There’s been a lot of emphasis on the offensive line for the Chicago Bears this offseason. They hired Ben Johnson to be their new head coach, which comes with pressure to get the offense going in the right direction with Caleb Williams under center.
They have already done a good job addressing the problem on the offensive line through trades and free agency. That doesn’t mean they should be done, but it does leave room to spend draft picks on other positions, as well.
The second biggest need coming into the offseason was the defensive line, which was addressed with the free agent signings of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. We’ve already examined some potential edge rushers for the Bears, which means it’s time to focus on the interior.
There are no shortage of options at defensive tackle for Chicago to consider in this draft, including a pair of Michigan Wolverines, who would be big assets to the defensive line. With that in mind, here are the top five.
1. Mason Graham, Michigan
Mason Graham is the guy worth trading up for on this list as it’s hard to imagine him falling to 10th overall. He’s a dominant interior defender who knows how to get after the quarterback, and he’d elevate any defensive line in a big way. Graham could be had if Ryan Poles is willing to use some of his other draft capital and No. 10 pick to move into the top-six range.
2. Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Kenneth Grant is someone to think about if Chicago either trades back in the first or trades back into the first round using some of their second-round capital. For chaos-creating defensive linemen, you have to pay sometimes. Grant is a disruptor who knows how to get into the backfield, and he’s difficult to move in the run game.
3. Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Derrick Harmon could go in the later stages of the first round, or he could be a Day 2 pick early on. He had a breakout year with the Ducks, nothing the most pressures by a defensive tackle (55) and was second in pressure rate by a defensive tackle (10.7%). The Bears have the draft picks they need to get him if they see him as a great disruptor in the NFL.
4. Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Walter Nolen is someone who edges the line of a first and second round pick. He will either go very late on Day 1 or very early on Day 2. Nolen is an explosive interior pass rusher with an incredibly high ceiling. Guys like this can be X-factors on Super Bowl-winning teams, and he would be a good option for Chicago.
5. Darius Alexander, Toledo
Could the Chicago Bears look to the MAC to draft a defensive lineman? Look no further than Darius Alexander, who can be a disruptive pass rusher. He will go in the second round as he looks to prove that he can play with the best. Guys who are hungry like that could go a long way by playing the right way as hard as they can.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft: 5 defensive tackles for Chicago Bears
There’s been a lot of emphasis on the offensive line for the Chicago Bears this offseason. They hired Ben Johnson to be their new head coach, which comes with pressure to get the offense going in the right direction with Caleb Williams under center.
They have already done a good job addressing the problem on the offensive line through trades and free agency. That doesn’t mean they should be done, but it does leave room to spend draft picks on other positions, as well.
The second biggest need coming into the offseason was the defensive line, which was addressed with the free agent signings of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. We’ve already examined some potential edge rushers for the Bears, which means it’s time to focus on the interior.
There are no shortage of options at defensive tackle for Chicago to consider in this draft, including a pair of Michigan Wolverines, who would be big assets to the defensive line. With that in mind, here are the top five.
1. Mason Graham, Michigan
Mason Graham is the guy worth trading up for on this list as it’s hard to imagine him falling to 10th overall. He’s a dominant interior defender who knows how to get after the quarterback, and he’d elevate any defensive line in a big way. Graham could be had if Ryan Poles is willing to use some of his other draft capital and No. 10 pick to move into the top-six range.
2. Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Kenneth Grant is someone to think about if Chicago either trades back in the first or trades back into the first round using some of their second-round capital. For chaos-creating defensive linemen, you have to pay sometimes. Grant is a disruptor who knows how to get into the backfield, and he’s difficult to move in the run game.
3. Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Derrick Harmon could go in the later stages of the first round, or he could be a Day 2 pick early on. He had a breakout year with the Ducks, nothing the most pressures by a defensive tackle (55) and was second in pressure rate by a defensive tackle (10.7%). The Bears have the draft picks they need to get him if they see him as a great disruptor in the NFL.
4. Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Walter Nolen is someone who edges the line of a first and second round pick. He will either go very late on Day 1 or very early on Day 2. Nolen is an explosive interior pass rusher with an incredibly high ceiling. Guys like this can be X-factors on Super Bowl-winning teams, and he would be a good option for Chicago.
5. Darius Alexander, Toledo
Could the Chicago Bears look to the MAC to draft a defensive lineman? Look no further than Darius Alexander, who can be a disruptive pass rusher. He will go in the second round as he looks to prove that he can play with the best. Guys who are hungry like that could go a long way by playing the right way as hard as they can.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft: 5 defensive tackles for Chicago Bears
