ESPN’s revised 2025 draft has the Bears taking a different direction with the 39th overall pick in Round 2.
ESPN's recent redo of the 2025 NFL Draft reimagined the Chicago Bears' second-round decision at No. 39 overall that misses the mark. By a lot. In the revised scenario, ESPN's Courtney Cronin swaps out wide receiver Luther Burden III for running back Quinshon Judkins.
Here's the full rationale ESPN provided:. "Chicago eyed a running back on Day 2 but couldn't get the Patriots to budge one spot and instead took Burden. That was a terrific pick, but with Burden not available, Judkins could have filled a significant need in the backfield. He rushed 230 times for 827 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025."The problem with this pick isn't Judkins. He's a tough, productive runner who carved out real value as the Cleveland Browns' starting running back. But it dismisses the upside and positional value that Burden possesses, especially with how the Bears' running backs performed in 2025."Luther Burden is at 2.82 YPRR as a rookie. That is the most in the modern era for a rookie Wide Receiver." 🐻As for Burden, he fits the mold of the modern NFL wideout who can separate, win after the catch, stress coverage horizontally and vertically, and has a force-mulitiplying effect for his teammates. He's not just a receiver for Ben Johnson; he's an offensive weapon.Burden's role in Chicago will expand mightily in 2026. There's a chance that DJ Moore won't be a Bear in 2026, and even if he is, his reps won't be the same as they have been, and that's because Burden is just too good to keep off the field.already smashing a home run with Monangai is... foolish. If the Bears' goal is to maximize Caleb Williams' upside, keeping Burden as that pick is the"At the time, many questioned why the Bears drafted Loveland over Tyler Warren, who had significantly more receiving production at Penn State," Cronin wrote. "That feeling lingered until Loveland's breakout performance against the Bengals in Week 9, which proved he was the right pick for Ben Johnson's system. The former Michigan tight end finished as Chicago's leader in receptions and receiving yards and was tied for the team lead with six touchdowns."How Caleb Williams’ Breakout Changes the Chicago Bears’ All-Time QB RankingsBryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.
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