The Bears 2026 Draft Thread

[Lake Shore Drive]

With the college season over - congrats to the Hoosiers and their perfect season - I suppose it's time for a draft thread. Yeah, we can nest all draft talk within the already existing 2026 offseason thread, but the draft is a whole separate species unto itself. While the offseason encompasses all things NFL, the front office, coaching, extensions, free agency, trades, cuts, etc, the draft commands its own special attention. From the early player ratings to the senior bowl to the combine and finally to draft day itself, it's kind of like its own sub-organization.

As for our Bears, a while back I felt that the minimum first three rounds, if not four, should be fully dedicated to the defense. But now I'm wondering if the LT position should also be in the mix. This is mainly due to the severity of Ozzy Trapilo's injury, where it's almost a given that he won't be ready by the start of the season, not to mention the possibility that this could affect his career altogether. No doubt I'd prefer this to be resolved thru a FA signing or a trade, but that's always easier said than done.

In any event, here's to hoping we have a productive draft this year. Owning the 25th pick, it's gonna be very difficult trying to pin down the exact player or even position we'll grab. Lot of variables involved. But it should be fun doing the respective evals and such.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

So just for kicks, I've listed below 5 major draft websites, with each showing its respective 25th ranked player. Not to be confused with an actual mock draft, these are strictly overall player rankings. And since we're drafting 25th, I figured what the hell:

ESPN: Cashius Howell, Edge - Texas A&M
NFL Draft Buzz: Kayden McDonald, DT - Ohio State
CBS Sports: Kayden McDonald, DT - Ohio State
PFF: Kadyn Proctor, OT - Alabama
Drafttek: LT Overton, DE/Edge - Alabama

Obviously, we have no idea if any of these players will be on the board at 25 or even if they are, whether will Poles opt for someone else. But it's pretty cool to see that at 25, there's some nice talent out there and not so coincidentally, they man positions we could be targeting on day one.

 

[NCChiFan]

So just for kicks, I've listed below 5 major draft websites, with each showing its respective 25th ranked player. Not to be confused with an actual mock draft, these are strictly overall player rankings. And since we're drafting 25th, I figured what the hell:

ESPN: Cashius Howell, Edge - Texas A&M
NFL Draft Buzz: Kayden McDonald, DT - Ohio State
CBS Sports: Kayden McDonald, DT - Ohio State
PFF: Kadyn Proctor, OT - Alabama
Drafttek: LT Overton, DE/Edge - Alabama

Obviously, we have no idea if any of these players will be on the board at 25 or even if they are, whether will Poles opt for someone else. But it's pretty cool to see that at 25, there's some nice talent out there and not so coincidentally, they man positions we could be targeting on day one.

D in the first
D in the Second
D in the third
D in the fourth
O last pick RB, let the luck continue!

 

[Jiddy]

D in the first
D in the Second
D in the third
D in the fourth
O last pick RB, let the luck continue!

A tackle is warranted in there somewhere if not addressed in free agency.

Also, I think our RB's left quite a few yards on the field our past few games. A stud would have made a difference there. Swift/Monangai are good enough...but not great.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

D in the first
D in the Second
D in the third
D in the fourth
O last pick RB, let the luck continue!

That was my hope the week prior to the Rams game, let's super focus on the D. But Ozzy's injury is sounding more and more as if it might keep him out beyond opening weekend, and some are even saying midseason at the earliest.

A tackle is warranted in there somewhere if not addressed in free agency.

So yes, I'm now thinking that an OT is pretty much a must-pick in the early rounds, unless as @Jiddy suggested, we obtain a vet at some point in the offseason. The LT spot can't be left as it currently stands.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Also, I think our RB's left quite a few yards on the field our past few games. A stud would have made a difference there. Swift/Monangai are good enough...but not great.

Been meaning to get around to addressing the second part of your post. I agree that neither Swift nor Monangai are the so-called studs to which you refer, but then again so few are. Yet as a tandem they were pretty damn effective. The Bears finished the regular season with 3rd most rushing yards. Generally speaking, you're going to find stronger defenses in the post season, so the bit of the dropoff they had in production isn't all that shocking.

But assuming it's agreed that adding a stud would be the crème de la crème to our running game, we're not going to find it in this year's draft. There's only one 1st round graded RB in this draft, Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love, and he'll be long gone by the time we're on the clock. The next highest ranked RBs are mostly considered late 2nd round/early 3rd round candidates. It's bad enough that Poles may have to use one of our top picks on a tackle. I definitely don't see him using another early pick on that side of the ball.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

In following some of the early mock drafts and player rankings, two names are popping up more frequently than others when it comes to the Bears top pick, with both on the DL. If the Bears decide to go Edge, the early consensus is Clemson's TJ Parker, and if DT is to be the top position of choice, then Ohio State's Kayden McDonald is the man. Of course both of these players are more frequently named because we're drafting 25th, and they are the best at these respective positions who could still on the board at that point.

Any FA acquisitions or trades will undoubtedly impact how the Bears handle the draft, so this is based on no significant transactions prior to it. One take I'm gathering with all this is the Edge is deeper in 1st round talent, with somewhat of a steep dropoff after that, whereas DT is a bit light on 1st round talent, but loaded with 2nd-3rd rounders. Again, other transactions notwithstanding, this might signal how Poles goes about his business.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

FYI, tonite is the East-West Shrine Bowl and Saturday is the Senior Bowl. Both games will be televised on the NFL Network.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Look at the bright side. We'll only be seeing two, maybe three hundred more of these in the coming months. Here's one from Yahoo Sports:

2026 NFL mock draft 5.0: Another QB besides Fernando Mendoza goes in Round 1, while Chiefs get new weapon

Only two teams are still playing, so fans of the rest can look forward to April's NFL Draft as a big step toward making the Super Bowl next season.

sports.yahoo.com

25. Chicago Bears — Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech​

The Bears’ defense had admirable late-season performances, notably against the Rams in the divisional round, but that group needs to become more stout against the run. Luckily, this is a good defensive tackle class, especially for run-first guys. Hunter is one of those talented interior defenders, and he would give the Bears a burly defender who can eat blocks but also get into the backfield. He even has upside as a pass rusher. Hunter has to work on down-to-down consistency, but there aren’t a lot of players with this size who can move as easily as Hunter does.

26. Buffalo Bills — T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson​

Thought it would be worth highlighting our pick, followed by the Bills selection of Edge TJ Parker, whose name I've seen linked to several Bears mocks. As to selection by position, I'm pretty much even-steven between the DT and Edge, I suppose whoever is highest on Poles BPA list. I'd almost give equal standing to the LT spot as well, but my guess is a veteran will pop up at some point in the offseason.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Looking like in the early practices for the Senior Bowl, it's the DL players who are making all the noise. Two names in particular who have been dominating are Caleb Banks and Lee Hunter. Banks is listed as a DE, but with that 6'6" 330lb frame, it's just as likely as he'll move inside on whoever drafts him, or at the very least be a swing along the line. No question about Hunter, he's strictly DT, and so far he's been perhaps the biggest story in practice. Of course that's only what it is, practice. But encouraging nonetheless because it's possible either or both of these guys will still be on the board when it's our turn to select.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

As I continue my deep dive into various players at various positions who would be a great fit for our #25 pick, the name that continues to pop up time and again is Ohio State's DT Kayden McDonald. In fact, he comes up as the Bears pick on more mock websites than almost all others choices combined.

And as someone who even back to the regular season was hoping our first pick in this draft would be an Edge player, I'm starting to come around to thinking the DT spot might just be our top priority. Nothing's set in stone of course, way too much time between now and draft day, so many things can alter our team needs. But at the moment, I'm starting to think DT might just be the ticket to #25.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Ok, so here's my obviously too early 3 round picks:

25. Kayden McDonald, DT Ohio State, Age 20 - Ranked as the #1 run stuffer in the nation, excells at winning the leverage battles. PFF grade 86.5–88.3
57. Zion Young, Edge Mizzou, Age 21 - Dennis Allen sized DE/Edge, strong against the run and has good moves for the pass rush. PFF grade 82.0
89. Zakee Wheatley, S Penn State, Age 23 - Big, strong, fast, plays well in both zone and man. PFF grade 85.9

McDonald is the mock draft world's consensus pick for the Bears. His run stuffing talent is something our DL sorely needs. Young, LB3's former teammate, was Player of the Game in yesterday's Senior Bowl. Wheatley scores well in his field, but perhaps his age has knocked his draft slotting down a notch.

Like I said, these picks are way too early, being there could still be offseason moves for Poles to make, not to mention the combines still await. These could alter the Bears strategy. And notice I don't have an OT in my top 3 picks, even tho it's arguably a top 3 need. But I'm counting on signing a vet in the offseason to hold down the fort until Ozzy is fully back up and running. And we should still have Theo Benedet and Kiran Amegadjie on the roster, at least for the present.

 

[wood20ks]

https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2026/02/03/bears-mock-draft-2026-1/

This is gonna be one of the years where I have no idea who these guys are that we draft.....
I got my fingers crossed.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2026/02/03/bears-mock-draft-2026-1/

This is gonna be one of the years where I have no idea who these guys are that we draft.....
I got my fingers crossed.

Yeah, that's why I prefaced my initial pick by stating who knows how this will go - so many variables come into play before the draft. The only thing I do know is there's no way I'll go more than 3 rounds. Even after the first two we're kinda digging into the weeds as it is. Also, there's no way I see the Bears waiting until the 7th round to take a DT. Maybe not the 1st pick, but certainly not amongst the last.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Way too early, but I’m already keeping an eye on the 2026 class. If the Bears keep building the way they are, that draft could be huge.
I’ve been tracking draft prospects and team needs here if anyone’s interested:

Hey, feel free to come up with your version of a draft. You don't have to be a Bears fan to post opinions in here.

 

[wood20ks]

Yeah, that's why I prefaced my initial pick by stating who knows how this will go - so many variables come into play before the draft. The only thing I do know is there's no way I'll go more than 3 rounds. Even after the first two we're kinda digging into the weeds as it is. Also, there's no way I see the Bears waiting until the 7th round to take a DT. Maybe not the 1st pick, but certainly not amongst the last.

After about top 10 picks of the draft,there is probably no one I have heard of other than just what is talked about by the talking heads and here.....

I don't watch cfb,so I have that going against me.

So I will taking everyones word on how well we did here on this forum.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

After about top 10 picks of the draft,there is probably no one I have heard of other than just what is talked about by the talking heads and here.....

I don't watch cfb,so I have that going against me.

So I will taking everyones word on how well we did here on this forum.

Hell, after the top 2 or 3 picks I'm often left scratching my head. But it does seem this year to be a draft favoring the DL, at least in the first round, which is why I'm for taking either a DT or Edge at 25, because the pickings may be slim in the later rounds. As the old saying goes, get em while they're hot.

Case in point, check out this early mock from CBS Sports:

Wilson's 2026 NFL mock draft 6.0: Senior Bowl standouts Caleb Banks, Lee Hunter change Round 1 conversation

The QB class remains light, but some offensive linemen turned standout weeks in Mobile into strong cases to be first-rounders.

www.cbssports.com

7 of the top 15 picks in this mock are all DL, which is amazing considering the first 3 picks aren't one of them. And these 7 are pretty much the cream of the crop. They have the Bears taking a talented safety, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at 25. And I could see the Bears going this route if we lose our two safeties to free agency. But there's a highly regarded DT still on the board, Lee Hunter, who is shown grabbed by the Texans at 28. I'd just as soon see the Bears snag him.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Put on your armchair GM hats. Would you do this Bears draft, including the trade for Crosby?

MSN

I think the picks they suggest here overall are decent, but no way in h-e-double hockey sticks would I trade my next two 1st round picks for Maxx Crosby. And this is no knock on Maxx, who I've often touted as the hardest working player in the NFL - that motor of his never stops running and he never takes off a single play. But the man is entering his age 29 season, plus hasn't played a full schedule since '23. Giving up two 1sts is simply too much. I'd rather offer something along the lines of a 2nd rounder and DJ Moore...and even that's a lot for a player on the backside of his career.

 

[wood20ks]

Hell, after the top 2 or 3 picks I'm often left scratching my head. But it does seem this year to be a draft favoring the DL, at least in the first round, which is why I'm for taking either a DT or Edge at 25, because the pickings may be slim in the later rounds. As the old saying goes, get em while they're hot.

Case in point, check out this early mock from CBS Sports:

Wilson's 2026 NFL mock draft 6.0: Senior Bowl standouts Caleb Banks, Lee Hunter change Round 1 conversation

The QB class remains light, but some offensive linemen turned standout weeks in Mobile into strong cases to be first-rounders.

www.cbssports.com

7 of the top 15 picks in this mock are all DL, which is amazing considering the first 3 picks aren't one of them. And these 7 are pretty much the cream of the crop. They have the Bears taking a talented safety, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at 25. And I could see the Bears going this route if we lose our two safeties to free agency. But there's a highly regarded DT still on the board, Lee Hunter, who is shown grabbed by the Texans at 28. I'd just as soon see the Bears snag him.

If safety is the bpa at 25,I'd go that route myself....

 

[Sam Squanch]

Put on your armchair GM hats. Would you do this Bears draft, including the trade for Crosby?

MSN

I think the picks they suggest here overall are decent, but no way in h-e-double hockey sticks would I trade my next two 1st round picks for Maxx Crosby. And this is no knock on Maxx, who I've often touted as the hardest working player in the NFL - that motor of his never stops running and he never takes off a single play. But the man is entering his age 29 season, plus hasn't played a full schedule since '23. Giving up two 1sts is simply too much. I'd rather offer something along the lines of a 2nd rounder and DJ Moore...and even that's a lot for a player on the backside of his career.

Yeah, but I do think the Raiders will trade him to some team and we will be saying, we could’ve matched that easy…