The Chicago Bears have selected Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad with the 124th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Chicago traded up five spots with the Carolina Panthers to make the selection.
It’s the first defensive selection for the Bears since the first round, when they drafted safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick. Muhammad is also the second defensive back selected by Chicago in this draft.
The Bears add even more speed to Dennis Allen’s defense after drafting Thieneman and adding safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush in free agency. Muhammad ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he’s a competitive and physical addition to the secondary.
Last season with the Longhorns, Muhammad totaled two interceptions and two pass breakups and allowed 21 catches on 35 targets for 168 yards and one touchdown.
Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said about Muhammad: “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.”
Cornerback wasn’t a glaring need for the Bears, but it doesn’t hurt to shore up the position after injuries took out the secondary last season. With Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon locked in as starters, on the outside and slot, respectively, there’s a starting job up for grabs. Tyrique Stevenson is the favorite to earn it, but Muhammad has an opportunity to make a surprise push.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears select CB Malik Muhammad with 124th pick in 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
