Chicago Bears blasted for late round draft decision

By day three of the 2025 NFL Draft, every pick becomes a dart throw. There’s a reason each player has fallen down the board, and each one has traits that will appear to various franchises. The Chicago Bears weren’t alone in trying to find any late draft value.

Still, it’s important to not go too far off the beaten path, even as the draft is coming to a close. Teams must stick to the projections and add the best talent available. Even if they won’t make an immediate impact, perhaps you can find a key contributor for the future.

After using the No. 195 overall pick on the guard, Chicago is hoping Luke Newman blossoms into a solid depth piece on the interior of the offensive line. However, Pro Football Focus has sent the Bears fair warning. While there may be upside at play, the fact remains that Newman ranked No. 340 on their big board. The fact the Bears took him at No. 195 qualified as one of the biggest reaches on day three.

“After two FCS All-American seasons at Holy Cross, Newman was able to make a smooth transition to the Big Ten,” PFF wrote. “Despite the jump in competition, Newman was up to the challenge, as he didn’t have a single game where his PFF grade went below 60.0.”

Luke Newman gives Chicago Bears interior lineman project 

Following their Ben Johnson hire, the Bears got to work completely revamping their offensive line. They traded for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney while signing center Drew Dalman. After leading the league in sacks with 68 in 2024, Chicago is doing everything in their power to ensure a massive improvement.

Newman will join a wide net of players looking to back up all three players on the interior. Names like Ryan Bates, Doug Kramer and Bill Murray will all be battling for opportunities during training camp. Newman must prove he is worth the squeeze on the 53-man roster, or he could begin his NFL tenure on the practice squad.

The guard begin his college career at Holy Cross, where he appeared in 37 games, making 34 starts. He was a named First-team FCS All-American in 2023, earning First-team All Patriot honors all three seasons on campus.

But entering his final year of college football, Newman decided to take a chance on himself and transfer to Michigan State. The moved proved to be successful, as he started all 12 games for the Spartans. Playing against stiffer competition fully put Newman on the map and sold the Bears on adding him to his offensive line.

Johnson has meticulously crafted his offense since joining the Bears. There’s a reason he targeted Newman in the sixth-round. While he may not fit the mold of what the NFL expects of their guards, Johnson clearly sees the vision with Newman. It’ll take some fine chiseling to get Newman up to league standards. But Chicago’s lead man thinks it is worth the effort.

All eyes will be on the Bears’ offensive line in 2025. More specifically, everyone will be seeing how many times Caleb Williams gets sacked during his sophomore campaign. Newman may not have the opportunity to make much of a difference as a rookie. But Johnson and Chicago are at least hoping to set a strong example of their offensive line expectations moving forward.