I can remember the feeling very distinctly when Luther Burden III was picked 39th by the Chicago Bears. It was overwhelming confusion, followed by an urgency to understand.
Poles has Odunze, Moore, and just picked Loveland — what is the vision here?
I wouldn’t say I was disappointed, just deeply confused.
T.J. Sanders, JT Tuimoloau, and Donovan Ezeiruaku were right there!
Some smarter and with better foresight than I saw the vision — Poles is finally approaching the draft as BPA. Nothing is going to
be forced. And obviously, it was the right move, as Luther Burden looks like a star in the making. Meanwhile, Sanders, Tuimoloau, and Ezeiruaku had a combined 33 tackles and 3 sacks last season.
Which goes to show that sometimes we, as fans, have a tendency to get shortsighted on the best fit in the draft and forget that taking the BPA is oftentimes the right move. So who will be this year’s Luther Burden?
Who will be an unexpected BPA selection (like Burden) in the 2026 draft?
I see a position that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention, that could be a sneaky need moving forward – IOL.
Joe Thuney has been incredible since he arrived in Chicago, but is 33 years old and unlikely to have more than a few good years left.
Jonah Jackson was a pleasant surprise on last years’ OL, but he has struggled with consistency and injuries throughout his career.
Meanwhile, Garrett Bradbury looks like a stopgap solution in the wake of the Drew Dalman retirement.
While there are solid developmental players on the depth chart like Luke Newman and Jordan McFadden — there is a real lack of top tier talent behind a more tenuous interior than it might appear on paper.
So who could be a surprise selection for the Bears?
You have to imagine if Olaivavega Ioane found his way to pick 25, the Bears would draft him in a heartbeat, but I don’t suspect him to.
Which brings me to Max Iheanachor, the stout OL from Arizona State.
Initially, this may seem unconventional, however, I think Max could be an excellent fit along the OL for a few reasons:
- Iheanachor has prototypical LT size, but is also stout enough to move inside.
- He only began playing football in 2021, which means he has a massive ceiling given how much he has grown in a few short years.
- He can compete for the starting LT position while Trapilo is out, or sit behind Thuney and Jackson to learn OG.
Outside of Darnell Wright, the Bears are lacking in young pieces for the OL moving forward. While I want to be able to say we can rely on Trapilo in the future, the truth is that his injury really clouds his prospects. So an investment in a player like Iheanachor, who can develop behind current starters or spot start in a pinch.
While it would be a stretch to draft him at 25, I could see the Bears pouncing at 57 or even trading up if he gets within 10 spots.
