The Bears made one of the more heralded selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft by selecting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
The No. 19 overall player on my board, Thieneman was seen as the consensus top safety in the class behind Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, who went No. 11 overall to the Cowboys. The Oregon standout by way of Purdue solidified himself as one of the top defensive backs in college football with his All-American season and tremendous tape in 2025.
Chicago has their vacant starting
safety spot figured out alongside Coby Bryant after taking Thieneman. This begs the question: what comes next?
It’s safe to say the Bears won’t be using another early-round pick on a safety in this year’s draft. This opens up opportunities for defensive tackles, defensive ends, cornerbacks, offensive linemen, or even a skill-position player to consist of their three Day 2 picks on Friday.
Using the PFSN NFL Mock Draft Simulator to simulate the other picks around me, this is my Bears mock draft for the remaining six rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft coming out of Day 1 on Thursday night, with two trades in the mix.
Trade 1: Bears receive picks No. 75 and 87 from Dolphins for picks No. 60 and 129
Trade 2: Bears receive picks No. 100 and No. 145 from Giants for pick No. 89 and No. 241
Round 2: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
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.
Round 3 (via Dolphins, projected trade): Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
The Bears might not have a massive need for a wide receiver early, it feels like they almost need to draft one at some point due to their lack of depth. With a 9.94 Relative Athletic Score out of 10 with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to his name, Bryce Lance checks both the production and physical tools boxes you want from a small-school prospect. He’s an unpolished route runner but offers an elite combination of size, length, speed, and 50/50 ball skills at the wide receiver position. He concludes his collegiate career with a drop rate of just 3.8% and an insane targeted passer rating of 151.1. The 6’3” receiver with 4.34 speed feels like an easy Day 2 pick.
Round 3: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
Tacario Davis a 6’4” cornerback with 95th-percentile arm length at 33 3/8 inches, giving him the prototypical frame to excel in Allen’s system as a perimeter cornerback. He missed some time this year due to injury, but he’s displayed starter potential between his stints at Washington and Arizona, when healthy. He tracks the ball incredibly well in the air and has the catch radius to make deflections and catches that most cornerbacks don’t have the physical ability to. He processes route concepts well in underneath zone coverage, and while his lateral crispness needs work, he brings a rare physical amalgamation of tools worth betting on.
Round 3 (from Jaguars via Giants, projected trade): Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern Louisiana
At the Combine, Kaleb Proctor ran a stellar 4.79 40-yard dash with a 94th-percentile 1.68 10-yard split. He’s coming off a season with 9.0 sacks, two of which having come against LSU. His testing athleticism shows up on tape, as he’s consistently the first defensive lineman off the snap at Southeastern Louisiana. His speed, low center of gravity, and flexibility help him squeeze through gaps and project him as a penetrating 3-technique in the pros. Proctor’s quick hands and diverse arsenal as a pass-rusher should make him a valuable rotational defender on passing downs early in his NFL career.
Round 5 (from Giants, projected trade): Jager Burton, C, Kentucky
Jager Burton is a versatile interior lineman with 1,158 career reps at left guard, 976 at center, and 531 at right guard. His ability to play across the offensive line will help him see playing time early. He’s an explosive lineman who fires well off the snap, taking precise angles on the move and rolling his hips through contact to seal off run defenders. He lands his trikes well, and he keeps his head on a swivel in pass protection. Burton will need to improve his pad level and balance in the pros to become a long-term starter, but the potential is there.
Round 7 (from Eagles via Jaguars and Browns): Matthew Hibner, TE, SMU
One of the top athletes at tight end in this class, Matthew Hibner had a 9.25 RAS, thanks largely in part to his speedy 4.57 40-yard dash and explosive 37-inch vertical jump. He only dropped 3.4% of his career targets in college, and he has the versatility to play in-line and in the slot. His breakaway speed helps him outrun defensive backs better than most tight ends, and he shows good ball skills and tempo variance as a route runner working against zone coverage. Hibner was a late bloomer who’s pretty raw as a technically-refined blocker and never had amazing production, but he offers special teams upside, had 28 bench press reps at the Combine, and has the effort you want in a blocking tight end.
