🏈 Bears NFL Draft Predictions 2026: Mock Draft Picks, Best Prospect Fits, Team Needs & More
With Caleb Williams entering Year 2 and head coach Ben Johnson building one of the most promising young offenses in the league, the Chicago Bears hold the No. 25 pick and can afford to invest heavily on the defensive side of the ball after losing key pieces in the secondary and along the line this offseason.
As part of our NFL draft predictions for every team, we break down the Bears' full draft picks, biggest team needs, ideal prospect fits, mock draft projections, and our prediction for which player Chicago will draft in the first round, which begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET live on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
📊 Bears draft picks 2026
See where the Bears rank by the latest Super Bowl odds for every team.
| Round | Pick(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | No. 25 |
| 2 | No. 57, 60 (via BUF) |
| 3 | No. 89 |
| 4 | No. 125, 129 |
| 5 | No. 165 |
| 6 | No pick |
| 7 | No. 239, 241 |
🆘 Bears team needs entering draft
We break down every team's projected NFL win totals with our best Over/Under picks by division.
- Team needs: EDGE, S, OL, DL, WR
- Key additions: Coby Bryant (S), Cam Lewis (CB), Jack Sanborn (LB), Devin Bush (LB), Garrett Bradbury (C, via trade), Kentavius Street (EDGE)
- Key departures: Jaquan Brisker (S, Steelers), Kevin Byard (S, Patriots), DJ Moore (WR, Bills via trade), Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (S, Bills), Drew Dalman (C, retiring)
Chicago lost four of its top five defensive backs in snaps this offseason, headlined by Brisker's departure and the Moore trade that stripped the receiving corps of its most experienced target. While edge is a major need, safety is also a pressing concern after losing both Brisker and Byard, as the Bears allowed 61 completions of 20-plus yards last season - second-most in the NFL.
🏈 Bears draft prospect fits
I asked NFL draft expert Rob Paul to pick the Bears' best prospect fit in a dream scenario, their safest pick, and their best upside pick for Thursday:
| Pick type | No. 25 pick | Grade | Paul's take |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌟 Dream pick | Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, SAF, Toledo | 7.15 | Adding a safety with McNeil-Warren's versatile skill set, size, and physicality beside recent signee Coby Bryant could help unlock Chicago's defense in a division full of playmakers |
| 🛡️ Safe pick | Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami | 7.15 | The Bears need to bolster their pass rush and find a productive sack artist to line up opposite Montez Sweat, and while he is an older prospect (25), Mesidor is a readymade pass rusher with weaponized hands |
| 🚀 Upside pick | Peter Woods, IDL, Clemson | 7.0 | One of the most polarizing players in the draft class, if Woods can focus on being a gap-shooting 3-tech, he can be a disruptive player on Chicago's defense with his combo of quickness and active hands |
More scouting reports & player profiles
➡️ Arvell Reese draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
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➡️ Carnell Tate draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Jordyn Tyson draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
📝 Bears mock draft consensus picks
I went through the latest mock drafts from other top experts across the industry and gathered their predictions for the Bears' first pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Here's who they expect Chicago to draft at No. 25:
| Source | Pick |
|---|---|
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri |
| Chad Reuter (NFL.com) | Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn |
| Mike Renner (CBS) | Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn |
| Todd McShay (The Ringer) | Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson |
| Charles McDonald (Yahoo) | Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon |
Four of the six mocks we surveyed have the Bears addressing the pass rush, with Auburn's Keldric Faulk appearing twice and Missouri's Zion Young and Clemson's TJ Parker rounding out the edge options. McShay and Tice both project Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman to fill the Brisker void instead. Paul goes a different direction at safety in his mock with a player who wasn't on any of these experts' radars for Chicago.
🔮 Bears draft prediction 2026
See Rob Paul's expert NFL mock draft for projections and analysis of all 32 first-round picks.
Paul's pick at No. 25: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, SAF, Toledo
- Pro comparison: Justin Reid
- Measurables: 6'3" | 201 lbs | 22 years old | RAS: 9.01
With the Chicago Bears' offense in better shape with head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams than it has been in decades, GM Ryan Poles can afford to add an enforcer in the secondary. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is built like a condor with his length, and he flies around like one, too. At Toledo, the All-American played everything from single-high, where he showcased his range and fluidity, to in the box as a tight end stopper. EMW is a violent player who forced nine fumbles in college.
🏈 NFL draft predictions by team
See the live NFL draft odds for the top picks from the best NFL betting sites.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, I broke down every team's full draft capital, their biggest needs and ideal prospect fits, the latest mock draft consensus from industry experts, and our draft prediction for their first pick this week:
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots
AFC North: Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers
AFC South: Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East: Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints
NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks
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