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Caleb Williams will have plenty of options in his receiving core.
Following the selection of a tight end similar to Sam LaPorta with their 10th overall pick, the Chicago Bears leveraged their first pick on Friday to acquire University of Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, whom Pro Football Focus rated as the second-best wide receiver in this year’s draft.
Joined by Michigan’s Colston Loveland, Burden enhances an impressive lineup that includes DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and Olamide Zaccheaus—amounting to six potential receivers who could surpass 50 receptions in the 2025 season. All of these players remain under team control until at least 2027, along with Williams.
Louis Riddick, an ESPN analyst with experience as a pro personnel director for multiple NFL teams, expressed enthusiasm for the strategic moves made by Bears general manager Ryan Poles and new head coach Ben Johnson.
“Chicago is poised for a breakout,” Riddick remarked after Burden was picked 39th overall. “If you think about what Ben Johnson did with Amon-Ra St. Brown in Detroit, Burden fits that mold. His versatility allows him to excel in various roles—he can stretch the field and dominate the middle. Chicago has assembled a wealth of talent; now it’s up to them to make it all come together.”
Analyst Booger McFarland echoed this sentiment, stating, “They’re making it easier for Caleb Williams to succeed.”
Bears fans may be cautiously optimistic, however. Past experiences have tempered their enthusiasm; they entered Williams’ rookie season with hope only to watch a promising 4-2 start spiral into a disappointing 5-12 finish, partly due to Williams’ struggles under pressure.
Poles was anticipated to draft a left tackle with his high picks, but the draft unfolded differently. Credit should go to the Bears for orchestrating a trade with Buffalo that netted them an additional second-round pick, enabling them to have four selections within the first two rounds—the most of any team this year.
After selecting Burden, the Bears continued by adding tackle Ozzy Trapilo and defensive tackle Shemar Turner to their roster. They still possess three additional picks for Saturday’s rounds, including the fourth, fifth, and seventh. A running back may come next, as the team looks for a competitor alongside D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson.
Three of the first nine picks in the first round were offensive tackles, highlighting a perceived drop-off in talent after Will Campbell, Armand Membou, and Kelvin Banks Jr.
Poles had a keen interest in acquiring a running back with one of his earlier selections. However, he missed out on Ashton Jeanty, who was taken by Las Vegas, as well as North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, snatched by the Chargers. Speculation suggests the Bears might have aimed for one of the Ohio State running backs, TreVeyon Henderson or Quinshon Judkins, but both were selected before the Bears’ turn arrived.
Poles held the seventh and ninth spots in the second round but saw both Judkins and Henderson go off the board, picked by Cleveland and New England, respectively, prior to the Bears’ selection.
Rather than following the Burden pick with highly regarded tackle Aireontae Ersary at 41st overall, the Bears traded down 15 spots with Buffalo. This maneuver allowed Chicago to convert a third-round pick into a second-rounder at 62 and elevate a seventh-rounder into a higher fourth-round selection (109). Buffalo then made their choice by selecting South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders.
With Ersary no longer available—he was chosen 48th by Houston—the Bears opted for Boston College’s Trapilo at 56 and then returned for Texas A&M’s Turner at 62.
Standing 6-8 and weighing 309 pounds, Trapilo might be thrust into action at left tackle if Braxton Jones isn’t fully recovered from the leg injury he sustained last December. Trapilo will face competition for the position from second-year player Kiram Amegadjie during training camp.
PFF acknowledges Trapilo as one of the top 10 tackles in the draft, citing his versatility and football intelligence, suggesting he could be a reliable “swing tackle.” His selection may pay off as the Bears look to bolster their offensive line.
Turner will infuse youthful energy into the defense alongside veterans like Grady Jarrett and Andrew Billings, posing a challenge for Zaach Pickens, who was drafted in the third round last year.
However, the highlight of this draft for the Bears is Burden, marking the second time in two drafts that Poles has picked a wide receiver in the first or second round. Burden was a highly sought-after recruit in 2022, eventually choosing Missouri to remain near his St. Louis roots.
Though he’s listed at 5-11, Burden’s remarkable athletic ability makes him a formidable wide receiver. He turned down basketball scholarships from prestigious programs to focus solely on football. His best season at Missouri came in 2023, where he recorded 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns, following up with 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns in 2024.
Dane Brugler from The Athletic ranked Burden third among wide receivers in the draft, commending his physicality, balance reminiscent of a running back, and ability to make defenders miss with sharp cuts.
PFF describes him as a “five-tool” athlete suitable for the receiver position, drawing comparisons to Deebo Samuel. This adds an exciting dimension to the Bears’ offense, complementing established talent in Moore and promising potential in Odunze, who impressed with 54 catches and 734 yards last season.
Traditionally, the Bears have not been known for an expansive offensive strategy, but the landscape appears to be shifting under the current management.
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