The NFL draft is less than a week away. It feels like the appropriate time for one more Chicago Bears 2026 mock draft. This time, there won’t be any exploring of ideas and scenarios. I plan to take all the breadcrumbs from the past couple of weeks regarding the team and piece together a draft that projects what they’re hoping for. None of my personal opinion is in this. We are basing it entirely on what the Bears have signaled and what their preferences are regarding types of players.
As we all know, the draft is unpredictable. There will likely be some selections ahead of the Bears at #25 that nobody sees coming. The lack of quarterbacks should create some serious chaos. Will general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson use it to their advantage? Let’s find out.
This Chicago Bears 2026 mock draft reflects how they want it to go.
Trade: Bears trade 25th pick to Patriots for 31st pick and 95th pick
1st Round (via NE) – Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
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A lot of people aren’t wild about the idea of taking a tackle this early. Here are the facts. Ozzy Trapilo suffered a very bad knee injury that isn’t easy to recover from. His long-term status is unknown. Braxton Jones and Jedrick Wills are both coming off season-ending injuries and were struggling before that. They’re also on one-year deals. This team needs an alternative. Iheanachor is big, athletic, tough, violent, and learning remarkably fast for somebody so inexperienced. He has the body and movement similar to Darnell Wright. There is no question that he can be a legitimate left tackle.
2nd Round – Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
Another reason the Bears feel comfortable waiting to address the defensive line is that they will have good options in the 2nd round. Jacas is a perfect example. He doesn’t possess any one special quality, but he has solid size, great power, and is an above-average athlete. His background as a wrestler also shows in his ability to shed blockers on his way to the quarterback. He is a good fit for Dennis Allen’s system and brings them some desperately needed juice on the edge.
2nd Round (via BUF) – Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
Did I say we were done? One could argue that the interior pass rush has been the bigger problem for the Bears in recent years. While the 2026 draft doesn’t have any can’t-miss types in that category, Halton is one who has all the skills for it. He has great snap anticipation, a good first step, and lower-body explosiveness. He’s shown he knows how to shoot gaps and fight through blocks to make the quarterback uncomfortable.
3rd Round – Logan Jones, C, Iowa
The exit of Drew Dalman hurt. There is no getting around it. Chicago was forced to surrender a valuable draft pick to bring in a temporary stopgap. Garrett Bradbury is fine, but he isn’t the future. Jones is another classic Iowa guy: tough as nails, strong, mobile, and technically proficient. His blue-collar mentality should immediately appeal to Johnson and offensive line coach Dan Roushar.
3rd Round (via NE) – De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
This Bears 2026 mock draft isn’t concluding without a receiver. The team has made it clear they plan to take one at some point, and they’ve been paying extra attention to Stribling. It isn’t hard to see why. He’s big, strong, runs hard after the catch, runs solid routes, and is a violent blocker when he has the mind to. He was a big part of the Rebels’ playoff run last year. There is no doubt that Coach Johnson would love him.
4th Round – Kamari Ramsey, S, USC
Maybe the team would’ve preferred to address safety sooner, but the board didn’t fall their way. Still, it worked out pretty well. Allen likes his safeties to be interchangeable, moving from free to strong and even to nickelback. Ramsey showed he could do that at USC. He plays the run well, improved his tackling considerably, and is athletic enough to handle his duties in coverage.
7th Round (via CLE) – Vincent Anthony Jr., EDGE, Duke
There is no law that says you can’t double-dip at a key position. Anthony has the dimensions needed for a 4-3 end. He’s 6’5″, 258 lbs, and boasts 34-inch arms. His burst is solid, and he shows the agility to bend the edge without losing momentum. The big concern is power. He’s been pushed around in the run game and doesn’t have any bull-rush moves. He’s a worthwhile flier with some building blocks to work with.
7th Round – Khalil Dinkins, TE, Penn State
Losing Durham Smythe to free agency was unfortunate. The Bears haven’t really replaced him behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. So they decided to bring in Dinkins. His numbers aren’t anything special, but that is because Penn State never really took the time to develop him. He’s a good athlete with reliable hands and the necessary tenacity to block. He must get stronger and start refining his game.
