The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books for the Chicago Bears, and they have welcomed seven new rookies to their team.The Bears had four picks in the first two rounds of the draft, which included some impactful additions of Safety Dillon Thieneman, center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas. They also added some high upside rookies in cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg on Day 3.When looking at this draft class, it's easy to see how Chicago prioritized speed while taking the best players available on the board rather than drafting exclusively for need.
It's also clear that head coach Ben Johnson has his fingerprints all over this class, landing some impact players on offense.Take a look at the Bears' complete 2026 draft class:Round 1, Pick 25: Dillon Thieneman, S, OregonPick: First round, 25th overallBreakdown: Teach-tape level tackler with impressive speed and football IQ. May need to bulk up at the NFL level but improved in both coverage and run defense in 2025. Alignment versatile prospect who can line up in the box, nickel or deep safety without cause for concern.
Ideal vision and coverage acumen. Athleticism translated to field drills at the NFL combine. -- Ayrton OstlyFit: Thieneman is a plug-and-play safety for the Bears on Day 1 following the departures of both starting safeties Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker in free agency. Thieneman is a versatile safety who thrived in coverage and as a run stopper.
He has elite instincts and playmaking ability that should make him a difference maker in Dennis Allen's defense. -- Alyssa BarbieriGrade: A+ - The reason for the perfect grade is because general manager Ryan Poles never got anxious, never felt the need to trade up, and let Thieneman fall in their laps when he was frequently mocked to not be on the board leading up to the draft. Thieneman's playmaking ability, excellence in coverage at the safety position, and even more, clean tackling ability will make him a Day 1 starter after being a first-round pick, barring any extreme circumstances. Chicago knew what they needed to get done, and they got a player who wasn't expected to be there at their selection, it's a win-win across the board for both sides. -- Mike PendletonRound 2, Pick 57: Logan Jones, C, IowaPick: Second round, 57th overallBreakdown: Undersized but extremely athletic center prospect.
Great burst and fast feet. Four-year starter at center. Short arms didn't limit him much as a pass blocker but may show up more at the NFL level.
May struggle to seal blocks in the run game. Bigger, longer defensive tackles will give him trouble. --Aryton OstleyFit: The Bears landed a Day 1 starter at center in Logan Jones, who started 51 career games at Iowa. Chicago acquired Garrett Bradbury via trade after Drew Dalman's surprise retirement, but Jones might challenge Bradbury for the starting job as a rookie. -- Alyssa BarbieriGrade: B+ - There were other options at the center position for Chicago, but they identified Jones as their target and he brings a credible resume to the Windy City with a potential opportunity to compete for the starting job as a rookie.
Jones took over Tyler Linderbaum at Iowa, no easy task, and went on to be a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection, and the aforementioned All-American for his stellar season this past year. The center position is one of the most important in Ben Johnson's offense, and they wanted to make sure to bring in a player who could be there for the long run. -- Mike PendletonRound 3, Pick 69 (from TEN): Sam Roush, TE, StanfordPick: Third round, 69th overallBreakdown: One of few tight ends in this class who is a plus blocker from day one. Very, very short arms may cause some trouble with blocking NFL assignments but he has the power and burst to get there.
Transitions out of breaks well in route running. Not elusive in the open field but strong enough to break tackles against smaller defenders. Lacks production from college. -- Aryton OstleyFit: Sam Roush will bring toughness and physicality to Ben Johnson's offense.
He's also an elite blocker with plenty of upside. Roush will serve as a complement to last year's top-10 pick Colston Loveland. But Roush's selection also puts Cole Kmet's future in question beyond 2026. -- Alyssa BarbieriGrade: C - Roush was an unnecessary choice, not because he's a bad player but the tight end position was not one of need, and there were plenty of options available at other needs.
Chicago had opportunities to bring in an offensive tackle, or edge rusher, potentially even a wide receiver if they wanted an offensive weapon, but they decided to bring in a guy who will be the third tight end on the depth chart from the start. Roush didn't jump off the paper in box scores, and feels more as a short-field threat than a deep threat, but head coach Ben Johnson proved he knew what he was doing with the selection with Loveland last season, so only time w