The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books for the Chicago Bears, and they have welcomed seven new rookies to their team.
The Bears had four picks in the first two rounds of the draft, which included some impactful additions of Safety Dillon Thieneman, center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas. They also added some high upside rookies in cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg on Day 3.
When looking at this draft class, it’s easy to see how Chicago prioritized speed while taking the best players available on the board rather than drafting exclusively for need. It’s also clear that head coach Ben Johnson has his fingerprints all over this class, landing some impact players on offense.
Take a look at the Bears’ complete 2026 draft class:
Round 1, Pick 25: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Pick: First round, 25th overall
Breakdown: Teach-tape level tackler with impressive speed and football IQ. May need to bulk up at the NFL level but improved in both coverage and run defense in 2025. Alignment versatile prospect who can line up in the box, nickel or deep safety without cause for concern. Ideal vision and coverage acumen. Athleticism translated to field drills at the NFL combine. — Ayrton Ostly
Fit: Thieneman is a plug-and-play safety for the Bears on Day 1 following the departures of both starting safeties Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker in free agency. Thieneman is a versatile safety who thrived in coverage and as a run stopper. He has elite instincts and playmaking ability that should make him a difference maker in Dennis Allen’s defense. — Alyssa Barbieri
Grade: A+ – The reason for the perfect grade is because general manager Ryan Poles never got anxious, never felt the need to trade up, and let Thieneman fall in their laps when he was frequently mocked to not be on the board leading up to the draft. Thieneman’s playmaking ability, excellence in coverage at the safety position, and even more, clean tackling ability will make him a Day 1 starter after being a first-round pick, barring any extreme circumstances. Chicago knew what they needed to get done, and they got a player who wasn’t expected to be there at their selection, it’s a win-win across the board for both sides. — Mike Pendleton
Round 2, Pick 57: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
Pick: Second round, 57th overall
Breakdown: Undersized but extremely athletic center prospect. Great burst and fast feet. Four-year starter at center. Short arms didn’t limit him much as a pass blocker but may show up more at the NFL level. May struggle to seal blocks in the run game. Bigger, longer defensive tackles will give him trouble. –Aryton Ostley
Fit: The Bears landed a Day 1 starter at center in Logan Jones, who started 51 career games at Iowa. Chicago acquired Garrett Bradbury via trade after Drew Dalman’s surprise retirement, but Jones might challenge Bradbury for the starting job as a rookie. — Alyssa Barbieri
Grade: B+ – There were other options at the center position for Chicago, but they identified Jones as their target and he brings a credible resume to the Windy City with a potential opportunity to compete for the starting job as a rookie. Jones took over Tyler Linderbaum at Iowa, no easy task, and went on to be a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection, and the aforementioned All-American for his stellar season this past year. The center position is one of the most important in Ben Johnson’s offense, and they wanted to make sure to bring in a player who could be there for the long run. — Mike Pendleton
Round 3, Pick 69 (from TEN): Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
Pick: Third round, 69th overall
Breakdown: One of few tight ends in this class who is a plus blocker from day one. Very, very short arms may cause some trouble with blocking NFL assignments but he has the power and burst to get there. Transitions out of breaks well in route running. Not elusive in the open field but strong enough to break tackles against smaller defenders. Lacks production from college. — Aryton Ostley
Fit: Sam Roush will bring toughness and physicality to Ben Johnson’s offense. He’s also an elite blocker with plenty of upside. Roush will serve as a complement to last year’s top-10 pick Colston Loveland. But Roush’s selection also puts Cole Kmet’s future in question beyond 2026. — Alyssa Barbieri
Grade: C – Roush was an unnecessary choice, not because he’s a bad player but the tight end position was not one of need, and there were plenty of options available at other needs. Chicago had opportunities to bring in an offensive tackle, or edge rusher, potentially even a wide receiver if they wanted an offensive weapon, but they decided to bring in a guy who will be the third tight end on the depth chart from the start. Roush didn’t jump off the paper in box scores, and feels more as a short-field threat than a deep threat, but head coach Ben Johnson proved he knew what he was doing with the selection with Loveland last season, so only time will tell. — Mike Pendleton
Round 3, Pick 89: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
Pick: Third round, 89th overall
Breakdown: Thomas lacks gaudy production as a receiver, but his athleticism, versatility and return talent could bolster his roster value. He has average size with enough vertical speed to stress defenses downfield. He’s average in beating man coverage underneath and struggles finishing catches through contact. His vision, burst and elusiveness as a runner makes the evaluation more interesting. Thomas is likely to be viewed as a WR5 candidate with value as a return man, but teams could dig a little deeper on his potential as a running back. — Lance Zierlein
Fit: Zavion Thomas is another speedy weapon for Ben Johnson’s offense, having run a 4.28 40-yard dash, and he projects to serve as a return specialist and gadget player for the Bears. With Kalif Raymond under contract for just one season, Thomas could be his successor, especially as it pertains to the return game. — Alyssa Barbieri
Grade: B- – The need for a receiver wasn’t as urgent as the need to address both the offensive and defensive lines, especially at the edge rusher spot. However, Zavion Thomas’ arrival to Chicago brings another element of speed that this coaching staff has said they wanted to improve on. He could be a very intriguing player for Ben Johnson to work with and implement in gadget or special packages on offense, especially given the arm talent of quarterback Caleb Williams. Thomas could also make a big impact in special teams, and putting him in a duo with the veteran Kalif Raymond will be interesting to see how Chicago’s special teams unit can improve in 2026. — Mike Pendleton
Round 4, Pick 124 (from CAR): Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
Pick: Fourth round, 124th overall
Breakdown: Muhammad has good coverage talent to offset his slender frame. He can man up from press or off and is a plus pattern-matcher, staying in-phase and shadowing break points. He displays outstanding vision and adheres to his zone-cover principles, allowing him to play with ideal efficiency on all three levels. He can get outmuscled by big, strong wideouts inside the route and at the catch-point, but he doesn’t give in and usually holds his own. He does a nice job of chopping pass-catchers down in space but a lack of play strength shows up in occasional broken tackles. Muhammad has Day 2 talent and starter-level ability. — Lance Zierlein
Fit: Muhammad is the latest speedy addition to Dennis Allen’s defense, having run a 4.42 40-yard dash, and brings physicality to the secondary. With Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon returning from injury, the Bears will have a starting job up for grabs opposite Johnson, with Tyrique Stevenson being the favorite. But Muhammad has an opportunity to win the starting job as a rookie. — Alyssa Barbieri
Grade: B+ – Muhammad’s stats don’t jump off the page, but it’s simply because that he was shutting down wide receivers and not allowing many opportunities against him. With Jaylon Johnson on the other side, and a revamped safety position, the Bears secondary has a good mixture of both highly talented coverage corners and ballhawk safeties, a mix that should help them limit the amount of big plays made by opponents this upcoming season. With limited options on the board on the defensive line, Chicago landed a player who definitely helps the secondary, an area of need this offseason. — Mike Pendleton
Round 5, Pick 166 (from CAR): Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State
Pick: Fifth round, 166th overall
Breakdown: Big, productive inside linebacker lacking the athletic traits to make enough plays on the next level. Elliott has earned praise for his exceptional work ethic and football character. His instincts and reaction time are average, though. He can be heavy-handed when taking on blocks and his execution is inconsistent. His pursuit speed to the sideline is too heavy-footed in pass coverage and as an open-field tackler. His pathway will need to be as a physical thumper who can star on special teams. — Lance Zierlein
Fit: Keyshaun Elliott joins a Bears linebacker room that lacked depth, and he’ll have a chance to develop into a potential starter down the line. Elliott has good instincts and is a tackling machine, but coverage is certainly his weakness. As far as immediate impact, he projects to be an elite special teams contributor for Richard Hightower’s unit. — Alyssa Barbieri
Grade: B- – The grade is not indicative of Elliott’s talent, it’s the fact that the Bears take a player at a position that is filled with veteran talent and will be difficult for the rookie linebacker to crack the lineup. While starting jobs are not handed out to fifth-round talents, or most rookies for that matter, Elliott is going to have to earn his opportunity at playing time, likely on special teams, where he did not play in the college level. His talent is there, totaling 7.0 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in the 2025 season, but it’s a pick that is a bit interesting given that the Bears have elected not to address the defensive line. — Mike Pendleton
Round 6, Pick 213 (from BUF): Jordan van den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech
Pick: Sixth round, 239th overall
Breakdown: Jordan van den Berg began to hit his stride at Georgia Tech in 2024 after three quiet years as a backup at Penn State. Elite testing numbers at his pro day will send scouts back to the tape for further evaluation. He possesses disruptive first-step quickness and heavy hands to beat blocks. He carries average mass and below-average length. He needs to prove he can take on NFL blockers at the point of attack. The career production looks a little light on paper, but van den Berg appears to possess translatable traits that could entice a team with a one-gapping defensive front to draft him on Day 3. — Lance Zierlein
Fit: The Bears got another steal in Jordan van den Berg in the sixth round, and he has the potential to factor into the interior defensive line rotation as a rookie. Van den Berg, who hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, is an explosive athlete who is a great fit for Dennis Allen’s defense. He’s an athletic freak who scored a perfect 10.00 RAS score, and has plenty of upside. — Alyssa Barbieri
Takeaway
The Bears prioritized speed and athleticism with this draft class, staying true to their draft board and selecting the best available. They were able to address needs, including safety, cornerback and linebacker, while shoring up strengths at tight end and the offensive line. Chicago land a steal in Dillon Thieneman in the first round and found their center of the future in Logan Jones. It’s clear that head coach Ben Johnson had a heavy influence on this draft class, where he added a third tight end in Sam Roush and took a chance on wide receiver Zavion Thomas. They also got some good value on Day 3 with cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears 2026 NFL Draft: Instant analysis of Chicago’s rookie class
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
