NFL Draft Review: NFC North

The 'Black & Blue' division is ready to brawl.

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NFC NORTH 2025 NFL DRAFT RECAP

The Detroit Lions magical run was cut short by the upstart Washington Commanders in January. It’s the closest the Lions have ever come to reaching the Super Bowl. While they remain the slight favorites to win the division again in 2025, it will have to come minus their offensive (Ben Johnson to the Bears) and defensive (Aaron Glenn to the Jets) coordinators. Continuity counts in the NFL and losing these coaches will be hard to overcome.

With the return of Aidan Hutchinson still up in the air, Detroit had a major need at pass-rusher but opted for defensive tackle Tyleik Williams out of Ohio State instead. It was probably the biggest reach of round one but the front office has done a masterful job of identifying players who fit their scheme, so they receive the benefit of the doubt. While the Lions didn’t obtain high impact players, they did add some quality depth to load up for another attempt at their first Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Last year was supposed to be a major growth year for quarterback Jordan Love. While he did make strides, the Packers fell short of expectations. Look for the offense to be much stronger with the selection of tantalizing wideout Matthew Golden (photo: Green Bay Packers) in round one, along with offensive tackle Anthony Belton out of North Carolina State in round two, plus gadget weapon Savion Williams in round three. On the final day of the draft, Green Bay decided to focus on beefing up their defensive line. Should this team get hot come winter time, watch out.

Minnesota is the wildcard bunch. They are clearly talented enough to tackle the Norris division but make the much-anticipated switch from Sam Darnold-to-JJ McCarthy. The Vikings made sure to add better protection by taking Ohio State stalwart Donovan Jackson with their first round pick. Later, they would add speed-burner Tai Felton out of Maryland who could emerge as a dangerous deep threat. Coming off a torn meniscus injury, some might be wary as to how McCarthy will respond but pound-for-pound, they can compete with anyone.

Expectations are extremely high in Chi-Town. The arrival of the aforementioned Johnson as new head coach has the organization full of optimism. They certainly improved themselves during the draft but it doesn’t come without question. Most controversial, was their decision to select Colston Loveland over Tyler Warren. It may prove to be the correct call but it appears suspect on the surface. Injecting Luther Burden III into this offense could turn out to be the most impactful draft choice, while they also acquired several hard-nosed, gritty prospects who bring top-level athleticism traits. It should be fascinating to watch it all blend together.

OVERALL IMPACT SCALE:

5 = Major Impact || 4 = High Impact || 3 = Average Impact || 2 = Low Impact || 1 = No Impact

CHICAGO BEARS

ROUND | PICK | TEAM | PLAYER | POSITION | SCHOOL

Rd.1 No.10. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan — A major shock that would reverberate throughout the host city of Green Bay, the Bears go with Loveland over Tyler Warren of Penn State, who many viewed as a blue-chip. Get ready for the 12-personnel in Chi-Town.

Rd.2 No.39. Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri — With weapons galore, Chicago has setup Caleb Williams for success. Burden is a super slot standout in the making and gives the Bears a trio of speed-demons, along with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.

Rd.2 No.56. Ozzy Trapilio, OT, Boston College — This selection speaks to the commitment that Chicago has made on the offensive line, as Trapilio projects as a swingman tackle who could step in and start in a pinch, if needed.

Rd.2 No.62. Shemar Turner, DT, Baltimore — With an excellent blend of size and speed, Turner brings vast experience, along with the versatility to play multiple spots. He’ll likely be eased into the rotation, as he deals with a stress fracture in his leg.

Rd.4 No.132. Ruben Hyppolite II, LB, Maryland — An interesting choice, considering Hyppolite II was not a combine invite and lacks size. However, he was impressive during Tropical Bowl week and might be the fastest linebacker in the draft.

Rd.5 No.169. Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA — Betting on traits and upside, Frazier possesses rare length, along with freaky athleticism. He’ll compete to add depth at cornerback but could possibly slide to safety if he runs into any struggles.

Rd.6 No.195. Luke Newman, OG, Michigan State — A late-riser during the process, Newman is a two-time FCS standout who excelled with the Spartans and can play all three interior spots. He had an outstanding Shrine Bowl and combine performance.

Rd.7 No.233. Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers — The gritty Monangai is a nice ‘break glass in case of an emergency’ type runner to have on the back-burner. He runs through arm tackles and can grind out the tough yards when needed.

OVERALL IMPACT = 3 Average Impact

DETROIT LIONS

ROUND | PICK | TEAM | PLAYER | POSITION | SCHOOL

Rd.1 No.28. Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State — Look for Williams to be an immediate force in stuffing the run. He ballooned up to 360 pounds during his time at Ohio State, so Detroit needs to make sure he keeps his weight in check.