🔥 HOT NEWS: Bears rookies are making waves, proving fans were wrong to doubt Ryan Poles’ vision for the franchise ⚡. DH
Fans of the Chicago Bears may have been too quick to judge their general manager.
General manager Ryan Poles didn’t get a lot of love for his 2025 NFL draft class back in April, and not without reason. After beefing up the offensive line in free agency, including a massive trade for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, most NFL analysts and fans pointed to the running back room as Chicago’s biggest position of need in the upcoming draft.
However, Poles did not address this position with his first pick, nor any of his multiple second-round picks. Instead, the Bears selected Kyle Monangai in the seventh round, a relatively unknown running back from Rutgers. This didn’t sit well with the fans or analysts. Making matters worse, quite a few running backs from this draft class were expected to dominate in the NFL and transform their team’s backfield, like Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty, who went to Las Vegas.
But there’s a reason why we wait before grading a draft. After 13 weeks of football, Monangai is looking like the best running back from his class despite not being picked until the 233rd selection. He’s averaging 4.9 yards per rush attempt, which is tied for sixth-best out of all running backs in 2025 and is the best mark for all rookie running backs. His five touchdowns are tied for second-most among rookies.
What makes these numbers especially good is how far ahead of the top of the class Monangai is. Jeanty, for instance, is averaging a paltry 3.6 yards per carry in Las Vegas, and Quinshon Judkins is at 3.9 for Cleveland.
Monangai isn’t even the only rookie who’s making his boss look brilliant. Tight end Colston Loveland had a rough start to his season, dealing with injuries and precious few targets. Adding insult to injury, the next tight end drafted after him, Tyler Warren, was lighting the league on fire. However, in their previous five games, Loveland is outgaining Warren by 291 yards to 246, and five touchdowns to one for Warren. He’s even earned a glowing review from a former NFL tight end.
In the words of the beloved Billy Mays, but wait, there’s more! Ozzy Trapilo, a second-round offensive tackle out of Boston College, has been called up in back-to-back weeks to start at left tackle in place of the injured Theo Benedet, and he looks like the final piece to what could become the best offensive line in the NFL.
To be clear, it’s still too early to accurately grade any of these rookies. The general rule of thumb in the NFL is to give players three seasons before making any conclusions. But early returns on Poles’ 2025 class are great, flying in the face of many initial reactions around the NFL. The general manager of the Chicago Bears just might know what he’s doing, after all, and it’s time for the fans to give him the credit he’s due.
