Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai is the best active running back in the NFL drafted in the seventh round. Daire Carragher of Pro Football Focus unveiled the All-Seventh Round team, a team featuring the best players drafted in round 7 of the NFL draft.
While it was only his rookie season, Monangai did enough to be deemed the best seventh-round rookie in the NFL.
Chicago Bears running back makes All-Seventh Round Team
When breaking it down, there are not many great options to compete with Monangai to make the team. The common belief is that running backs are expendable and can be found anywhere, but most of the productive backs are taken before round 7.
There are currently four active running backs drafted in that round with over 600 career yards. That shows just how rare it is for a seventh-round running back to become a productive NFL player. Even reaching that level is an accomplishment, making Monangai's rookie season even more impressive. However, joining that list in just one season shows how impactful he was.
Myles Gaskin is one of the four names, and while he is still an active running back, he had three rush attempts last year. Gaskin posted 584 yards in 2020 and 612 yards in 2021, but has hardly seen snaps on offense since then.
Isaiah Pacheco has the most yards amongst active seventh-round picks. However, he suffered an injury in 2024 and was not the same in 2025. So, the only two legitimate options are Monangai and his fellow 2025 draftee Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
Interestingly enough, Croskey-Merritt was taken just 15 picks after Monangai. He also ended the year with 22 more yards than Monangai. Monangai played in the playoffs, which boosts his overall total in yards over Croskey-Merritt. However, Monangai only had 21 carries for 63 yards in the playoffs.
He was not that productive in those games. It could have gone either way between Croskey-Merritt and Monangai, who had very similar numbers. If Monangai continues to build on that rookie campaign, he could separate himself from the rest of the group in the coming years.
Being in the Ben Johnson offense puts a positive spin on a lot of the players' first year with the team, as progression is expected. So, Monangai could have gotten the edge because what is happening in Chicago is being trusted more than what is happening in Washington right now.
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