The Chicago Bears landed a potential steal on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft with the selection of Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad with the 124th overall pick, adding a speedy, instinctual defensive back to Dennis Allen’s secondary.
The Bears add even more speed to Dennis Allen’s defense after drafting safety Dillon Thieneman in the first round 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. While Jaylon Johnson has a starting spot locked down on the outside, Muhammad has the opportunity to compete for the starting spot opposite him with Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith.
Here’s what some expert draft analysts had to say about Muhammad during the pre-draft process and what Bears fans can expect to see:
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
“A starter for two-and-a-half years at Texas, Muhammad was an outside cornerback in former defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s zone-leaning scheme. Coming from a family of defensive backs, he took his talents to Austin, where he saw immediate action as a true freshman. He gave up his share of completions in 2025, but he also limited big plays (allowed only two catches of 12-plus yards) and earned All-SEC honors.
Muhammad is a tall, skinny athlete with quality coverage-match talent. He doesn’t consistently play up to his timed speed, but he does show lateral agility and strain to stay attached to routes. He has athletic ball skills (looked outstanding during the gauntlet drill at the NFL combine), although I wish he took more chances to create turnovers. He is tough versus the run, although not always consistent.”
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
“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.”
Pro Football Focus
“Muhammad is a decorated cornerback from one of the nation’s best secondaries, and his size and pedigree point to starting potential at the next level, particularly in a zone-oriented scheme. He earned PFF grades of 78.5 in 2023, 71.7 in 2024 and 70.8 in 2025. His lighter frame and limited disruptiveness remain concerns and may factor into evaluations despite the overall profile.”
Todd McShay, The Ringer
“Muhammad’s statistical production isn’t eye-popping, but he’s an instinctive and quick corner with good length. He shows a good feel for route combinations, passes off receivers, and rarely gets caught out of position in zone looks. He closes quickly, breaking on passes thrown in front of him. He doesn’t guard grass and doesn’t stay connected to a receiver when the ball is in the air. He reads receivers, gets his eyes on the quarterback, and quickly triggers in off coverage. He tied for the quickest 10-yard split among cornerbacks at the combine.
He has the frame and length to compete with bigger receivers in 50-50 situations. He can deflect passes without going through the back of the receiver. He mirrors the receiver’s release, uses the correct hands to widen receivers, and stays in phase early as a press corner. He runs well enough to stay in phase, but he can be beaten over the top when he doesn’t win at the line of scrimmage. He has a tendency to bite on double moves and often doesn’t recover well. He’s physical and tough, but he’s lean and can get pushed around at the top of routes. He intercepted three passes in 41 career games and doesn’t pluck the ball like a receiver. He gets stuck on blocks and gives up ground, but he’s quick to trigger in run support, and he’s willing to stick his face in the fan as a tackler.”
Bleacher Report Scouting Department
Where he wins
Areas of improvement
Jon Ledyard, Audibles & Analytics
“Malik Muhammad is a lanky corner with significant play strength issues that might need a year or two of physical development before he’s ready to see the field in the NFL. That’s not a well-traveled path for a top 100 pick to trek in the league! Muhammad is a really twitchy athlete with the ideal movement ability and length for this position, but I don’t think his raw talent will matter until he gets stronger and learns to play with better technique to compensate for his frame.
In almost every game this season, Muhammad is physically tossed around by blockers in the run game and receivers at the line of scrimmage and at the top of their routes. He’s competitive and tries hard, but he is blasted at the point of contact all the time. There is no mass, no leverage, no play strength and no take-on skills to keep him from getting taken to the cleaners. It’s a bloodbath right now.
Muhammad also won’t be a great asset against the run or in the screen game either. He tries to come downhill, but blockers pulling out into space use him as a speed bump, and even when he does get a bead on the ball carrier, Muhammad misses tackles at a high rate. I don’t question his desire or determination, but the results speak for themselves.”
NFL Draft Buzz
“Muhammad’s combine performance answered the one lingering question about his candidacy: how the athleticism would test in a controlled setting. A 4.42 forty with the best 10-yard split in the cornerback group confirmed the burst and acceleration visible on his Texas tape. A 130-inch broad jump at the 92nd percentile adds another data point to what the film already suggested. His 32 3/8-inch arms give him the reach to compete on the boundary, and the on-field drills showcased change-of-direction ability and ball skills that separate him from the stiffer corners in this class.
His best fit is in a defense that leans on pattern-match zone concepts while still asking its corners to play man on isolations. Muhammad handles both, but his processing speed and instincts are most dangerous when he can read the quarterback’s eyes and break on throws. The technical foundation from Texas’ coaching staff gives him a head start on adjusting to NFL route trees and timing concepts. He is comfortable operating as a boundary corner, and the arm length should ease concerns about his frame holding up outside.
The weight is worth watching. At 182 pounds he will need to add mass without sacrificing the speed and fluidity that define his game. But the combine showed a player whose athletic testing backs up his film, and the coverage ability was already good enough to hold up against SEC competition as a sophomore. He does his best work quietly, taking away his side of the field without generating splash plays. For a coordinator who values technique, versatility, and competitive toughness over interception totals, Muhammad fits the mold of a long-term boundary starter. “
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: What draft experts said about new Bears CB Malik Muhammad
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
