creating space for wide receivers. Burden likely starts as a slot receiver with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze flanking him, but he thrived in that alignment at Missouri.”
Poles reflected on the process, saying, “Ben and I spent a lot of time watching these players. Our scouts did a great job identifying them, and then we talked about how they fit and what we’re trying to do if the opportunity popped up to select them.”
Addressing the Running Back Controversy
Sometimes, when a team sticks to their draft board and goes with the ‘best-player-available’ mindset, it could lead to a failure in addressing other areas of concern.
Hammond mentioned how a reporter asked Bears’ assistant GM Ian Cunningham about the running back position, and here’s what he had to say:
“The value is if he’s a playmaker and a really good player, you take the really good player. That’s the beauty of our process. Our philosophy is best player available.”
There were plenty of pre-draft rumors suggesting the Bears were aggressively trying to trade up to select Boise State star Ashton Jeanty. NFL insider Diana Russini reported that Chicago was among several teams making calls to move up, likely targeting Jeanty.
In a draft where fans assumed the Bears would draft a running back early, the team didn’t one until the seventh round, where they took Kyle Monangai with the 233rd overall pick.
“Sometimes you want to pick for need, but we didn’t necessarily do that,” Johnson said. “I feel really good about the direction we went and every decision we made along the way.”
It might have looked like an untraditional draft for the Bears, but only time will tell if their new philosophy will pay off.
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