(Photo via ChicagoBears.com)

The NFL draft has now come and gone, and the Chicago Bears have seven new players to throw into the mix for the 2026 season and beyond. Many of the Bears’ picks garnered exceptional value, while others felt like big reaches at the time. Nonetheless, the team added immediate competition at key positions of need, while some will likely slot into starting roles. Here are my grades for each pick made by Chicago, along with my rationale behind each grade.

Round 1, Pick 25 – Dillon Thieneman, S – Oregon

Grade: A+

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 23: Dillon Thieneman of Oregon celebrates after being selected twenty-fifth overall pick by the Chicago Bears during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Thieneman was the consensus number two safety in the draft behind Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, making it unlikely that he would fall out of the top 20. The Bears, who sat at pick number 25, came into the draft looking to find a safety who could come in and start right away next to Coby Bryant. Once the Dallas Cowboys traded up one spot in the top 15 to select Downs, the idea of Thieneman falling lower than anticipated became a reality, and as luck would have it, he fell right into the Bears’ lap at 25. 

Thieneman has elite processing skills as a defender, which he combines with invaluable versatility and blazing speed. He can play all three safety positions, which will allow defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to be creative with how he deploys him. Thieneman represents an immediate impact starter for Chicago at a position of need, and selecting him well below where he was projected to go was quite possibly the best value pick in the entire first round. 

Round 2, Pick 57 – Logan Jones, C – Iowa 

Grade: B+

COLUMBUS, OH – OCTOBER 22: Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Logan Jones (65) on the field during the third quarter of the college football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ohio State Buckeyes on October 22, 2022, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The sudden retirement of Drew Dalman threw a wrench into the Bears’ offseason plans. The front office traded for veteran Garrett Bradbury, who provides a quality option for next season, but is clearly not viewed as the long-term answer at the position. Luckily for Chicago, this year’s draft class featured a solid share of quality centers, so the Bears were able to identify their guy late in the second round. 

Jones was a four-year starter at Iowa who won the Remington Trophy last season as the best center in college football. While undersized, Jones boasts above-average athleticism and movement skills that fit perfectly into head coach Ben Johnson’s outside-zone run scheme. Jones will likely take a year to sit behind Bradbury and learn the offense before taking over in 2027. Still, given his scheme fit and overall football makeup, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he pushes for early playing time. 

Round 3, Pick 69 – Sam Roush, TE – Stanford 

Grade: B

SYRACUSE, NY – SEPTEMBER 20: Stanford Cardinal Tight End Sam Roush (86) warms up prior to the College Football game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Syracuse Orange on September 20, 2024, at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Bears already had a stout tight-end room in place with Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, but TE3 Durham Smythe left the team in free agency. Given that Chicago had one of the highest usage rates of multiple tight-end sets in the NFL last season, it was a clear priority to fill the void in the blocking phase that Smythe left behind.

Roush represented one of the most well-rounded tight-end prospects in the entire draft, with exceptional skills as a blocker. His ability to immediately step in and contribute to the run game, while providing some intriguing upside as a pass catcher, makes for a clear upgrade over Smythe and transforms Chicago’s tight-end room into one of the most formidable groups in the NFL. 

Round 3, Pick 89 – Zavion Thomas, WR – LSU 

Grade: C

BATON ROUGE, LA – OCTOBER 25: Zavion Thomas #0 of the LSU Tigers before the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Gus Stark/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)

Thomas was considered by most to be a fringe draftable player, with some even projecting him to be a UDFA. So, it was quite surprising when the Bears took him in the top 100. Thomas’ college production across Mississippi State and LSU was nothing special, but his athletic traits are off the charts. He ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and that speed translates to the field. He is also versatile, as he took snaps at receiver and running back at LSU, while also serving as a highly dangerous return man. 

Chicago’s top three wide receivers are basically set with Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Kalif Raymond. The addition of Thomas likely creates some intriguing competition with Jahdae Walker, who minimally saw the field last season, but showed great flashes. At the very least, Thomas can contribute right away as a returner and gadget player, and he has the athletic traits to develop into much more down the road.

The pick was easily one of the biggest reaches of the draft, but an offensive mind like Ben Johnson deserves the benefit of the doubt when he pounds the table for a player. It will be interesting to see what the coaching staff’s vision for Thomas truly is. 

Round 4, Pick 124 – Malik Muhammed, CB – Texas 

Grade: A- 

DALLAS, TEXAS – OCTOBER 12: Malik Muhammad #5 of the Texas Longhorns looks on during the second half \O at Cotton Bowl Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Coming into the draft, cornerback was one of the more underrated positions of need for Chicago. Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson are a solid starting duo, but the room is filled with unproven commodities behind them. Not to mention the loss of Nahshon Wright in free agency, who had his ups and downs in coverage, but was a turnover machine with five interceptions and three fumble recoveries. The room desperately needed more competition, and the Bears found just that and more in Muhammed, who was a two and a half year starter at Texas. 

Muhammed was considered a top 10 prospect at cornerback on many boards, so the value was excellent for the Bears at the 124. He will be thrown right into the competition with Stevenson for that second starting corner spot, and at the very least, he provides excellent depth with starting upside. 

Round 5, Pick 166 – Keyshaun Elliot, LB – Arizona State 

Grade: B- 

TEMPE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 26: Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) reacts to a big play during the college football game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Arizona State Sun Devils on September 26, 2025 at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Bears made some swift changes to their linebacker room during free agency. They brought in Devin Bush to replace Tremaine Edmunds, and re-signed D’Marco Jackson, who played well in a rotational capacity last season. The room was already quite firm heading into the draft, but the addition of Elliot provides some high-potential youth to the room. 

Like Muhammed, Elliot was a highly thought-of mid-round talent coming into the draft. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had him as high as 83 on his big board. Elliot is an athletic and physical presence who excels most as a read-and-react run-defender. He needs to improve his coverage skills to be a three-down player, but he has all the necessary athletic traits to develop into one. Elliot is an exciting prospect who could push for some early playing time in his rookie season. 

Round 6, Pick 213 – Jordan van den Berg, DT – Georgia Tech 

Grade: B

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Jordan van den Berg #99 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets reacts during the third quarter against the Temple Owls at Bobby Dodd Stadium on September 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

The consensus on Chicago after last season was that they needed all the help they could get along the defensive line. As the draft unfolded, most of the top edge and interior d-linemen were off the board by the time their Bears’ picks rolled around. It wasn’t until day three that general manager Ryan Poles traded two seventh-round picks to move into the sixth round and add a reinforcement to the defensive tackle room. 

van den Berg has elite athletic makeup for a defensive tackle, as he scored a perfect 10 on the Relative Athletic Score (RAS). He has a relentless motor and can penetrate the pocket very quickly thanks to his explosive power, which are traits that Dennis Allen looks for in his defensive tackles. van den Berg will likely push for some playing time in a rotational role in his rookie season, but the opportunity is there for him to become a starter within the next few years, as the majority of Chicago’s interior defensive line could see an overhaul in the near future.