Last year, offensive line coach Dan Roushar was the focus going into the 2025 NFL draft because everybody knew what was coming. The Chicago Bears were going to draft somebody on the offensive line. To find out who, it was important to look into the types of players typically drafted when Roushar was present. It became apparent he preferred guys with polished pass protection skills. Sure enough, the Bears drafted Ozzy Trapilo in the 2nd round, bringing such a reputation with him from Boston College. So this year, with the defensive line likely to be a focus, it might be interesting to look into Jeremy Garrett.
The Bears’ defensive line coach arrived in the NFL in 2020 as an assistant defensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns. Two years later, he got the main job at Liberty in 2022 and at Auburn in 2023. That was enough to draw the attention of Jacksonville in 2024, who brought him into the fold to run their defensive front. Over that time, a trend seemed to emerge with players he worked with.
They were all explosive.
Edge rusher T.J. Bush lived up to that reputation at Liberty. Defensive end Keldric Faulk was surprisingly swift for his massive size at Auburn. Of course, there was Myles Garrett in Cleveland, and the combo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker in Jacksonville.
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Jeremy Garrett will point the Bears towards dynamic athletes.
He’s at his best when his defensive line can attack up the field, using their explosiveness to create havoc in the backfield. Obviously, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has the final decision on such things, but Garrett’s influence will be felt. Presuming the Bears stick close to that preference, a series of names pop up among the 2026 draft prospects who would fit what he’s looking for.
EDGE Keldric Faulk (Auburn)
The 6’6″, 285 lbs defensive end endured a lot of coaching turmoil with the Tigers, seeing the defensive coordinator replaced after his freshman season and then his head coach fired as a junior. Despite that, he still showed plenty of flashes. His size is already noted, but he couples it with long arms and knock-back power. He’s a much better athlete than he gets credit for and has the quickness to win the edge if opposing tackles aren’t careful. He doesn’t have the explosiveness of guys like Garrett or Hines-Allen, but he has a lot for such a big guy. Plus, Jeremy Garrett knows all about him from their time together in 2023.
EDGE Akheem Mesidor (Miami)
A combination of Rueben Bain being his teammate and Mesidor about to turn 25 has led many to gloss over how good he actually is. Aside from the gaudy numbers (17.5 sacks in 2025), the tape backs all of it up. He is a relentless predator off the edge, mixing power, quickness, and a non-stop motor to make offensive tackles miserable. Make no mistake. If he were even two years younger, he wouldn’t get out of the top 10. Taking him at #25 isn’t nearly as terrifying as it should be. Mesidor can play immediately and has a diverse enough repertoire to have an immediate impact as a rookie.
EDGE Malachi Lawrence (UCF)
While on the lighter side for an edge rusher, Lawrence has that explosive first step and deep arsenal of moves that make him a constant menace. He seems to have endless stamina, continuing to bring heat even late in games. There is a clear instinct for his craft that shows up in the myriad of ways he can attack blockers. The only knock against him is average power, which is explained by his slighter frame. Still, players with his skills tend to find success a lot in the NFL. If he can put on some good weight, he should have no issue bringing some much-needed juice to the Bears’ pass rush.
DT Peter Woods (Clemson)
Unfortunately, there are some years when the productivity doesn’t measure up to what you hope for from certain positions. That is the case with defensive tackle this year. There just aren’t any proven interior pass rushers. In such cases, teams will have to take a gamble on upside. Nobody in the 2026 class has more than Woods. He has a well-proportioned build, great power to shed blocks, and flashes the explosiveness to charge into the backfield. His inconsistency has held him back from being a surefire top-10 pick. Allen has worked with Clemson defensive linemen before, particularly former 1st round defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. He should know what to expect with Woods.
DT Caleb Banks (Florida)
The next Gervon Dexter. That is why several draft experts have called Banks, but with one twist. They believe he has more explosiveness in his lower body, which means a better chance of becoming a quality pass rusher. Let’s remember that Dexter finished with 6 sacks this past season despite what many believed was some of the worst get-off in his draft class. If Banks is that superior, it is only logical that the Bears should be all over him. He’s got ideal size, length, and power. He showed at the Senior Bowl that the injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely is no longer an issue. There is some projections with him, but there are signs of a really good player.
DT Tyler Onyedim (Texas A&M)
Few schools are a greater factory for defensive line talent in college football than A&M. They produced Von Miller. They produced Myles Jarrett. That pipeline has remained open to this day. Chicago drafted Shemar Turner last year. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL right as he was getting comfortable. Onyedim is built much more as a classic three-technique interior rusher. While he only had 2.5 sacks this past season, he did have 8.5 tackles for a loss. Some believe his lack of mass (290 lbs) are part of why he wasn’t able to generate more. In truth, he has the raw explosiveness required. What he needs is a more diverse and polished rush plan. That is where Jeremy Garrett can help.
