ESPN gives major recognition to multiple Chicago Bears rookies

It’s one thing to have a good rookie class. It’s another to have one of the best rookie classes in the NFL. And that may just be what the Chicago Bears have thanks to the work of GM Ryan Poles and his scouting department.

The Bears’ 2025 NFL Draft haul could go down as one for the history books.

It kicked off at No. 10 overall with the selection of tight end Colston Loveland, and continued in the second round with the selections of wide receiver Luther Burden III, left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, and the unfortunately injured defensive lineman, Shemar Turner.

That’s three core starters — and possibly four — that the Bears added in the first two rounds. And it didn’t stop there.

Running back Kyle Monangai was arguably the 2025 NFL draft’s biggest steal; the Bears snagged him in the seventh round, and he’s tracking to finish this season among the NFL’s rookie rushing leaders.

MORE: Studs and duds from Bears’ gut-wrenching Week 17 loss to 49ers

It’s all amounted to ESPN acknowledging the work Poles did on their 2025 All-Rookie Team.

Burden was a first-teamer, and Loveland earned second-team honors. Monangai almost made the cut, too.

Luther Burden and Colston Loveland as good as advertised

“It took time for Burden to get a foothold in Ben Johnson’s thick and detailed playbook, but as the game has slowed down for him, he has cashed in on his opportunities and carved out a bigger role, culminating with his career-best 138-yard performance Sunday night against the 49ers,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote. “Burden has run at least 16 routes in every game since the Bears’ Week 5 bye after never running more than 12 before it. In seven games post-bye, he has snagged 31 of 41 targets for 446 yards — that’s a 17-game pace of 75 catches on 100 targets for 1,083 yards.”

Burden put his game-changing skill set on display in Week 17. He may have taken the torch as the Bears’ WR1 moving forward, too.

Indeed, Rome Odunze has missed time due to a foot injury, creating an opportunity for more reps for Burden. He made the most of them and has done more over the last few weeks than Odunze has in his first two seasons.

As for Loveland, he was unseated by Harold Fannin (Cleveland Browns) for first-team honors. However, there’s no doubt Poles and the Bears made the right call selecting him over Tyler Warren.

“I had the Colts’ Tyler Warren in this spot until Sunday night, when Loveland posted a quality six-catch, 94-yard performance,” Solak wrote. “It’s razor-thin between the two first-rounders. Were it not for Warren’s quarterbacking situation going down the drain, he’d likely still take this spot. Loveland has the edge as a blocker and catcher outside of his frame, while Warren wins as a tackle breaker and has a greater variety of routes in his bag. Both look like bona fide No. 1 tight ends and game-plan-worthy playmakers.”

Monangai missed out as ESPN’s second-team All-Rookie to Cleveland’s Quinshon Judkins, but it was close. Solak noted strong rookie-season performances by Monangai, Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, Cam Skattebo, and Woody Marks in his deliberation for the second-team spot.

Again, quite the bargain for the Bears in the seventh round, right?

NFL championship rosters are built through the draft. Free agency fills in the gaps. The Chicago Bears have improved their standing in the league through strong draft classes in recent years. And 2025 is a strong candidate as Poles’ best work so far.