After the Bears’ trade of wide receiver DJ Moore to the Bills, they now have two second-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
If there’s any year to have multiple selections in Round 2, this might be the year to do it. In my evaluations, I firmly believe the best value of this class comes in the late second and early third round. If anything, I feel as though the value the Bears might get with either the No. 57 or No. 60 pick won’t be too far off from what they’d probably find with their first-round
selection at No. 25 overall.
It’s a weird draft class this year, but for what 2026 lacks in terms of a high quantity of true first-round grades, it more than makes up for in polished, NFL starting-caliber prospects. This rings especially true at a few of Chicago’s biggest needs: the offensive line, the defensive line, and the secondary.
Though it’s tough to tell this early which prospects will be available by the time Ryan Poles gets on the clock with his second-round selections, we can always make an educated guess. The national consensus on draft prospects isn’t always perfect, but it can provide a decent general sense of where a player might end up going when the weekend of the NFL Draft comes around.
Using a combination of my own draft rankings and the consensus rankings from PFSN’s NFL Mock Draft Simulator, here are a few potential second-round prospects at positions of needs for the Bears around the No. 57 and 60 selections.
Offensive linemen
Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 60; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 75
From a schematics perspective, Sam Hecht fits a lot of what the Bears like at the center position. For once, he’s an intelligent center with good spatial awareness as a zone-run blocker who lands his strikes with accurate timing and placement. He’s a coordinated mover who can seal off defenders in the run game by rolling his hips through contact, and he has good body control in space. His Combine testing was just okay, and he doesn’t offer guard versatility, but he’s a smooth operator at center with a pro-ready skillset.
Connor Lew, C, Auburn
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 71; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 86
Had Connor Lew not torn his ACL, he would likely be the top center on my board in the 2026 NFL Draft. His flexibility allows him to generate proper knee bend and win with leverage at the point of attack, and he brings good fluidity as a reach blocker. He won’t wow you with his play strength, but he has more than enough to hold his own in pass protection, and he picks up on exotic pass-rushing concepts effectively.
Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 80; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 65
The big concern with Caleb Tiernan comes with his arm length; his 32 1/4-inch arms rank in the fourth percentile among offensive tackles. However, he’s a mountain of a man at 6’8” and 323 pounds and brings a high football IQ to the table. Northwestern’s offense runs a pretty even zone-gap split, and Tiernan has proven he understands his assignments well in both formats. He showcases active hands with good battling to maintain inside leverage, and his strong anchor helps him absorb power well.
Defensive linemen
Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 65; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 78
Gracen Halton would fit the Bears incredibly well. He’s hardly the biggest defensive tackle at just under 6’3” and 293 pounds, but he has a wicked first step with impressive raw speed off the snap, as his 4.82 40-yard dash and 1.70 10-yard split would indicate. His hand quickness helps keep offensive linemen off of his chest, and he has a low center of gravity that helps him squeeze through gaps and win with leverage as a run defender. Halton’s athleticism will make him a great fit as an interior pass rusher as he adds more strength to his frame.
Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 43; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 47
With 19 sacks and 26.5 tackles for a loss over the last two seasons, Gabe Jacas had a very productive tenure with the Fighting Illini. He’s a sturdy edge rusher at 6’4” and 260 pounds with big hands and good length. He packs a mean punch at the initial point of contact, and his strong anchor helps him set the edge as a run defender. His pass-rushing arsenal runs deep with a high football IQ and good hand activity. Plus, he had a 94th-percentile 1.59 10-yard split at his Pro Day; though elite flexibility might not be there, the raw explosiveness sure is.
Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 56; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 48
There’s a solid chance Malachi Lawrence goes higher than either of these rankings have him at. With a 9.95 Relative Athletic Score, he has an intriguing combination of size, length, and athleticism that should have NFL scouts drooling. He uses his length well on the long-arm and the bull rush, but he also shows promise with finesse-forward moves like cross-chops and swims. I’d like to see his consistency in run support improve, as well as his bend turning the corner, but he looks the part physically, and his elite athletic testing reflects the quickness he displays on film.
Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 55; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 74
I’m a little higher on Derrick Moore than most, as the differential from the consensus will indicate. He exploded with 10 sacks in 2025, displaying pro-level strength with the ability to convert speed to power and push the pocket on passing downs. He’s quick off the snap, and though he isn’t the biggest or more flexible edge rusher out there, he’s a bull in a china shop who will punish anybody in his way in a straight line to the ball-carrier.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 70; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 76
Round 2 would be a bit steep for my liking for Dani Dennis-Sutton, but there’s no denying the elite physical attributes he brings to the table. He has a 9.96 RAS with elite marks in speed and explosion drills at the Combine, and he’s built well at 6’6” and 256 pounds with long arms. He displays encouraging raw speed on tape, though the timing of his first step isn’t always up to par. His play strength and tenacity working through contact will have coaches believing they can maximize his physical tools.
Defensive backs
Keionte Scott, CB/S, Miami (FL)
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 58; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 51
Whether it’s as a nickel cornerback or as a safety, Keionte Scott would be best suited playing all over the field in the NFL. He had two interceptions in 2025, both of which having been returned back for touchdowns. He also had 64 tackles, 5 sacks, and 13 tackles for a loss, as Miami deployed him often in the box or near the line of scrimmage. Scott is a relentless defender who uses his elite speed and high motor to hit hard as a downhill defender and jump routes to make plays in coverage.
Treydan Stukes, CB/S, Arizona
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 57; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 57
Treydan Stukes dominated the Big 12 in 2025, intercepting four passes and breaking up six in his final year at Arizona. He’s another versatile defensive back who can cover in the box, out wide, and in the slot at a high level. Though unproven as a deep safety and older as a draft prospect, he has tremendous ball-tracking skills with high-level athleticism, ideal size for an NFL defensive back, and a quick mental trigger in coverage.
A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 48; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 53
Listed at 222 pounds going into the season, A.J. Haulcy is a thickly-built safety with a hard-hitting style of play. In coverage, he diagnoses route concepts well and is quick to act upon his reads. He has good closing speed and generates a lot of force in his pads with that downhill motor and his strong frame. He demonstrates good ball skills, displaying the ability to contort himself in the air to make big plays to the tune of 8 interceptions in his last two seasons. Haulcy’s sharp lateral cuts and deep speed are average, but his physicality sure isn’t.
Kamari Ramsey, S, USC
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 69; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 82
There’s a clear gap between my ranking of Kamari Ramsey and the consensus, but he’s a player I’d be perfectly fine with in Round 2 of the draft. He won’t wow you in terms of his deep speed or angles in pursuit, but he’s one of the highest-floor safeties you’ll find in this class. He has a sharp understanding of route concepts in coverage, showing off strong pre-snap and pro-snap recognition, and he’s a competitive player who fires downhill with good closing speed and motor closing in on the ball.
Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
Jacob Infante ranking: No. 50; PFSN consensus ranking: No. 56
Should the Bears draft an outside cornerback to compete with Tyrique Stevenson in Round 2, Keith Abney II is a name I like. He’s combined for 5 interceptions and 21 pass deflections over the last two seasons, showing off good patience and route recognition dropping back into coverage. He’s not afraid of contact as a downhill defender, whether it’s in pursuit as a tackler or jumping a route. I have Abney on Day 2 because I’m not sold he has elite athletic tools on tape, but he’s perfectly fluid enough in coverage to give him solid NFL starting upside.
