With the No. 69 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected Stanford tight end Sam Roush.
The selection of a tight end within the first three rounds of the NFL Draft was a massive surprise, considering the Bears’ current tandem of Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. However, they utilized last year’s third-string tight end, Durham Smythe, at a high level as a run blocker, so Roush should have an impact as a rookie, even if it’s not in the stat sheet.
Roush is arguably the best run-blocking tight
end in this year’s draft, and his elite athletic testing and high-level production in 2025 give him intriguing upside at the next level. Time will tell if he usurps Kmet in the Bears’ rotation in the long run, but the potential is high with him. With eight tight ends going in the top 100, there’s a clear push towards drafting run-blocking tight ends higher with other picks like Nate Boerkircher of the Jaguars, Marlin Klein of the Texans, and Will Kacmarek of the Dolphins.
As I’ve done since 2019, I put together a thread involving my analysis of each Bears draft selection, sharing some clips that highlight their strengths along the way. This year is certainly no different, so here’s my quick-hit evaluation of the Bears selecting Roush in Round 3.
THE NUMBERS
- Height: 6’6”
- Weight: 267 pounds
- RAS: 9.94
- 2025 receptions: 49 (5th for all FBS tight ends)
- 2025 receiving yards: 545
- 2025 receiving touchdowns: 2
- 2025 PFSN TE Impact Score: 83.9 (5th)
- List of accomplishments: 2025 second-team All-ACC
