After making a trade with the Carolina Panthers to move up in the fourth round, the Chicago Bears waited to make their pick in the fifth round and brought in another defensive playmaker, selecting linebacker Keyshaun Elliott out of Arizona State with the 166th overall pick.
This is the third selection on defense that the Bears have made in this year’s draft, including safety Dillon Thieneman (first round), cornerback Malik Muhammad (fourth round), who the team traded up to get at pick No. 124, and now Elliott.
Elliott will join the Bears linebacker room that is filled with veterans, led by T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D’Marco Jackson, and Jack Sanborn. It is the second straight year in which the Bears have drafted a linebacker, after they selected Ruben Hyppolite II in the fourth round last year. The Arizona State product will likely see his first opportunities to make an impact on special teams, while also having plenty of veteran leaders to learn from.
Here’s how the NFL world reacted to the Bears’ selection of Keyshaun Elliott:
NFL world reacts to Bears selecting LB Keyshaun Elliott in 2026 NFL Draft
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: NFL world reacts to Bears picking Keyshaun Elliott in 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
