The Chicago Bears welcomed seven new rookies to the roster during the 2026 NFL Draft, which included a steal in first-round safety Dillon Thieneman and a slew of other talent.
Chicago added more pieces to Ben Johnson’s offense with the second-round selection of center Logan Jones, as well as tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas in the third round. On Day 3, the Bears added some potential late-round gems with cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg.
While it’s far too early to start evaluating this rookie class before they’ve even hit the practice field — yet alone stepped out on an NFL field — general manager Ryan Poles appears to have added some impact players at key positions.
Now that the 2026 draft is in the books, let’s take a closer look at this Bears rookie class, where we’re looking at the best pick, sleeper, questionable pick, initial grades and more.
Best pick: S Dillon Thieneman
No one expected Dillon Thieneman to be available for the Bears at 25th overall, and yet, the best case scenario unfolded and Chicago landed one of the biggest steals of the first round. Not only did the Thieneman selection address a need at safety opposite free-agent addition Coby Bryant, but it was incredibly great value for the second best — or according to some, the best — safety in this draft class in the back half of the first round. And considering there was a massive wave of trades after Chicago selected Thieneman at No. 25, it’s safe to say he was a coveted prospect.
Thieneman is a versatile safety who possesses impressive speed (running a 4.35 40-yard dash) and is one of the best tackles in this class. He has elite instincts, speed and playmaking ability that should make him a difference maker in Dennis Allen’s defense. In one offseason, the Bears have revamped the secondary with their new starting safeties in Thieneman and Bryant, who are speedy playmakers who should help elevate the defense as a whole.
See our complete list of best picks
Best value pick: CB Malik Muhammad
The Bears got a steal in the fourth round, trading up for Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad. Many draft analysts had Muhammad ranked as a Top 100 prospect, and Chicago managed to snag him at 124th overall. That’s incredible value at a premium position with a question mark opposite Jaylon Johnson on the outside. Muhammad, who’s just 21, fits what the Bears have been looking for on defense — speed, instincts, athleticism and competitiveness.
Muhammad has the opportunity to compete for the starting job opposite Johnson immediately as a rookie, where Tyrique Stevenson is currently the favorite to retain the job. It also helps that defensive backs coach Al Harris is still in place, where he’ll be able to maximize Muhammad’s potential almost immediately after taking Nahshon Wright from relative unknown and turning him into a Pro Bowler last season.
See our complete list of best value picks
Sleeper pick: TE Sam Roush
Technically, the Bears drafted Sam Roush in the third round, so they have high expectations for him. Still, considering he’s the third tight end on the roster, he’s my sleeper pick and I expect him to make a significant impact as a rookie. This is a draft pick that has Ben Johnson’s fingerprints all over it, and looking at how last year’s rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III flourished in their first year, that should be the expectation for Roush in his role as TE3.
While tight end was far from the biggest need on the board when Chicago was selecting at 69th overall, it’s not a big surprise the Bears went in that direction given Johnson’s penchant for 12 personnel and 13 personnel. The Bears ran the sixth-most 12 personnel and fifth-most 13 personnel in the NFL last season, and we’ve seen how Johnson’s offense relies on multi-tight end sets. Roush is an elite blocker who should help the run game and passing game excel, and he brings the toughness and physicality that Johnson looks for in his players. While it’s not a sexy position, Roush could wind up having one of the biggest impacts among this Chicago rookie class.
See our complete list of sleeper picks
Questionable pick: WR Zavion Thomas
I’m going to trust Ben Johnson, which he’s earned, as the Zavion Thomas pick had his fingerprints all over it. With that said, this is the one pick that I continue to question. Whether it’s the third-round of it all (where GM Ryan Poles has never hit) or the fact that Thomas was a projected late-round pick or that the defensive line had yet to be addressed at this point. There were plenty of reasons to question this pick.
But I also understand the selection from Johnson’s perspective. As the Bears continued their best-available approach, Thomas has the speed and playmaking ability that likely enticed Johnson. Thomas 4.28 speed and should be a downfield threat in the passing game. He projects as a gadget player in Johnson’s offense, bringing explosiveness to the table, and he’ll likely also contribute on special teams as a return specialist should Kalif Raymond depart after his one-year deal. We’ll see how Johnson chooses to utilize Thomas in his rookie season, especially after seeing Luther Burden III’s success last year.
See our complete list of questionable picks
Initial grade: B
The Bears went into the draft looking for specific players: Speed, athleticism and scheme fit, and it’s hard to deny that’s what they were able to accomplish with this seven-player class. Dillon Thieneman was an absolute steal in the first round, and Ben Johnson was looking to the future with the Logan Jones selection. Sam Roush and Zavion Thomas were surprising picks, of course, but it’s hard to doubt Johnson when he’s adding players to fit what he’s trying to accomplish on offense. Day 3 could wind up being the thing that impacts this draft class the most. They added some potential steals in Malik Muhammad, Keyshaun Elliott and Jordan van den Berg.
Overall, I’m looking at how the Bears approached the draft and how they stayed true to their intentions, which was to select the best available and not reach just because of positional need. But positional need is also a key factor when you consider the weakest point of the roster looks nearly identical, at least with the starters, to last season. Granted, they lost several defensive lineman to injury at some point of the season (Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Shemar Turner). It’s likely Chicago attributes the defensive line struggles last season to injuries, and if that’s the case, they better hope for better production from that group. So, for now, a solid B feels like a good evaluation. It’s good, not great. But, again, this is just an initial evaluation before these players have even stepped foot on the field.
See our complete list of initial overall grades
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Breaking down Bears’ 2026 draft class: Best picks, initial grade
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
