2025 NFL draft: 4 prospects for Bears to watch in National Championship

We have arrived at the big day. The College Football Playoff National Championship kicks off Monday night between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes in the first year of the expanded 12-team playoff.

These two teams have had a lot of success this season, but it didn't come easy. Notre Dame lost to the Northern Illinois Huskies earlier in the year ,and that sparked them to be better from there. As for Ohio State, they had setbacks against the Oregon Ducks and Michigan Wolverines during the regular season, but they were resilient during the playoffs.

A lot of the players participating in this game are hoping to be selected in the 2025 NFL draft. The Chicago Bears are a franchise that is going to rely on this draft to give them a spark during the next season and beyond. With that in mind, here are four prospects from Notre Dame and Ohio State to keep an eye on in the championship game.

1. Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

Morrison is expected to go in the first round and is an option for the Bears to consider in the first round. Morrison makes it hard for opposing receivers to gain any ground when he is on top of his game. His speed should allow him to translate these skills to the NFL level right away. Receivers don't love seeing him on the other side when they go up against the Irish. Is cornerback the biggest need for the Bears right now? No. However, drafting a player this good in the secondary is never a bad idea to consider.

2. Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

Technically, Simmons won't be playing tonight (after sustaining a season-ending knee injury earlier this season), but he's still an intriguing prospect for the Bears as they need a ton of help on the offensive line. They are far from set on that unit and left tackle might be one of the most glaring needs. Simmons has the tools needed to translate what he's done at Ohio State to the NFL if put in a good position to develop. Caleb Williams was the most sacked quarterback in the league so you have to think that Ryan Poles is interested in using some of his highest-valued resources to fix that problem.

3. Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

As discussed when talking about cornerback, safety might not be the number one need for the Bears, but the secondary having a ton of depth is very important. As long as pass rush and offensive line are also addressed throughout the offseason, it won't hurt to add to the secondary. Watts is a great safety that might be able to be had in the second round (where Chicago has a pair of selections). But Watts will have his hands full against a talented Ohio State offense, so his performance may have a hand in where he lands. This kid has been a stud all season long, and the Bears should have their eye on him.

4. Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State

Based on his status as a projected second-round pick, Sawyer might be one of the most underrated prospects in the entire draft. As seen in their win over Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, he can change games with his play. If the Bears came away with a stud offensive tackle in the first round and then an edge rusher like Sawyer in the second round, Poles may come out of the draft with a higher grade than he's ever gotten. Keep an eye on his ability to make things difficult against Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame offense.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Prospects for Bears to watch in National Championship