{"id":542035,"date":"2026-03-24T09:08:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T09:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/542035\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T09:08:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T09:08:12","slug":"ryan-poles-rare-pro-day-visit-could-reveal-bears-plan-at-pick-no-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/542035\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan Poles\u2019 Rare Pro Day Visit Could Reveal Bears\u2019 Plan At Pick No. 25"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chicago Bears<\/a> general manager Ryan Poles has always been a scout at heart. So it isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2023: Held private workout with Darnell Wright on the Tennessee campus2024: Attended the USC pro day for Caleb Williams2025: Attended the Michigan pro day for Colston Loveland<\/p>\n

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\u2019t a great fit for Dennis Allen\u2019s defense. Things took a considerable turn on Monday when NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe confirmed Poles\u2019 presence at the Miami pro day.<\/p>\n

100+ NFL personnel at Miami Pro Day. Some:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Bears GM Ryan Poles
\u2013 Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer, VP Will McClay, DC Christian Parker
\u2013 Jets HC Aaron Glenn
\u2013 Dolphins HC Jeff Hafley, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan
\u2013 Saints HC Kellen Moore
\u2013 Patriots EVP Eliot Wolf
\u2013 Giants GM Joe Schoen pic.twitter.com\/PjBGhQUb20<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 23, 2026<\/a> It isn\u2019t hard to guess why Ryan Poles was there.<\/p>\n

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\u2019ve been looking for. The obvious question is whether they fall to the Bears at #25. For months, everybody thought this was impossible.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd25 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel<\/a> to hear Chicago legends tell stories you\u2019ve never seen in headlines \u2014 real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Player\u00a0AgeDraft YearRound (Pick)NFL TeamKevin Dodd2420162 (33)Tennessee TitansBronson Kaufusi2420163 (70)Baltimore RavensJermaine Johnson II2420221 (26)New York JetsKeion White2420232 (46)New England PatriotsJared Verse2420241 (19)Los Angeles RamsMarshawn Kneeland2420242 (56)Dallas CowboysChris Braswell2420242 (57)Tampa Bay BuccaneersBralen Trice2420243 (74)Atlanta FalconsZavier Thomas2420247 (245)Arizona CardinalsMiles Cole2420247 (253)Jacksonville JaguarsJordan Burch2420253 (78)Green Bay PackersHistory is on the Bears\u2019 side.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t 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\u2019t willing to take.<\/p>\n

The same goes for Mesidor\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n