Chicago Bears 2026 Draft Recap: Including Analysis & Grades for Each Pick
Image courtesy of Chicago Sun-Times
Round 1
(25th) S Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)
You simply could not have asked for a better start to the NFL Draft if you were the Chicago Bears. Thieneman was almost unanimously expected to be taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 18th pick because he would have been the perfect replacement for future hall of famer Harrison Smith, who is nearing the end of his career. But by some miracle, he made it past them and fell into Chicago’s lap at 25, and I can only imagine the smiles everyone in the Bears draft room had when they made this pick. He can be used all over the field in any capacity that Dennis Allen needs him to, and instantly becomes an upgrade in the Bears’ secondary after they lost both Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard in free agency. It’s also definitely worth noting that Thieneman ran a 4.35 40-yard dash, which ranked as the 11th fastest time amongst all participants at the 2026 Scouting Combine. So he and new free agent addition Coby Bryant will instantly create one of the fastest safety tandems in the NFL.
Grade: A+
Rounds 2 & 3
(57th) C Logan Jones (Iowa)
After years and years of having a revolving door at the center position, it looked like Chicago had finally found their long-term answer last year when they signed Drew Dalman, who had an all-pro caliber season with them in 2025. However, seemingly out of nowhere, Dalman announced his retirement from football back in March, once again leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the Bears’ offensive line. So, with a sudden new positional need in this draft, Ryan Poles decided to go with the center who best mirrors Dalman’s playing style, Iowa’s Logan Jones. But with the Bears also acquiring veteran center Garrett Bradbury via a pre-FA trade with the New England Patriots, it’s likely that Jones will have to earn his starting spot in a good ol fashioned training camp position battle with Bradbury. Nevertheless, I thought that this was a very solid pick, even if some believe it was a bit of a reach at pick 57. If Jones can become the starting center in Chicago for the next 5-10 years, then that “reach” will look a lot more like a gem.
Grade: Between a B+ and an A-
(69th) TE Sam Roush (Stanford)
Like many, my immediate reaction to hearing this pick was a mix of confusion and annoyance because the Bears already have two very good tight ends on their roster with Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. But I will humbly admit, I had very little knowledge about Roush before the draft, and after doing some digging on him afterwards, I certainly see Ben Johnson’s vision. In 2025, no team in the NFL ran more offensive plays out of 12 and 13 personnel than the Chicago Bears did. Roush racked up 545 recieving yards last season at Stanford, which was the most amongst all tight ends in the ACC. But his true strengths are as a nasty blocker which will certainly help out Chicago’s top ranked rushing offense. This will also help with allowing Loveland to become even more of a recieving threat and build off of his sensational rookie season last year. I believe that this will become one of the more impactful but under appreciated picks in this draft, especially since he likely won’t have the eye-popping recieving numbers serving as the TE3 on this team.
Grade: B
(89th) WR Zavion Thomas (LSU)
This was easily my least favorite pick in this class, simply because it feels like such a reach and at a position that is not nearly as much of a need compared to the defensive line. Thomas is an absolute speed demon who ran a 4.28 40-yard dash, but didn’t have a ton of production during his time at LSU. With Chicago already having a very crowded wide receiver room with the likes of Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, I feel like Thomas will be used mainly as a return specialist due to his blazing speed, and maybe become a gadget player that Ben Johnson will design unique plays for on offense. Outside of that, I don’t really see him making much of an instant impact on this team. But I would be more than thrilled if he proves me wrong.
Grade: D+
Rounds 4 & 5
(124th) CB Malik Muhammad (Texas)
I was very surprised to still see Muhhammad on the board this late in the draft, as I had him projected to go somewhere late in the second or early in the third. I think he will enter training camp somewhere in the bottom half of the CB depth chart, but certainly has all the skills to become a starter at any point during his rookie season. He has solid coverage skills and athleticism that at the very least, will bolster the depth of the Bears secondary even more.
Grade: A-
(166th) LB Keyshaun Elliott (Arizona St)
Elliott brings toughness and range to a linebacker group undergoing transition after Tremaine Edmunds’ departure. He provides immediate competition and special‑teams value, with the potential to grow into a rotational defensive contributor.
Grade: B
Rounds 6 & 7
(213th) DT Jordan van den Berg (Georgia Tech)
A freak athlete with a perfect 10.0 Relative Athletic Score, van den Berg is viewed by many as a potential late‑round steal after Chicago traded both of their 7th round picks to move up into the 6th and grab him.. His strong run‑defense grades and rare explosiveness make him an intriguing developmental piece for Chicago’s interior defensive line.
Grade: B+
