Which defensive players are the Bears looking at in the draft?

Posted February 20, 2026 12:22 am

By Kevin Fishbain

For Bears general manager Ryan Poles’ first draft, the personnel department ran through a bunch of simulations. When they did so, cornerback Kyler Gordon was rarely available at No. 39.

“We kind of laughed it off, and it was like, ‘There’s no way,’” Poles said that night in 2022. “There’s actually one time we ran it through and he was there and we said just ignore him. Act like it’s not there. So when it actually happened, it was a really cool moment.”

The anecdote was a more detailed version of the classic: “We couldn’t believe he was there,” but it’s a notable one ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, where those simulations will come in handy to prepare Poles and coach Ben Johnson for a new Bears era. One in which their first-round pick isn’t until pick No. 25.

The top 10 in a draft can eventually get pretty predictable, and then things get wild. Any “big board” has to be expansive for that first pick, and even more so as we get into Round 2 and 3. However, that’s a good thing. It means the Bears are coming off a successful season.

For this first big board, ahead of the combine and before free agency, we rely on Dane Brugler’s top 100 to find players in range of the Bears’ first three picks, organized by positions of need. Later in March, positional needs might crystallize a bit ahead of an updated big board, before our final one in April that will go seven rounds deep.

If someone isn’t on this board, it doesn’t mean they’re not an option for the Bears in the first three rounds, whether that’s because of position or where Brugler has them ranked. If the Bears move on from tight end Cole Kmet or wide receiver DJ Moore, those positions will definitely be accounted for the next time around. We stuck to the five positions on defense and running back and tackle on offense, and players rated near the Bears’ draft slots.

Here’s your Bears big board 1.0:

Defensive tackle

Our first mock draft, and several others, went with Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald in Round 1. Clemson’s Peter Woods was the pick in Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock on NFL.com. It’s the early position that is being associated most with the Bears by draft pundits.

Andrew Billings and Chris Williams are free agents. Gervon Dexter is entering the last year of his rookie contract. Grady Jarrett turns 33 in April and had only 1.5 sacks last season. Shemar Turner had moved out to defensive end before tearing his ACL midseason. The Bears have to get a more consistent pass rush from the interior, and they have to shore up a run defense that gave up 5.0 yards per carry.

Round 1

Caleb Banks, DT, Florida (No. 24 in Brugler’s top 100)

Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State (No. 26)

Peter Woods, DT, Clemson (No. 33)

Round 2

Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech (No. 60)

Round 3

Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri (No. 95)

Edge rusher

The Bears finished 21st in sacks per pass attempt last season. The Dayo Odeyingbo signing did not provide positive returns in Year 1 and ended with him on injured reserve. Dominique Robinson is set to be a free agent. Austin Booker had a strong second season opposite Montez Sweat, but the Bears have to, at a minimum, add depth, and based on Odeyingbo’s timeline, could look to use an early pick on a starter.

Round 1

Akheem Mesidor, edge, Miami (No. 19)

Cashius Howell, edge, Texas A&M (No. 29)

Round 2

Derrick Moore, edge, Michigan (No. 52)

Gabe Jacas, edge, Illinois (No. 57)

Round 3

Malachi Lawrence, edge, UCF (No. 93)

Northwestern offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan (72) huddles with teammates during a game last season. AP

Offensive tackle

This may be the most interesting position to monitor this offseason for the Bears. Ozzy Trapilo’s injury late in their playoff win over the Packers created a need on Caleb Williams’ blind side. Trapilo will be back, but likely not until after the season has started, and the Bears can’t necessarily bank on him stepping right back in and picking up where he left off.

They could decide to use free agency to find a plug-and-play veteran starter for one season. Or they could use the draft to find a starter now who can be an asset for the offense at a premium position. We know how Johnson feels about offensive line play, and a tackle in the early rounds can’t be ruled out just yet.

Round 1

Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama (No. 17)

Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia (No. 21)

Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah (No. 30)

Round 2

Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern (No. 63)

Round 3

Austin Barber, OT, Florida (No. 86)

Safety

Right now, the Bears’ safeties room is empty. Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Jonathan Owens and Elijah Hicks are all set to be free agents. Poles will have his options, such as re-signing one starter and then adding a veteran, or do what he did in 2022 with Brisker and hope one of this year’s draft picks becomes a long-term starter on the back end of the defense. Even if Byard returns, that would likely be a short-term deal, too.

The Bears won’t be in Caleb Downs territory to select the draft’s top safety, but a late first-round pick puts them in position for the next two best at the position.

Round 1

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon (No. 23)

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo (No. 31)

Round 2

Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State (No. 55)

A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU (No. 58)

Linebacker

As of publication, Tremaine Edmunds is still a Bear. Even if the team decides to keep Edmunds — he is entering the last year of his contract — there’s still a need for a linebacker. T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell are coming off injuries, D’Marco Jackson is set to be a free agent and last year’s fourth-round pick, Ruben Hyppolite, didn’t get playing time.

If the Bears do part ways with Edmunds, there is a path to draft a starter, or at least someone who could take over from a veteran.

Round 1

CJ Allen, LB, Georgia (No. 32)

Round 2

Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas (No. 56)

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech (No. 64)

Round 3

Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State (No. 85)

Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon (No. 97)

Cornerback

The Bears could re-sign Nahshon Wright and have little to no need at corner. If Wright and C.J. Gardner-Johnson exit via free agency, the Bears could still feel good about Tyrique Stevenson, plus reserve corner Terell Smith, but both are entering the final year of their rookie contracts. Pending free agency, the Bears might look for a starter from the draft or simply want to add depth at a major position that will have question marks in 2027.

Round 1

Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee (No. 28)

Round 2

Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State (No. 59)

Round 3

Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas (No. 90)

Running back

Coming off a career year, D’Andre Swift should stick around, but the Bears would create some cap space by moving on and may view running back as the position it has become — one where you can sometimes find productive players anywhere, like Kyle Monangai in Round 7. Even if Swift stays, it will be the last year of his contract. Johnson was in Detroit when the Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs high, so it seemingly always has to be a part of Bears draft discussions.

Round 2

Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame (No. 51)

Round 3

Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska (No. 92)