LAKE FOREST, Ill. – If yesterday didn’t make it clear, Ben Johnson has plenty of sway in the Bears‘ draft room, and he used it again on Friday night to bring in another pass-catcher less than 24 hours after drafting tight end Colston Loveland.

Selecting wide receiver Luther Burden III from the University of Missouri with the 39th overall pick in the draft is just another weapon at Caleb Williams’ disposal.

Burden, a native of East St. Louis, Ill., spent three years at Mizzou, hauling in 192 receptions for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns. In 2023, Burden exploded in the Tigers’ offense for 1,212 receiving yards, earning a Biletnikoff Award nomination.

His 2024 season wasn’t as special, but nothing to scoff at, either, picking up 676 yards through the air.

[Adam Hoge’s Bears 100 Big Board]

Primarily used out of the slot in college, Burden offers a quick burst with a decently-sized frame at 6-foot-0 and 206 lbs. But the Bears don’t see Burden being limited to one spot on the field.

Assistant director of college scouting Breck Ackley told reporters after the pick:

“We see him as a guy that can play both, honestly. With what we’re trying to build with Coach Johnson, it’s multiple, everybody moving around, so you can’t get a beat. It can open the offense up. So, he adds right into that. I think he has the route running and physicality to win outside, I think he has the separation ability and toughness to win inside.”

As for how Burden sees himself fitting into Ben Johnson’s new offense in Chicago, the receiver told us:

“I’m pretty much already surrounded by some great talent. I’ll be able to take some attention off of them when they get doubled. I feel like I fit perfect in their offense.”

On the clock two picks later, Chicago jumped back, striking a deal with the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo received:

• 2.41
• 3.72
• 7.240

Chicago received:

• 2.56
• 2.62
• 4.109

The 109th pick was originally sent to Buffalo by Chicago during last year’s draft as the Bears moved up to draft ED Austin Booker.

With another two picks to work with in the second, Chicago finally turned their focus to the trenches.

The Bears chose OT Ozzy Trapilo out of Boston College at No. 56 before selecting DT Shemar Turner from Texas A&M six picks later.

Trapilo’s game is rooted in disciplined football. In his final year at Boston College, the tackle committed zero penalties over 772 snaps. And at 6-foot-8, he’s a mountain on the line, which led to occasional issues against power rushers in college.

As for the Bears’ plan with the first-team All-ACC lineman, that’s where things get interesting.

“He played right tackle, he played left tackle,” said Bears director of player personnel, Trey Koziol. “I think the plan right now is to get into OTAs and get into camp. See what our best five, what that combination looks like. We feel highly that [Trapilo] is a guy that’s going to come in and compete for his spot.

When asked which side he’d prefer to play in the NFL, Trapilo said:

“I would say if you asked me that during the season, I would obviously say right, because that’s where I practiced. As soon as the season ended, going to this level, especially, you want to be as versatile as possible. I’ve done a ton of work at all positions except center. I would just be ready to fill wherever is needed. That’s the main goal: get on the field as soon as possible.”

A second-team All-SEC defensive tackle in 2024, Shemar Turner’s game was not exactly rooted in the same values as Trapilo’s. Turner’s violent game, which the Bears fell in love with for good reason, also led to seven personal fouls just last year at Texas A&M and a groin-punch-induced ejection two years ago.

And penalties and ejections weren’t the only things keeping the defensive tackle off the field, either. After suffering a stress fracture in his foot over the summer, Turner gutted out the regular season, but did not participate in the Aggies’ bowl game, nor did he work out at the NFL Scouting Combine.

However, his participation in A&M’s pro day was enough for Ryan Poles to feel confident in his long-term health:

“He did his pro day. So, you’ve seen him do a full D-line work, I think it was Joe Cullen from Kansas City who did it, and Joe Cullen’s pro day workouts are exhausting. And he did it and did it well, so we feel comfortable with where he’s at.”

As for Turner’s on-field behavioral issues, Poles said, “Part of it’s being more disciplined and playing selfless to know when you do those things you’re hurting the entire team. We’ll continue to educate him when he’s in the building on that part.”

But that doesn’t mean coaching the drive out of the player, either.

“I think it’s one of those things, you want that edge in your defensive linemen and your defensive players – and really all the players,” Poles continued. “And I feel like if you can pull that back a little bit, that’s a lot easier than having to push guys.”

Turner told reporters: “Playing with an edge, being an edgy guy, playing with fire like that is always good, but you’ve got to know how to control it. You can’t let it control you. I feel like keeping it at a certain level, like, right on the line, I could stay right on the line, but just don’t cross it, and man, I’ll have a great career.”

Turner’s brief availability via Zoom was reminiscent of Grady Jarrett’s introductory press conference last month: entertaining, electric, and real.

And with Turner and Jarrett sharing a position group, Poles is expecting fireworks in camp as a result:

“That group’s gonna be a real – especially with Grady and those guys – it’s gonna be contagious amongst the group. We’re probably gonna have some real tough training camp days with some fights. I think that’s good, though. It just raises the level of intensity for our entire football team.”