The 2026 NFL Draft is roughly three weeks away, and the Chicago Bears are finalizing their draft preparations ahead of April’s big weekend. Chicago has seven total draft picks, including an additional second-round selection acquired in trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, giving general manager Ryan Poles plenty more ammunition to work with.
After an offseason that has seen plenty of roster turnover and has left several holes on the roster, the Bears will more than likely be very active in using their draft picks to fill out their roster. Chicago’s biggest signing this offseason was safety Coby Bryant, who they signed on the first day of free agency, but still have to address needs in the secondary, defensive line, and elsewhere on the roster.
ESPN’s Matt Miller released a full seven-round mock draft for all picks in the upcoming draft, where the Bears loaded up on defense at key positions of need.
Round 1, Pick 25: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
The Bears have to get better on the defensive line both inside at the defensive tackle spot and on the outside to establish a presence opposite of Montez Sweat. Woods is coming off a year in which he didn’t fully meet expectations, but he does present plenty of challenges for opposing offensive linemen.
Miller: “This isn’t a great interior defensive line class, but the Bears could check off their biggest roster need while picking a defender in Round 1 for the first time since 2018 (Roquan Smith). Woods didn’t live up to his potential at Clemson, but scouts believe that he’ll be a better pro than college player. His physical tools are special, with first-step burst and overall strength that look like a high-end 3-technique starter. Woods could serve as Grady Jarrett’s understudy before taking a larger role in the future.”
Round 2, Pick 57: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU
Most mock drafts have the Bears taking a safety early in this year’s draft, but most have projected them to address the position with their first-round pick. Haulcy plays physical and fits the bill of a ballhawk, which Chicago lost with the departures of both Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker this offseason.
Miller: “The Bears entered the offseason with no safeties under contract. They signed Coby Bryant from the Seahawks, but there’s still a need. Haulcy is a big safety (6-foot, 215 pounds) who has been a playmaker, with 10 career interceptions.”
Round 2, Pick 60 (via BUF): Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
While the Bears lost several safeties this offseason, they also lost Pro Bowler Nahshon Wright who had a career year in the 2025 season. Chicago struggled with injuries to Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, so bringing in a corner like Muhammad would help reinforce the secondary.
Miller: “Losing Nahshon Wright in free agency was a bigger blow than advertised. Muhammad has been a rock-solid starter since his freshman season and has 4.42 speed to go with pro-level technique in man coverage.”
Round 3, Pick 89: Skyler Bell, WR, UConn
Bell is an underrated name in this year’s receiver class, with a size-speed combination that would fit well in Ben Johnson’s offense. He may be overlooked due to playing at UConn after two years at Wisconsin, and could be a surprise at the NFL level.
Miller: “Building around Caleb Williams should be a priority in every Bears draft. Bell is an impressive athlete with the speed and route-running ability to win consistently from the slot.”
Round 4, Pick 129 (via LAR): Mason Reiger, EDGE, Wisconsin
The fourth round seems a bit long to wait for an edge rusher for Chicago, but if they are able to get their hands on Reiger, it would be a great value pick. Fitting the exact bill as a pure pass rusher, Reiger has a quick motor, with good hands and energy, all of which he showcased at the Combine in February. Finding players like Bell and Reiger would show deep work by the Bears front office to find good value fits for where they’re being taken.
Round 7, Pick 239: David Gusta, DT, Kentucky
A depth pick here, the Bears continue to add to the interior of their defensive line with the selection of Gusta late in the seventh round. Known for giving plenty of effort, Gusta would have plenty of work to put in which he can improve on handling double teams but he’ll face a battle to make the roster unless he can show significant improvements in preseason and camp.
Round 7, Pick 241: Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
Chicago also needs help at the linebacker position for depth purposes, Kelly has good speed sideline-to-sideline, and as a linebacker he could find a role as a specialist pass rusher at the position. His best chance is making the team with special teams contribution as a rookie, but could be a diamond in the rough find for Chicago if he could develop into a pass rushing asset.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Breaking down Chicago Bears’ picks in new ESPN 7-round mock draft
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
