Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles came up the NFL front office ranks as a scout with the Kansas City Chiefs. So, naturally, Poles is back on the scouting trail, with his team just over one week away from their regular season opener, scouring the landscape for future Bears.
Poles was spotted on Saturday attending the Week 1 CFB matchup between Clemson and LSU, which took place in Death Valley, South Carolina.
He had attended Texas versus Ohio State. That one was in Columbus, Ohio.
Ryan Poles Spotted Scouring College Landscape for Future Bears
Bears GM Ryan Poles Back to Scouting Trail
Poles’ attendance, also naturally, drew attention. But so far out from the 2026 draft, it is not any specific targets as much as it is the sheer amount of talent that was on the two fields, though Texas QB Arch Manning was among them.
Manning struggled, but Ohio State safety Caleb Downs continued to look like a star, and the Bears have questions at safety with Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard on expiring contracts.
In Death Valley, quarterbacks Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier are both NFL prospects.
However, both rosters are littered with skill players that could help the Bears’ defense, just like Downs, specifically along the defensive line with Peter Woods and T.J. Parker. The Bears still have questions up front at defensive tackle and defensive end entering the 2025 season.
The volume of appearances is not exactly new. Poles and others have done similar in years past.
Still, it goes to show how non-stop that grind can be.
Bears Expected to Feature Colston Loveland
Poles’ most recent first-round draft pick, Colston Loveland, whom he selected No. 10 overall, landed a spot on ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano’s list of “bold predictions” entering the 2025 regular season.
Graziano predicted that Loveland would be a “huge part of the Bears’ offense” under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, which in and of itself is not surprising. Loveland is a first-round pick.
However, the circumstances around his current situation left his level of activity in question.
“He’s not any kind of sleeper. But he took a while to get up to speed this offseason because he was recovering from an injury, and for that reason, some might have wondered if it’d take some time for him to work his way into the offense,” Graziano wrote on August 27, citing Loveland’s polish, size, speed, and quarterback friendliness. “I don’t think it will. Loveland is the guy whose name comes up every time I ask somebody about Bears camp.
“He was healthy to start training camp, so he advanced quickly once August got going. And his connection with quarterback Caleb Williams is said to already be outstanding.”
“As Williams continues his development under new coach Ben Johnson, he could lean on Loveland a lot — especially early.”
Williams was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 draft.
Poles is in his fourth season at the helm for the Bears. His draft record has come under more scrutiny, particularly as the Bears cut two recent draft picks ahead of the deadline in defensive tackle Zacch Pickens and wide receiver Tyler Scott.
However, a strong 2025 season from his most recent top picks would go a long way toward allaying those concerns, particularly as the next cycle draws nearer.