College football is officially back this weekend, and the Chicago Bears are wasting no time when it comes to scouting players for the 2026 NFL Draft. According to college football insider CJ Vogel, Bears general manager Ryan Poles is in attendance for the biggest game of the weekend, Texas vs. Ohio State.
Poles is one of many NFL evaluators in Columbus for one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, which features plenty of high-end talent going into next year’s draft. All eyes are on Texas quarterback Arch Manning as he begins his first year as a starter, but chances are Poles will be busy scouting other players that fit the Bears’ needs.
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Outside of Manning, some of the top prospects include Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. Both players are projected first-round picks. Other notable prospects that could interest the Bears are Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate and linebacker Sonny Styles, and Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad and safety Michael Taafe.
This trip won’t be the last for Poles and the Bears’ talent evaluators, but we’ll see if one of these prospects catches Chicago’s eye and lands on their big board when April rolls around.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears GM Ryan Poles is in attendance for Texas vs. Ohio State