MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 02: Landon Robinson #96 of the Navy Midshipmen reacts during the first half of the 2026 AutoZone Liberty Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on January 02, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images The 2026 NFL Draft is now under a week away. Much of the discussion has been around the first round that takes place on Thursday, seeing as though the consensus top prospects figure to have their names called that day.However, don’t forget that there are two more days of the draft, While a lot of the flashiest names end up selected on Day 1, the real Super Bowl contenders are able to find diamonds in the rough on Days 2 and 3.

Seeing as though the Bears won the NFC North last year for the first time since 2018, they’re looking to establish themselves in that next tier up of serious championship contenders.It can be tough to project which players will be available for the Bears in the third and fourth rounds, especially since we don’t know what the picks will be ahead of those rounds. However, using my own evaluations and the expert consensus rankings in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator, I know which players grade out as third- or fourth-round talents going into this class. That’s no guarantee those players will still be available in that range, but if you’ve watched tape for long enough, a lot of your evaluations don’t stray entirely away from what the league thinks.On Thursday, I posted a scattering of mid-round prospects I believe best fit the schemes the Bears run on both sides of the ball.Late Day 2/early Day 3 fits for the #Bears I love in this draft:• Kaleb Proctor, DT• De’Zhaun Stribling, WR• Tacario Davis, CB• Logan Jones, C• Parker Brailsford, C• Zakee Wheatley, S• Jalon Kilgore, S• Landon Robinson, DT pic.twitter.com/elFE7rgD36— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) April 17, 2026Today, I’ll be going in-depth with each of these prospects, sharing their strengths and weaknesses while specifying while they’re particularly good fits for Chicago in Rounds 3 or 4.Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern LouisianaKaleb Proctor fits the Bears’ scheme because of the athletic and physical attributes he possesses at defensive tackle.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has historically prefers his interior defenders on the smaller side, prioritizing explosiveness and quick backfield penetration over size and gap-eating ability. At 6’2” and 291 pounds, Proctor fits the bill as a smaller defensive tackle.At the Combine, 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.De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole MissAn impressive size-speed combination at wide receiver, De’Zhaun Stribling projects as a WR3 or WR4 early in his career with the potential to be more down the stretch.

He ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the Combine this year at 6’2”, and his raw size and speed are complemented by his ability to work the stem to obtain leverage as a route runner on vertical route concepts.Stribling is also a sure-handed receiver who can make grabs away from his frame and secure the ball through tight coverage. However, what specifically intrigues me about him as a fit for the Bears is his blocking ability. His raw size and length help him out at the point of attack, and he takes full advantage of that with good hand placement and a rugged demeanor when he engages in contact.Stribling told me this in a recent interview in regards to his blocking prowess.

I’ll let you decide if this fits the “no block, no rock” mentality that Ben Johnson likes to implement:“I think it’s more my whole philosophy with it: establishing dominance. I’m gonna go out there, and I’m gonna establish dominance on whoever I’m playing. It doesn’t matter who it is or the body type; I’m gonna go out there and hit them right in the mouth, set the whole tone for the whole game.“The other part of about that is just trying to win.

I’m just trying to do my job to help us win. If I have to go in there and block hard for 30 plays a game, I’m gonna do that, just so I can give the whole team a chance to go out there and win. As a receiver, you get maybe seven targets a game.

So out of 50 plays, what are you doing the rest of the 43 snaps? You have to go out there and block and make the most of it.”Tacario Davis, CB, WashingtonOur Aaron Leming touched on Tacario Davis breaking down his own Day 3 prospects he likes for Chicago, and I agree with this sentiment of his in particular: “If ther