Going into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears had two pressing needs — safety and more talent on the defensive line. The Bears addressed their safety position in the first round but waited until the sixth round to pick a defensive lineman, selecting Jordan van den Berg at No. 213 overall.
Van den Berg played five seasons in college — three with Penn State and his final two with Georgia Tech. His time with the Yellow Jackets is what ultimately put him on the radar of NFL teams. In those years, he was a constant presence in the backfield, ultimately recording 16 tackles for loss in his final two seasons in college.
In training camp, van den Berg has performed remarkably well to the point of earning him some starting reps on Thursday including going against All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney. He also beat Luke Newman and fellow rookie Logan Jones in one-on-one drills. His performance has gotten the attention of other Bears’ players in training camp, including defensive lineman Austin Booker.
“Yeah, he’s a dog. I love playing with him,” Booker said. “I have super high standards for him because of how hard he works, and I think we all see it on the field that he’s a really good player.”
Van den Berg could become a part of the starting defense sooner than originally expected with how he is performing and the injuries piling up on Chicago’s defense, including defensive end Montez Sweat, who left practice early on Thursday after suffering an injury although it is not believed to be severe.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Rookie Jordan van den Berg making an impression on Bears veterans
Reporting by Ariana Pensy, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ariana Pensy, Bears Wire | USA TODAY Network
