The No. 10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has become a mystery for the Chicago Bears and fans alike. But rather than being in a tailspin, the Bears have put themselves in a position of strength entering the draft.
Offensive line was clear the team’s biggest need. Chicago went out and traded for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney before signing center Drew Dalman. With help needed defensively as well, the Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett to sizable contracts. Overall, Chicago made it to where they don’t have to draft for just need in the first-round. They can scour the board and take the best player available based on their evaluations.
But No. 10 will still be a precarious spot, just based on when all the top prospects go. But when it comes to players to avoid, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report has identified two in offensive lineman Tyler Booker and edge rusher James Pearce Jr. While the Bears have been connected to both players, Moton thinks drafting them in the first round would be a mistake.
When it comes to Booker, the lineman’s biggest red flag was his concerning combine performance.
“Even though general managers shouldn’t be worried about how fast a 350-pound offensive lineman runs a 40-yard dash, teams may see Booker’s lack of explosivity as an issue in getting out of his stance or beating a defender to a spot,” Moton wrote.
“When you juxtapose Booker’s uninspiring workouts with North Dakota State product Grey Zabel’s impressive showings going back to Senior Bowl week, teams should be wary of taking the Alabama product in the first round,” Moton concluded.
Tyler Booker may be risky pick for Chicago Bears
When it comes to how Booker fared at the combine, Ayrton Ostly broke it down in simplest terms.
“He had the second-slowest 40-yard dash among all offensive linemen at 5.38 seconds but had by far the slowest 10-yard split at 1.96 seconds. No other prospect was slower than 1.90 seconds. He was the only offensive lineman not to clear eight feet in the broad jump,” Ostly wrote. “He’s still considered a plug-and-play starter at guard but that lack of athleticism may limit which teams would consider using a first- or second-round pick on him.”
Booker was still a standout performer during his time at Alabama. He worked his way up to become a starter with the Crimson Tide, ultimately appearing in 38 games. Booker ended his time at Alabama as an All-American. While the Bears have Jackson and Thuney, Booker would give the team a player to build their future around. Thuney is set to be a free agent after 2025. Even if the Bears retain Thuney, Booker could be viewed as the guard of the future.
But his combine performance is certain to raise some eyebrows. And with the No. 10 overall pick being high value draft capital, it may be too high for the Bears to take a chance on Booker.
So could be James Pearce Jr
Pearce has been one of the many pass rushers Chicago has been tied to with the No. 10 overall pick. But Moton warns about Pearce’s character concerns being a problem. But so could be his play on the field.
“If teams have legitimate character concerns about Pearce, it could significantly impact his stock, but let’s focus on what talent evaluators can see on the field,” Moton wrote.
“One general manager pointed out that Pearce relies on his physical tools a lot more than technique and struggles to recognize the complexities of run-blocking schemes.”
“He doesn’t fight with his hands very well right now. You see the build, and the traits, his arm length, but you see him winning with those traits alone,” said one general manager via Sports Illustrated’s Caleb Sisk. “He has a hard time right now recognizing pullers, shrinking space and defeating blocks in the run game.”
“The anonymous general manager may have a valid point in why Pearce saw a slight drop off in production over the last two years. Though he made plays this past season, recording 38 tackles, 13 for loss and 7.5 sacks, some clubs may be concerned that the Tennessee product has reached his ceiling unless he works on his technique.”
“With rumors about Pearce’s demeanor and questionable upside, he’s a high-risk pick in the first round,” Moton concluded.
Pearce seemed to brush off any character concerns at the combine. However, questions are sure to come up during prospect meetings. If the cloud is too dark, the Bears might decide to pass.
On the field, Pearce appeared in 39 games during his time with Tennessee. He made 71 tackles, 30 of them coming for a loss, and 19.5 sacks. Pearce was named First-team All-SEC in both 2023 and 2024.
Even after signing Dayo Odeyingbo, the Bears are in need of more pass rusher. Adding more explosion next to Montez Sweat will only make Chicago a scarier opponent. But No. 10 is a valuable selection. And the Bears would be taking a gamble by drafting Pearce.
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