Bears NFL Mock Draft: Miller, McDonald or Parker at No. 25?

The Chicago Bears head into Thursday’s NFL Draft targeting specific gaps in their starting lineup for the first time under general manager Ryan Poles, a shift that signals the rebuild has entered a new phase.

Gone are the days of simply stockpiling talent on a hollowed-out roster. Poles now has a functioning team and real holes to fill, with left tackle, defensive tackle, and defensive end sitting at the top of the priority list heading into the draft at pick No. 25 in the first round and Nos. 57 and 60 in the second.

Three names keep surfacing in mock draft projections as the most likely Bears picks when that 25th slot arrives. The Chicago Sun-Times projects Blake Miller, Kayden McDonald, and T.J. Parker as the realistic options depending on how the first 24 picks fall.

The Bears also need a starting safety, a long-term answer at center, and depth at cornerback and wide receiver, but those positions are more likely to be addressed in the third round or later. That makes the first two rounds almost entirely about the line of scrimmage, both offensive and defensive.

This draft represents a maturation of sorts for the Poles front office. His early drafts at Halas Hall were triage operations, pulling the franchise out of a multi-year talent drain. This year is different.

Different. And higher-stakes.

The mock draft projects Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza going first overall to the Raiders, where coach Klint Kubiak and new ownership under Tom Brady give him a stable landing spot. Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese goes second to the Jets, who are widely considered far enough from contention that they’ll likely hold a top pick again next year to draft a quarterback. Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey falls to the Cardinals at three, another team without urgent quarterback pressure.

The Titans grab Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at four, pairing him with last year’s top pick Cam Ward at quarterback. The Giants take Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa at five to protect Jaxson Dart, who was sacked at a rate ranking among the NFL’s worst last season. The Commanders land USC wide receiver Makai Lemon at seven.

By the time the board reaches No. 25, the Bears’ options will depend heavily on how the edge rusher and tackle positions get depleted in the top 10. If Parker, a pass rusher, falls that far, the Bears get a potential starter opposite their current defensive end. If McDonald, a safety-linebacker hybrid, is available, he addresses a secondary that has lacked a true enforcer. Miller, an offensive lineman, speaks directly to the left tackle need.

The Bears’ front office has not said publicly which player they prefer, and that silence is intentional. Teams almost never telegraph their first-round intentions this close to the draft. What Poles has said, in general terms across the offseason, is that the Bears want to build through the trenches.

That philosophy tracks with this projection. Four of the first five picks in the mock are offensive or defensive linemen and edge rushers, reflecting a league-wide premium on line play that the Bears can’t afford to ignore at 25. Chicago’s offensive line allowed pressure at a rate that ranked in the bottom third of the league last season, putting pressure on quarterback Caleb Williams before his supporting cast had a chance to develop around him.

The Bears hold three picks in the first two rounds, which gives Poles flexibility. If a run on edge rushers clears the board early, he can pivot to tackle or defensive tackle in round one and still find pass rush in round two. If tackle runs dry, Parker at 25 becomes more attractive.

Draft night starts Thursday in Green Bay, and Chicago’s pick at No. 25 will come in the first session. The second-round picks at 57 and 60 follow Friday. According to the NFL’s official draft order, the Bears have no picks in the top 24, so there’s no trade-up leverage built into the current projection.

Whoever Poles takes, the Bears enter this draft with something they didn’t have in his first three April selections: a clear picture of what a starting lineup looks like, and a short, specific list of what it still needs.