A five-year college starter whose versatility across the line made him a sixth-round steal for the Bears' offensive front.
Luke Newman took an unusual path to the NFL, starting three seasons at left tackle for Holy Cross before transferring to Michigan State and shifting inside to guard for his final college year. The Bears drafted him in the sixth round in 2025 for exactly that versatility, and he spent his rookie season bouncing between guard and center as a valuable depth piece.
Path to the league
Newman played 52 collegiate games over five seasons, 40 at Holy Cross from 2020-23 and 12 at Michigan State in 2024. He started 37 consecutive games at left tackle for the Crusaders before starting all 12 games at left guard for the Spartans in his lone season there. The Bears selected him with the 195th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 draft.
Career highlights
Newman earned First-Team FCS All-America honors in each of his final two seasons at Holy Cross, along with First-Team All-Patriot League recognition in all three years he played there. He added Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors at Michigan State in 2024, and impressed at his pro day with a 35-inch vertical and 29 reps on the bench press, both top-five marks among offensive linemen relative to that year's combine.
2025 season recap
Newman was active for nine games as a rookie, appearing in four and logging 25 offensive snaps and 47 special teams snaps. He served as depth behind veteran Joe Thuney at left guard and also rotated at right guard and center, stepping in during the first half of a Week 12 game against Pittsburgh after starter Jonah Jackson left with an injury.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Luke Newman
- Chicago Bears: Luke Newman player page
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Michigan State
- Hometown
- Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
