The week of the 2026 NFL Draft is finally upon us, which means it’s time for Aaron Leming’s final seven-round Chicago Bears mock draft of the cycle. With an impeccable record for correctly picking players (two correct picks in two years), fans can confidently take this to the bank. Frankly, it’s probably not even worth watching the draft, since it’s all covered here.
All joking aside, as fun as the exercise of mock drafting can be, this is far more conceptual than anything else. If accurately predicting
picks when the Bears were picking Top 10 every round didn’t go well, trying to correctly project players 15 picks later in each round is going to be even more difficult. This is a predictive mock draft, not a “what I would do” take. With that said, draft week is here, and it’s one of the more fun times during the offseason, so let’s dive into the final full seven-round mock draft of the 2026 NFL draft cycle!
Round 1 (#25) DE Keldric Faulk (Auburn) Consensus Board Ranking: 20th
This is my own personal nightmare. When I first started the draft process, Faulk was immediately someone I highlighted as a player profile to avoid, similar to last year with Shemar Stewart. While I do think Faulk has a better chance of succeeding as a complete defensive end than Stewart, I still have some serious concerns about him as a pass rusher. In a perfect world, better options at tackle and cornerback exist, but if Dillon Thieneman and their top left tackle targets are off the board, an edge rusher likely makes the most sense.
Alternate Pick: CB Colton Hood (Tennessee)
Round 2 (#60) DB Keionte Scott (Miami) Consensus Board Ranking: 57th
How the second round plays out for the Bears will be interesting to monitor. There’s a world where a few of the second-tier edge rushers drop, but with Faulk being the pick at No. 25, they’ll turn their attention to safety with this pick. Scott is a fun player, and although he’s on the older side, there’s a lot to like about him transitioning to safety. Treydan Stukes is another name to keep an eye on here, but with reports that he could be garnering first-round consideration, Scott feels like a more realistic target at No. 60 (following a trade down from 57 to 62.
Alternate Pick: DE Gabe Jacas (Illinois)
Round 2 (#62) WR De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss) Consensus Board Ranking: 100th
Trade: #57 to Denver for #62, #170, and a 2027 4th Round Pick
Maybe I lack creativity, or maybe I just really like this type of trade for the Bears at 57. Either way, I’m sticking with it, and nobody can stop me. Alright, now onto the pick itself. Originally, I had Stribling as a potential third-round target for the Bears, but as the process goes on, it feels like their best chance to land a player who fits the offense like a glove is to spend a second-round pick on him. On the plus side, addressing edge in the first round opens up their board a little more for their remaining needs.
Alternate Pick: DT Gracen Halton (Oklahoma)
Round 3 (#89) C Sam Hecht (Kansas State) Consensus Board Ranking: 82nd
How the Bears handle center will be interesting to monitor. With a slew of names that could all go from the late second into their fourth round selection at 129, they’ll have plenty of scenarios to sift through. In this particular one, Hecht is still on the board, and that’s where the Bears go. For my money, he’s the top center on the board, but every team will have its orders stacked a bit differently based on scheme fit. Hecht could start Week 1, but in Chicago’s situation, he gets some time to develop behind Garrett Bradbury, while adding valuable depth in 2026 during the process.
Alternate Pick: WR Skyler Bell (UConn)
Round 4 (#129) CB Ephesians Prysock (Washington) Consensus Board Ranking: 141st
Some might have noticed that we are five picks deep and I still haven’t taken a defensive tackle yet. In reality, it’s not the most ideal situation, but the fits to the scheme in this class are few and far between, so why not keep adding better talent at other positions of need, even if it’s depth? That’s where Prysock comes in. He’s a long, rangy corner who, much like his teammate, Tacario Davis, fits the Dennis Allen mold. I’d still prefer Davis, but he’s ranked higher on the consensus board, and we’ve seen how much higher corners can go than projected.
Alternate Pick: LB Keyshaun Elliott (Arizona State)
Round 5 (#170) LB Jimmy Rolder (Michigan) Consensus Board Ranking: 171st
Linebacker might not be as big a need as it was heading into the offseason. Still, the Bears would be smart to continue to stack young depth, especially with T.J. Edwards likely a cap casualty next offseason and DeMarco Jackson very much still establishing himself as a reliable starter. Although there are some fun names at the top of this class, there are also some intriguing names on Day 3. Rolder is a player who didn’t get a chance to be a full-time starter until 2025 and proved to be an ascending player. He’s exactly the type of upside gamble the Bears should take if they can land a fifth-round pick.
Alternate Pick: DL Tyreak Sapp (Florida)
Round 7 (#239) DT Landon Robinson (Navy) Consensus Board Ranking: 216th
In terms of talent, Robinson is much closer to a Day 2 player rather than anything resembling a seventh-round pick. That said, service academy players are typically drafted later (if at all) due to their prior obligations. On top of that, Robinson came in at 5’11 and less than 300 pounds. Needless to say, he’s undersized, which means that while he might come in as a late-fifth to early-sixth round player on the consensus board, he’s a prime candidate to drop into late Day 3. Even though the Bears didn’t spend a pick on the interior until now, this is the type of player they should be looking for this late. At worst, it’s a fun story. At best, he’s a rotational pass rusher who can bring some juice.
Alternate Pick: WR J. Michael Sturdivant (Florida)
Round 7 (#241) RB Desmond Reid (Pittsburgh) Consensus Board Ranking: 272nd
If you’ve been here since the beginning of this draft cycle, you’re well aware of my love for Tarik Coen 2.0. Although his testing numbers didn’t look good on paper, he’s an explosive player on tape. His size will likely dictate a part-time role at the NFL level, but at this point, it’s the seventh round, so who cares? Adding quick playmakers has been the goal, and Reid only adds to that.
Alternate Pick: DL Jordan Van Den Berg (Georgia Tech)
