The Chicago Bears didn’t want to be imprisoned by need when they entered the 2025 NFL draft. GM Ryan Poles made it his mission to stick to his board, taking the best players, regardless of position. That is a good philosophy to have. However, it can sometimes come with unforeseen consequences. By far the biggest of last weekend was their inability to land one of the many top running backs in the class. All the notable ones always seemed just out of reach, plucked no more than a few spots ahead of the Bears. It wasn’t until the 7th round when they selected Kyle Monangai that the drought finally ended.
Fans didn’t know much about him. That isn’t surprising since he played for Rutgers, widely viewed as one of the punching bags of the Big Ten. Even so, his production was nothing to sneer at, topping 1200 yards rushing in the past two seasons. Delivering numbers like that in a top conference can’t be ignored, especially for a less prominent program. NFL scouts tipped off Bob McGinn of Go Long TD about Monangai before the draft. They believed he would go far sooner than he actually did.
Kyle Monangai, Rutgers (5-8, 209, 4.58)
Said one scout: “That (speed) is the big if. Loved the way he played. He is fearless. It’s not like Rutgers has a dynamic offense. They know he’s getting the ball. Good in pass pro. Top of the line kid. He’s a perfect fourth-round pick.”
Kyle Monangai is your classic overachiever.
Players like him always find a way to succeed in the NFL. They’re constantly told they’re not big enough or fast enough, but rather than be discouraged, they channel that as fuel into their play on the field. Kyle Monangai is that type. He’s greater than the sum of his parts. He mixes what talent he has with a rigorous work ethic and non-stop motor to get the absolute most out of what he has. That is why he often outshines players who might be more talented than he is. Chicago may not have landed the next Saquon Barkley, but players like Monangai produce all the time in the NFL. The fact that scouts from other teams saw him as a 4th round player, the same area names like Stephen Davis, Brandon Jacobs, Rudi Johnson, and Chris Warren went, should tell you a lot. If this young man gets an opportunity, he will run with it. No pun intended.
