The 2026 NFL Draft is just weeks away, so the anticipation and focus is ramping up as the Chicago Bears look to improve their roster going into the 2026 season.
Recently, head coach Ben Johnson said he doesn’t want to hear anything more about the success the team had in 2025, when they won the NFC North title, won 11 games, and made it to the NFC divisional playoff round, so the focus is fully on the 2026 season.
With several veterans departing on both offense and defense, while adding extra draft capital in the trade that sent DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles have plenty of ammunition to attack the draft. This could shape out to be a draft in which the Bears focus heavy on the draft or simply using their approach of taking the best available player in each round.
As the draft draws near, here’s our latest seven-round mock projecting where the Bears could go with their picks in a few weeks.
Round 1, Pick 25: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
It is hard to argue against Emmanuel McNeil-Warren if he is available by the time the Bears first-round selection comes around. There have been plenty of mock drafts that project an interior defensive lineman or edge rusher, but for what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is looking to bring to the defense, McNeil-Warren’s ballhawk ability stands out above all others at this pick.
Round 2, Pick 57: Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
Chicago should not waste time in looking to add to their edge rushing department if they focus on their secondary in the first round. Malachi Lawrence has drawn comparisons to a guy the Bears organization knows very well from their previous time together, Khalil Mack, and that would be quite the find even if he has plenty of growth and development to even scratch the surface of that potential. Speed and relentlessness are two of the biggest keys for Chicago’s defense, and Lawrence fits that bill as a pure pass rusher.
Round 2, Pick 60: Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
No reason to go away from the defensive line after addressing edge rusher just three picks earlier. This could be a little bit of a reach but if Gracen Halton is there, he may be worth the reach even if he’ll be a rotational piece early on. Halton has been praised for ability to maneuver himself into the pockets and the way in which his body bends, and similar to Lawrence, has that relentless motor that could be key for Chicago’s draft strategy.
Round 3, Pick 89: Sam Hecht, C, Kansas St.
A player that the Bears have already met with, Sam Hecht feels like a very good fit for how Ben Johnson and the offense has been built after the 2025 season. He may not have the best size for the position, but Hecht is quite the athlete and has great technique to anchor the offensive line. Hecht will likely get a year to sit and learn behind Garrett Bradbury, but he does project to fit in as a starter in the NFL, impressive in this year’s Senior Bowl as well.
Round 4, Pick 129: Jalon Kilgore, CB, South Carolina
A pure athlete in the defensive secondary, Jalon Kilgore who can fit in a role similar to Kyler Gordon at the nickel corner spot as well as safety. It would be a bit shocking if Kilgore landed to Chicago in the fourth round, but his versatility is another thing that Dennis Allen and the defense could get the most out of. His biggest year came in 2024, when he had five interceptions in 13 games.
Round 7, Pick 239: Michael Heldman, EDGE, Central Michigan
Any player drafted this late faces an uphill battle to make the roster, but Michael Heldman could be quite the find in the final round of the draft, a place where the Bears have shown to find some success lately. Heldman had 10.5 sacks for Central Michigan in 2025, but would need to find himself making the roster through special teams as a rookie. If he did break through the roster, he could earn a limited role as a pass rush specialist if there he were called upon due to injuries or simply an uprising on the depth chart.
Round 7, Pick 241: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
The Bears did bring in Kalif Raymond to serve as a depth option at wide receiver, as well as their return specialist, but it may not hurt to see what the addition of Zavion Thomas could do to their special teams unit. Known for his elite speed, Thomas profiles as a potential Swiss-Army knife type of player in Ben Johnson’s offense, who could line up in the backfield or make the most of gadget players. His 4.28 40-yard dash at the Combine may have seen his stock rise much higher than the seventh round. But, if he’s still available, it’d be intriguing to see how Ben Johnson could deploy him in his rookie year.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears 7-round mock draft: Chicago shores up offense, defense trenches
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
