RELATED: Get a full recap of the Chicago Bears 2025 NFL Draft picks

The key veterans the Bears added in the offseason gave them the flexibility to pick the best player available in the draft—and that's exactly what they did.

"Our goal was to really lean on the board," said general manager Ryan Poles. "We put a lot of time into it. We wanted it to really speak to us. I talked about that over the last two days, not forcing really anything for need, but really just taking the best guys. And we just keep adding that to the roster to increase competition and to make our football team better and I thought we were able to do that."

The Bears opened the draft by selecting Michigan tight end Colston Loveland in the first round (No. 10) Thursday night. On Friday night, they made three second-round choices for the first time in the 90-year history of the draft, picking Missouri receiver Luther Burden III (No. 39), Boston College offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo (No. 56) and Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner (No. 62).

On Saturday, they selected Maryland linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II in the fourth round (No. 132), Texas-San Antonio cornerback Zah Frazier in the fifth (No. 169), Michigan State offensive lineman Luke Newman in the sixth (No. 195) and Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai in the seventh (No. 233).

Coach Ben Johnson praised Poles for sticking to the draft plan.

"To Ryan's credit, he stayed as disciplined as I've ever seen in terms of staying true to how we set it up," Johnson said. "Sometimes that gets hard, sometimes you want to pick for need, but we didn't necessarily do that. I feel really good about the direction we went and every decision we made along the way."

Picking the best available players enabled the Bears to add depth and increase competition for roster spots and playing time—something that Johnson has emphasized since the start of the offseason program.

"We talked about it the moment the players got back in the building [April 7]," Johnson said. "It was going to be a competitive environment. There is no depth chart right now. If you want to play, you've got to go earn it. If you want a role, you've got to go earn it. They know that. We were very straightforward and honest with them when they came in the building.

"I think all we did this weekend is we might've just turned up the notch a couple of dials for certain people in this building. That's a good thing. That's a healthy thing. That's where you bring out the best not only in your team but in each individual."

It will be particularly interesting to watch what transpires on offense with only one football and an array of playmakers that includes receivers DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Burden as well as tight ends Cole Kmet and Loveland.

"I'm going to be curious to see what guys look like when the ball's not in their hands on offense," Johnson said. "We have a lot of weapons. So how are you going to run your route when you might not be No. 1 in the progression? How are you going to block for your teammate when he has the ball? Because when you do those things right, then as a coaching staff, we're going to want to get you the ball a little bit more. It all ties together. It all goes hand-in-hand, and that's the beauty behind it."

Starts with the person

No one embodies the characteristics that Johnson covets in players more than Loveland.

"Really with Colston it starts with the person more so than the player," said the Bears coach. "I love the tape. I love everything about the tape. But when you get to know him as a man, it's really intriguing. It's who we want to be going forward, in my opinion. He stands for high football character, IQ, intelligence, [and] he's a great teammate."

Loveland joins the Bears after spending the past three seasons at Michigan, where he caught 117 passes for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdowns. In 2023, the 6-6, 248-pounder from tiny Gooding, Idaho, blossomed into a first-team All-Big Ten selection who helped the Wolverines win the national championship.

"When we went to the University of Michigan, everybody was raving about him," Johnson said. "To see how he conducted himself, not only amongst his teammates, but walking through the building and interacting with the equipment staff and video staff, you could tell that he was so well respected.

"His story's a little bit unique coming from small town Idaho, and yet going to the big stage like he did, he didn't bat an eye. I do see a lot of comparisons to [Lions tight end Sam] LaPorta, but that's not just on the field, that was off the field as well, because with LaPorta the stage was never too big or too bright.

"I felt that same thing with Colston the first time I met him. He doesn't bat an eye; he performs at a high level. And as we talk about where we're going as an organization, we're going to be playing in these big games with the bright lights. We need guys that are going to rise up to the occasion, and he's going to do that for us."

A playmaker waiting to happen

The Bears viewed the speedy and explosive Burden as the best run-after-catch receiver in the draft.

In three seasons at Missouri, he caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns and also produced TDs on a 78-yard punt return and 61-yard rush.

Johnson described the 6-foot, 206-pounder as a "stud."

"You saw the highlights, right?" Johnson said. "I mean, he's a playmaker waiting to happen."

After the Bears drafted Burden, Johnson received a text from Lions receiver Jameson Williams, who grew up in the St. Louis area just like Burden.

"He said, 'You got a dog just like me,'" said Johnson, who spent the past three seasons as Detroit's offensive coordinator. "Luther has that same confidence. He's got that same swagger to him. For 6-foot, 200-plus pounds, it's rare to see somebody with his movement skills. He can stop on a dime and accelerate just like that. Give him a little bit of space and he can make big things happen. A dangerous player, a weapon—call him what you want—but I see big things in his future."

Last but not least

Wrapping up the draft Saturday evening, Poles provided a scouting report on the Bears' Day 3 selections.

Hyppolite possesses speed and toughness, making him an ideal fit in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's scheme. The 5-11, 236-pounder ran a blazing 4.39 in the 40 at his Pro Day. He spent the past five seasons at Maryland, appearing in 51 games and recording 236 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 13 tackles-for-loss, one interception and six pass breakups.

Poles described Hyppolite as "someone we were excited about. A guy that is extremely smart, tough, and one thing talking with 'DA' is we want to continue to add to our team speed, and he can fly. He's a low 4.4 player that's very active. We like the combination of speed and the intelligence."

Frazier is a long press corner who impressed the Bears during a pre-draft visit to Halas Hall. Poles said that he received a text from first-year defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Al Harris in February, suggesting that the Bears could draft Frazier in the fourth or fifth round and develop him.

"It played out exactly that way, which was pretty cool," Poles said. "Al was fired up for that one."

Newman played left guard at Michigan State in 2024 after lining up at left tackle the previous three seasons at Holy Cross. He increased his draft stock at the East-West Shrine Bowl by showing that he could play center as well as guard.

"Watching tape, we were really impressed with feet and hands," Poles said. "[They] were always in the right place. Physical, tough player that also can play guard and can play center, can handle communication, so we're really excited about developing him."

Poles described Monangai, a running back from Rutgers, as a "physical, tough runner" who possesses "high, high, high football and personal character."