The 2026 NFL Combine is just a few weeks away, meaning that NFL Draft season is picking up steam by the day. It’s a relief to not have had to worry as much about the Chicago Bears’ draft positioning for as long as we did, given their success during the regular season and win in the Wild Card Round.
That said, the season’s now over for all 32 teams, and it’s time for everyone to keep their eyes locked in on the offseason. Barring a massive trade up, the 2026 NFL Draft will mark the first time since
2011 that the Bears have had a first-round pick outside of the top 20 selections. That pick ended up being Gabe Carimi, but the less said about that, the better.
Much will change between now and the 2026 NFL Draft, namely the free agency period. However, that’s never stopped me from writing up a seven-round Bears mock draft. For these selections, I’ll be operating off of their current needs without any assumptions on their free agency period. Once free agency kicks off and they make some additions, I’ll adjust their draft strategy in my mocks accordingly.
Using the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator to simulate the picks of the other 31 teams, here’s my latest Bears mock draft for 2026.
Trade
Patriots receive: No. 25 overall pick
Bears receive: No. 31 overall pick, 2027 second-round pick
Round 1: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
I had defensive tackle ranked as the Bears’ biggest need in my offseason primer, and I think this is a great year to have a need at that position. I have four defensive tackles ranked between the No. 20 and No. 32 spots on my big board — with Peter Woods in my top 15 as an option if he falls — which makes me very confident they’ll have good players to choose from at No. 25. Because of this, I traded down a few picks with the best offer I got, adding a future second-round pick to their 2027 NFL Draft selection.
Christen Miller is a pro-ready run defender with ample upside on passing downs. He has good spatial awareness against the run, working to deconstruct blocks at the line of scrimmage and free his hands up at the right time to make a play. His strong anchor helps him plug up gaps well, too. On passing downs, I’d like to see his counter game develop, but his explosiveness off the ball and strong power game give him upside as a 2-technique defensive tackle who can shade at the 3.
Round 2: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU
In case you haven’t heard the news, the Bears don’t have a single safety on their active roster going into the 2026 offseason. Both of their starters and their three top backups are all on expiring contracts, meaning they’ll likely have to add a replacement or two this offseason. I debated between A.J. Haulcy and Kamari Ramsey from USC with this pick, but I view Haulcy as the better complement to Kevin Byard, assuming Chicago extends him.
Over the course of his 2,757 collegiate defensive snaps, Haulcy has demonstrated the instincts needed to play all over the defensive backfield and look comfortable processing in coverage. He’s a 6’0”, 222-pound safety who pursues the ball with a high motor, proper form, and ideal physicality when he wraps up. His longitudinal agility is good, and he times his jumps onto a route well to make a play on the ball. The reason Haulcy falls to Round 2 is relatively average range in coverage, but you’re taking him as your strong safety who can fit into that Jaquan Brisker role if he leaves.
Round 3: Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
I’d argue that edge rusher is a bigger need for the Bears than safety, but I preferred the value available at safety better at No. 57 with edge defenders like R Mason Thomas, Zion Young, and Akheem Mesidor gone before me in Round 2. Given how the board fell for me in Round 3, I feel confident that was a good decision, as I still ended up with a defensive end with starting upside.
I liked Derrick Moore’s finesse and quickness in 2024, but circling back to his 2025 tape, I think his power really shines. He keeps low pad level and combines that with an explosive first step, a strong lower half, and a relentless drive to get into opposing backfields. He has a diverse arsenal as a pass rusher, too. If he can improve his bend and work on his counter game, he could definitely outplay his eventual draft status.
Round 4 (via Rams): Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
He’s not the biggest or flashiest athlete in this class, but I’d argue Kyle Louis is the best coverage linebacker in the 2026 NFL Draft. So much of that comes down to his quick processing, whether it be in man or zone across the middle of the field. He picks up on route concepts quickly and has the lateral burst to act upon his reads. His quickness and motor do enough to make up for his lack of length and physicality taking on blockers.
Round 5: Aamil Wagner, OT, Notre Dame
A developmental offensive tackle type to serve as depth for the Bears, Aamil Wagner came into the Shrine Bowl with 34 5/8-inch arms and 10 1/4-inch hands. He’s raw as a technician and can stand to add 10 more pounds of muscle, but he’s an impressive athlete at tackle with good explosiveness shooting into his kick slide and the length needed to shut edge rushers down at the top of their arc when he’s in pass protection.
Round 7 (from Eagles via Browns): Tyler Onyedim, DT, Texas A&M
Tyler Onyedim is a little lighter for a defensive tackle at 6’3” and 290 pounds, but he had the fifth-longest arms of any player at the Shrine Bowl at 34 2/8 inches (the aforementioned Wagner came in fourth). He’s quick in his first step off the ball and does a good job of keeping his pads low and his weight properly distributed at the point of attack. His juice off the snap helps him create initial backfield penetration as a pass rusher, but he stacks and sheds well against the run, too. Onyedim’s speed-to-power, counter game, and overall anchor need work, but I have him going around Round 5, so getting him here is a steal in my eyes.
Round 7: Kaden Wetjen, WR/RS, Iowa
Kaden Wetjen is the first player in FBS history to win the Jet Award as the best return specialist in college football twice. He had six returns for touchdowns across three years at Iowa, leading the nation with 26.8 yards per punt return in 2025. He’s an explosive athlete whose full-field vision, lateral quickness, and breakaway speed make him an elite returner prospect. His sample size as a wide receiver and his frame are both small, leading to him falling into Round 7. However, he’s shown flashes of good explosiveness out of his breaks as a route runner with the ability to use leverage through his stems to exploit the defensive back’s blindspot.
Mock draft results
