March 9, 2026, 7:10 a.m. CT
The Chicago Bears acquired a 2026 second-round pick from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for wide receiver DJ Moore and a fifth-round pick.This mock draft projects the Bears will select Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren with their first-round pick.Chicago is expected to heavily target defensive players, with five of the seven mock selections being on that side of the ball.The Bears now possess four draft picks within the first 89 selections of the upcoming 2026 NFL draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the Chicago Bears added to the arsenal of picks for this year when they traded veteran wide receiver DJ Moore, and a fifth-round pick, to the Buffalo Bills for a 2026 second-round selection.
Chicago now has four picks within the first 89 selections of this year’s draft, and most of their work will have to be done early in the draft process. General manager Ryan Poles will have his hands full with voids to fill on the roster, but plenty of draft capital to do so.
As the team prepares for free agency and begins to put the pieces together for head coach Ben Johnson’s second season, they’ll look to continue their strong build through the draft as they have the last couple of seasons. Heading into free agency, here’s our new seven-round mock draft for the Bears.
In the way that things are starting to shape up for Chicago, the safety position, and their secondary as a whole, is going to need plenty of attention. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could be the next great defensive back out of Toledo, similar to Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who was also a former first-round pick. He gives off very similar vibes and play style to Jaquan Brisker, who the team could lose in free agency this offseason.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Round 2, Pick 57: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
A pass rusher who can put his hand in the ground or just attack off the edge, Gabe Jacas projects as a bully type of pass rusher who plays with brutal force. His physicality and aggressiveness would fit well in Dennis Allen’s defensive gameplan, but he’s going to be a work in progress when it comes to being a pure sack getter at the NFL level. With Chicago missing out on Maxx Crosby, who was traded to the Baltimore Ravens, they’ll likely have to go attack the position early in the draft.
Round 2, Pick 60 (via BUF): Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Although it’s not the biggest pressing need for Chicago, they would get terrific value at the linebacker position with a player who was the heart and soul of the Texas Tech defense last season. David Bailey got plenty of attention while leading the NCAA in sacks, but Rodriguez was fifth in the 2025 Heisman Trophy voting, putting up 117 tackles, seven forced fumbles, and four interceptions. His knack for finding the football and making big plays would immediately make him a fan favorite when he steps on the field.
The Bears need to shore up their defensive tackle position, and Dontay Corleone presents quite the physical presence that comes with athleticism hard to find at his size. There will certainly be areas of focus to take his potential to the next level, but having him play behind Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter Sr. to start his career could definitely be worth the wait if he eventually puts it all together. He’s nicknamed “The Godfather” which would be a fun and entertaining name to have coaches and the fanbase get behind. He did not have any sacks this past season for Cincinnati, but had at least three sacks in each of the previous three years.
Round 4, Pick 129 (via LAR): Jalon Kilgore, CB, South Carolina
There is plenty of focus on the safety and edge rush positions for Chicago to look at in this draft, but if they lose any members of their cornerback group, they’ll need to bring in replacements. Last year, the team spent a fifth-round pick on Zah Frazier out of UTSA, but he missed all of his rookie season due to personal reasons before the year even began. Kilgore has quite the build on him, with long arms and good size that’ll allow him to cover the middle against tight ends in pass coverage, and brings quite the physicality when making hits. Kilgore will have to clean up the missed tackles that plagued him in college, but he could be very fun to see how coach Al Harris works with him at the pro level.
Round 7, Pick 238 (via PHI): Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
Chicago has found some offensive playmaking late in the draft, even after the draft, with running back Kyle Monangai in the seventh-round last season as well as undrafted wide receiver Jahdae Walker. Ryan Poles can continue that trend by finding a new return specialist in Zavion Thomas, who has tremendous speed and special teams ability. Thomas ran a 4.28 at the NFL combine this season, so his stock could be much higher,. But if he’s available here, the Bears should waste no time in picking him up.
Round 7, 240: TJ Guy, EDGE, Michigan
There have been no offensive linemen taking in this draft, and that’s due to the belief that Chicago will be active in free agency to bolster the position with veterans, as well as confidence in who they have on the current roster. So instead of looking at the offensive trenches, the Bears go back to the well and build more depth at the edge rusher position with the selection of TJ Guy. The former Michigan Wolverine has more of a pure pass rushing style of play, but the technique needs work, so he’ll likely have to find his place on the roster with special teams contributions to begin his career.