Chicago Bears NFL Draft Target: Armand Membou

Jacob Musselman - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Sunday, April 13 2025

It's hard to believe that in just two weeks, the 2025 NFL Draft will be underway at Lambeau Field's frozen tundra. Given the weather in this part of the country the past few weeks, it will likely be frozen come draft night, but that isn't something anyone will worry about.

You may have heard this before, but this year's draft is arguably the biggest in franchise history. The Bears are in a prime spot to not only land a franchise-altering player but could also be on the verge of building something special. Consistently picking in the top 10 will do that for you, but adding a young offensive-minded head coach who has brought a new level of excitement to the team can also help.

This season, the Bears will be one of the teams to watch during the draft, as they have four picks in the Top 75. That is a unique opportunity that not many teams have, as the Bears are in a great position to not only add several players but could package a few of those picks together to try and move up or back into the first.

We know that the Bears will have a top-10 pick, which is the one pick they won't trade under any circumstance. What they do with their first pick remains to be seen, but they will continue to focus on the offensive line despite addressing that in the offseason. Names like Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks seem logical fits here, but another offensive line prospect could find his way to the Bears based on how the rest of the draft goes.

Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou is his name and is one of those players starting to get overlooked in this year's class for whatever reason. At 6-4, Membou does lack the height that most offensive tackles have nowadays, but at 332 pounds he more than makes up for that with his size and physicality.

While many teams are taking stock of his play on the field, it's hard to ignore what he did at the NFL Combine, as he was one of the standouts at that event across all positions. Not only is he massive, but he is extremely athletic for his size and would have a real shot of competing with Braxton Jones for one of those two starting tackle spots come week one.

Given what this team has invested into the offensive side of the ball, keeping Caleb Williams upright should be this team's priority as the Bears allowed a season-high 68 sacks in 2024. That ranks second all-time, only ahead of the 2002 Houston Texans as Williams took his share of punishment in 2024.

Membou not only would help address that weakness, but allowing sacks isn't something he tends to do, as he allowed three career sacks in over 2100 collegiate snaps. That's an impressive feat at any level, but to do it at an FBS school playing SEC competition is extremely impressive. There is a reason why the Missouri offense made the strides they made the past two seasons, as the type of protection Membou gave his man could take Williams to the next level.

Currently ranked as the third-best offensive line product in this year's draft, Membou plays with composed quickness and elite body control. His pass sets are technically sound, and he processes twists and blitzes quickly. Membou plays with various pass-set strategies and crafty hands to stymie rush momentum. He also has unbelievable footwork that can help him sustain run-blocking situations.

All of that makes him one of Chicago's many ideal fits and someone the Bears offense could build around for years to come.