Round 7, Pick 233: Smael Mondon Jr., LB, Georgia
Similar to safety, linebacker is not an immediate need for the Bears but they lack depth at the position for sure. Tremaine Edmunds did not have a good year last year and will be a cut candidate if he does not have a stellar 2025 season. The Bears also lost Jack Sanborn in free agency so will need to add some depth to the position. Mondon Jr. is a very athletic linebacker who relies on said athleticism versus actually diagnosing plays.
He does possess above-average pass coverage ability and blitzing skills. He can bring special teams value early on and can potentially grow into a three-down linebacker. A linebacker that can also cover well is a weapon any defensive coordinator would love to have. He lined up all over Georgia's defense including edge, inside linebacker, and even slot cornerback.
It is always a good strategy to take a shot on a guy from Alabama or Georgia later in the draft and Mondon Jr. might be someone who can develop into a quality starter in the league.
Round 7, Pick 240: Thor Griffith, DT, Louisville
The guy's name is Thor, come on. Griffith spent three years at Harvard before transferring to Louisville for his last year in an attempt to increase his draft stock. He was named to the first-team All-Ivy League in both 2022 and 2023. In 2024 he had 19 total tackles and 3 sacks with the Cardinals. He completely dominated the Ivy League and was disruptive in the ACC after.
In 2024, he was ranked 18th out of 895 qualifying interior defenders per PFF. He has elite strength as he reportedly can bench 225 lbs 45 times. He is definitely a better run defender than pass rusher with his frame being very low to the ground at 6'2" and 320 lbs.
Griffith should be able to hold his own in an NFL camp and push for a roster spot. The Bears currently have some solid starting options in Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., and Andrew Billings. Chris Williams showed some flashes last season as well. After that, however, they do not really have anyone who has shown they can provide quality play. They could definitely use some depth on the interior defensive line and Griffith can provide just that.