Ryan Poles’ Rare Pro Day Visit Could Reveal Bears’ Plan At Pick No. 25
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has always been a scout at heart. So it isn’t surprising he would be on the trail watching prospects in person. That is how he can get the best feel for players in his mind. The Senior Bowl and scouting combine are both over. Now, teams are sending representatives across the country to attend college pro days, getting their last look at players they may covet and how they test. Poles usually pops up at a few of them each spring, and history says it might be wise to pay attention.
Over the past three years, the Bears GM attended the pro day of a player the Bears eventually selected in the 1st round of the draft.
- 2023: Held private workout with Darnell Wright on the Tennessee campus
- 2024: Attended the USC pro day for Caleb Williams
- 2025: Attended the Michigan pro day for Colston Loveland
So far, Poles has only been confirmed at the Oklahoma pro day. No prospect from that program is expected to go in the 1st round, save maybe for R Mason Thomas, a prominent pass rusher who isn’t a great fit for Dennis Allen’s defense. Things took a considerable turn on Monday when NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe confirmed Poles’ presence at the Miami pro day.
It isn’t hard to guess why Ryan Poles was there.
Miami has several prospects lined up to go early this year. At the top of that list are edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor. The two combined for 22 sacks on the season, making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. Chicago has a glaring need for a difference-making pass rusher on their defensive line. Either one of them could be the answer they’ve been looking for. The obvious question is whether they fall to the Bears at #25. For months, everybody thought this was impossible.
However, draft season has a way of muddying the waters. Despite their outstanding production, Bain and Mesidor are hounded by red flags. Bain measured with 30-inch arms at the scouting combine, significantly below average for a typical NFL edge rusher. Mesidor, on the other hand, turns 25 years old this season. Teams almost never like spending 1st round picks on older prospects. Poles being there would suggest he thinks there is a reasonable chance that one or both of them are in play for the Bears.
| Player | Age | Draft Year | Round (Pick) | NFL Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Dodd | 24 | 2016 | 2 (33) | Tennessee Titans |
| Bronson Kaufusi | 24 | 2016 | 3 (70) | Baltimore Ravens |
| Jermaine Johnson II | 24 | 2022 | 1 (26) | New York Jets |
| Keion White | 24 | 2023 | 2 (46) | New England Patriots |
| Jared Verse | 24 | 2024 | 1 (19) | Los Angeles Rams |
| Marshawn Kneeland | 24 | 2024 | 2 (56) | Dallas Cowboys |
| Chris Braswell | 24 | 2024 | 2 (57) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Bralen Trice | 24 | 2024 | 3 (74) | Atlanta Falcons |
| Zavier Thomas | 24 | 2024 | 7 (245) | Arizona Cardinals |
| Miles Cole | 24 | 2024 | 7 (253) | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Jordan Burch | 24 | 2025 | 3 (78) | Green Bay Packers |
History is on the Bears’ side.
It might seem crazy for them to think they have a shot at Bain or Mesidor, but there are decades of NFL history to fall back on. Since the data started being tracked, no edge rusher with arms under 32 inches long has gone higher than 18th in the 1st round. That was Melvin Engram in 2012. As good as Bain is, this isn’t something teams tend to just gloss over. Length matters at this level, and players with short arms who are still great pass rushers are rare. Spending a top 15 pick on somebody like that is a significant risk. One that most general managers aren’t willing to take.
The same goes for Mesidor’s age. In the past 10 years, the highest any non-quarterback player 24 years old going into a draft was selected was Jared Verse in 2024. He went 19th overall. The next closest was Jermaine Johnson at 26th. That means Ryan Poles and the Bears have pretty decent odds that he will be on the board when they pick 25th. The GM has been pretty good at projecting which players have a legitimate chance of being available every year. He was right about Rome Odunze in 2024 and Loveland last year. Landing Bain or Mesidor at #25 would be a big win.