Chicago Draft Room: Could the Bears take Kadyn Proctor at #25? Plus Draft Wish List, Caleb Williams vs. Troy Aikman, and more!

April 10, 2026·59 min·5 clips

Pete Schrager's mock draft has the Bears taking Kadyn Proctor at 25, a move the hosts don't hate despite defensive needs.

1. Chicago Draft Room Episode 6 covers the Bears' pick-25 options two weeks before the 2026 NFL Draft, with hosts Ari Temkin and Jacob cross-referencing Dane Brugler's annual scouting guide 'The Beast.' 2. Ari Temkin hosts alongside Jacob DeFonte, both of whom independently prepared top-five player lists for the Bears at pick 25 without sharing notes beforehand. 3. The episode's core question is whether the Bears should prioritize offensive tackle (given Ozzie Trapillo's injury) or invest a premium pick in the defense, and which specific prospect best fits either path. 4. Pete Schrager of ESPN released a mock draft placing Caden Proctor, the Iowa tackle, to Chicago at 25; Temkin says he 'doesn't hate it' but spends most of the episode arguing for defensive picks. 5. Proctor was the number two overall recruit in the 2024 class and number one offensive tackle; he transferred from Alabama to Iowa after Nick Saban's departure, took NIL money, then transferred back, alienating Iowa fans. 6. Jacob describes Proctor's strengths as size (six-foot-six, 358 pounds), power, and run-blocking burst, while flagging hand consistency and lateral agility as the primary risks at left tackle in the NFL. 7. Jacob's top pick at 25 is Clemson DT Peter Woods, whom he argues has the best chance to be a three-down defender earliest in the class; Dane Brugler ranked Woods 35th overall with the tagline 'an explosive tackle who must improve his consistency.' 8. Temkin's equivalent pick is Auburn edge Keldrick Falk, 21 years old, listed at six-foot-five and 276 pounds, ranked 15th overall by Brugler as the fourth edge rusher, with a relentless motor and elite physical tools but inconsistent processing speed. 9. Jacob profiles Clemson edge TJ Parker (six-foot-three, 265 pounds) as a Dennis Allen scheme fit with short-area quickness and violent hands, noting his 2024 production exceeded his 2025 tape. 10. Temkin adds Oregon safety Dylan Thynamin (Brugler's 18th overall prospect, second safety) as his wishful-thinking pick at 25 — transferred from Purdue, versatile enough to play box or deep, but likely gone before Chicago picks. 11. Jacob profiles Missouri edge Zion Young, who improved pressures year-over-year from 25 at Michigan State to 26 in 2024 to 57 in 2025, calling him a physical tone-setter with a consistently evolving pass-rush plan. 12. Temkin includes Akeem Mesador from Miami (Brugler's 28th overall, fifth edge) and argues the age and injury concerns are overstated — Mesador has produced since West Virginia and his floor is high enough to justify a late first-round pick. 13. Temkin makes a strong affirmative case for Georgia DT Kristian Miller (six-foot-three, 321 pounds at the Combine), citing the Bears' recent run-defense failures under Dennis Allen and noting Miller's anchor strength and gap-filling are pro-ready. 14. Temkin adds Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil Warren (Brugler's 23rd overall, third safety) as a character play — a three-year starter who stayed at Toledo when he could have transferred, showing loyalty and versatility that matches Dennis Allen's scheme requirements. 15. Both hosts agree that virtually every prospect they discuss either could be gone before 25 or could fall to 25, making the range of possible Bears picks unusually wide for a pick in that range. 16. Hosts note that Pete Schrager, Jordan Reed (ESPN), and Jordan Schultz have all published reports in the week prior suggesting different Bears directions, reflecting genuine uncertainty around the pick. 17. The episode's tone is analytical and collaborative; both hosts openly share scouting notes from Brugler and reconcile areas of disagreement in real time. 18. Hosts engage with live YouTube comments from viewers including corrections on player stats and positional designations; the show's sixth episode in a series specifically dedicated to building out the Bears' draft board. 19. Chicago Bears fans preparing for the 2026 draft who want a position-by-position breakdown of realistic pick-25 options would find the episode most useful. 20. Casual NFL fans or those unfamiliar with Bears roster needs and the specific prospects in this draft class would find the level of detail dense without prior context.

As heard by us

A grounded Bears draft room built around No. 25 and the seven-pick plan.

Chicago Draft Room keeps its focus on the Bears' draft puzzle at No. 25 and the seven-pick blueprint behind the rest of the class. Ari Temkin, Jacob, and DeFonte stick to roster value, fit, and the tradeoffs that come with choosing one player over another, which gives the…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want the Bears' No. 25 pick sorted before the draft clock starts.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from 2nd City Gridiron