The Chicago Bears are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, where edge rusher is sure to be a focal point to overhaul the roster.
The Bears had just 35 sacks as a team last season, 40 in 2024, and 30 in 2023. The production has been inconsistent, and even when general manager Ryan Poles traded for Montez Sweat, it sure bolstered the production, but it hasn’t been enough.
Chicago saw positive growth from their former fifth-round draft pick Austin Booker. After starting the season on injured reserve, Booker finished the season with 4.5 sacks, 35 tackles, and five tackles for loss, leaving a lot of room for growth coming into his third season.
The Bears also had just eight games of Dayo Odeyingbo after he tore his Achilles tendon in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He still has two years left of his initial three-year deal and Chicago is looking to see more production from him as well.
Not addressing edge rusher in free agency or in the trade market for high-end guys like Maxx Crosby or Trey Hendrickson, Poles elected to keep the draft capital the Bears currently have, and by the looks of it, are looking to address the edge rusher position via the draft. Here are six suitable prospects that the Bears could potentially select come late April.
Zion Young, Missouri
As I said in my first mock draft, Zion Young is a guy the Bears would love to draft with their first pick. With 33-inch arms and a fiery competitiveness, Young is the standard size of an edge rusher who has power, knows how to attack based on blocking schemes, and can counter tackles with an inside move. He impressed during his Senior Bowl performance and finished his senior season with 13 games played, 42 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Young continues to draw attention from teams, as his projection now sits late first round, early second round. But this spot at No. 25, if Chicago stays put, is interesting, because defensive tackles will be there, so will edge rushers, and potentially safeties
Keldric Faulk, Auburn
Keldric Faulk may be the most interesting edge rusher of the draft class because he has the physical tools at 6-foot-6, 34 ⅜ inch arms, but he offers versatility. He took 30% of his snaps this past season in the interior of the defensive line as a 2-4 tech. He needs to figure out a plan when it comes to attacking as a pass rusher, winning just 11.4% of his one-on-one battles, but he also possesses lots of great production as a run stopper. But this is athleticism, strength, and effort that he plays with – Faulk should hear his name called in the first round because of what he can do.
Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)
Akheem Mesidor is a prospect who has played so much college football, and at the age of 25 comes in as someone who can start Week 1. His first two years at West Virginia, he played both defensive end and nose tackle. He moved to nose tackle during his sophomore season, finishing with 38 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Mesidor is as good at the feel for the game as any edge in the draft and has an array of moves to get to the quarterback. His frame gives him the ability to bend at the edge, which is a problem for the guard if moved inside, and he often gets into the backfield. The only real knock for Mesidor is his height and length, the fact that he is 25 years old.
Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Cashius Howell has a burst – he’s quick, fast, has a good bend to get around tackles, which is why he had 11.5 sacks this season with 14.0 tackles for loss, but his small frame and inability to use his hands at the point of attack leave so much meat on the bone. On obvious passing down, Howell is so good at attacking the tackle’s outside shoulder and getting around, but not being great against the run doesn’t quite make him a three-down defender right away. This is someone Chicago could target in a scenario where they end up trading back, and Howell is still available, but in Dennis Allen’s scheme, they are targeting large human beings who can play the run.
Gabe Jacas, Illinois
Gabe Jacas is a prospect that won’t be picked in the first round, but is a round pick, and if Chicago is to go elsewhere at No. 25, Jacas is certainly in play at No. 57 or No. 60. Jacas, since his freshman season, has been in a starting role. He has 50 games played in four seasons and has 27 career sacks, including 11.0 this past season. Jacas possesses tremendous power with his hands and drive from his legs. He has a good build with length, and has shown to pursue in the run game, and looks to create turnovers. The only knock against Jacas is that his scheme, when rushing, can become predictable.
Malachi Lawrence, UCF
Like Jacas, Malachi Lawrence is another edge that won’t be drafted in the first round, but he’s primed to hear his name called in the second round and early third round. At 253 pounds, Lawrence and power he loses because of his weight, he makes up with his explosive get-off and array of attacking setups. Lawrence is an athlete and tested well at the combine. He ran a 4.52 40-yard dash and had a 1.59 10-yard split.
The stragety for the Bears at No. 25 will be best availble, which means it could go anywhere from, defensive back, offensive tackle, edge rusher or defensive tackle. But if Chicago chooses to pass up on edge in the first round, there are a nunber of options in the late second round.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 6 edge rushers the Bears should target in the 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Preston Zbroszczyk , Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
