A great NFL draft class isn’t just about nailing the first-round pick. The best teams uncover talent in the middle rounds, too. But landing a difference-maker in Round 1 is a major step toward long-term success.
It’s why the Chicago Bears can’t afford to whiff on the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With Ben Johnson taking over as head coach, GM Ryan Poles must ensure his star rookie coach and franchise quarterback have the offensive support needed to thrive.
Most NFL draft analysts predict the Bears will select an offensive lineman in the first round to offer that support, and one prospect who’s been mentioned as a potential fit for Chicago is Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons.
Simmons profiles as a prototype left tackle who would represent a massive upgrade in natural talent over Braxton Jones, but he isn’t without risk. In fact, Pro Football Focus recently named Simmons as one of this year’s high-risk, high-reward prospects.
“Simmons is a very athletic tackle whose good tape stacks up with any tackle in the class,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote. “However, that hasn’t always translated to an elite grading profile, as he is still refining his technique. The former San Diego State transfer topped out at a 74.4 PFF overall grade this past season before tearing his ACL in Ohio State’s Week 7 game versus Oregon.”
Simmons’ draft stock will ultimately come down to his medicals. The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine will be a big week for him. It’s not because he’ll do any on-field drills; he won’t. Instead, he’ll likely undergo a significant medical exam that will shape his draft outlook.
If his medicals check out and his ACL recovery is on track, he’s undoubtedly a top-15 talent. But if teams have concerns about his progress, he could face a steep slide out of the first round entirely.
For the Chicago Bears, Simmons may be too big of a risk in the first round. Poles could end up regretting that decision down the line, but if Simmons and Armand Membou (Missouri) have similar grades on his board, Membou’s clean bill of health will likely be the deciding factor.
Josh Simmons has the necessary skill set to be a top-tier left tackle in the NFL. But it will take a very confident general manager whose job is secure for a long time to have the courage to pull the trigger on him early in the first round.