April 24, 2026, 6:25 a.m. CT
The Chicago Bears selected safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.After addressing the safety position, the Bears are expected to focus on the defensive and offensive lines.Several highly-rated defensive linemen and cornerbacks are still available for the Bears on Day 2.The team has three picks on Friday to continue adding pieces after a busy offseason.
The Chicago Bears waited patiently for the first round to fall and come to them on Thursday night and selected safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick, addressing a big position of need for them this offseason.
Chicago had been widely expected to address the defense with their first round pick, the question came down to where on the defense the Bears would go given how their board played out. Now able to pair Thieneman alongside free agent signing Coby Bryant on the back end of the defense, the Bears will now more than likely be focused on addressing the trenches on both sides of the ball for the rest of this draft.
With three picks coming up on Friday, Chicago will have plenty of options, especially on defense, as they look to continue to add the missing pieces after a busy offseason.
Here are the Top 10 players available for Chicago on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
Kayden McDonald was graded as a first round pick, but only Caleb Banks out of Florida was selected in the first round at the defensive tackle spot. McDonald has great run-stopping ability and would open up plenty of opportunities for the edge rushers Chicago will have on the outside. His run defense was one of the best in all of college football last season, and it’s certainly an area in which the Bears need to improve.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Another player who had a first round grade on him, T.J. Parker is coming off a disappointing 2025 season, where he finished with just six sacks compared to the 12 he finished with in the 2024 season. Parker certainly knows how to get after the quarterback, but doesn’t have one elite trait that made him standout above others at his position, showing why he fell to the second round.
Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
Continuing to focus on the edge rusher position for Chicago, Zion Young would be another top target for the Bears with one of their two second round picks if he’s still available. Coming off the best season of his collegiate career, Young had eight sacks for Missouri last year, and he plays with a high motor and relentless energy.
Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
The trend doesn’t stop, Chicago needs to be looking at the defensive line prospects as they wait their first selection of the second round with pick No. 57. Cashius Howell had 26 sacks over the past three seasons in college, including 12 for the Texas A&M Aggies this last year, but he could also be used as a situational pass rusher where he can thrive in winning one-on-one battles.
Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
The Bears have been linked to adding more in their secondary this offseason, especially after the departure of Nahshon Wright in free agency. Avieon Terrell has great football IQ and ability to make plays on the football, falling in line for what the team already has built in their secondary.
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
If Chicago has done their research and believe in Jermod McCoy’s recovery from a torn ACL, and he’s still around when they select in the second round, they need to run the card up to the podium on Friday night. McCoy could build quite the duo with Jaylon Johnson on the outside at the cornerback position, as he has similar potential to become a shutdown corner as Jaylon Johnson has been for the last several seasons for the Bears.
Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
With so much focus on the defensive side of the football, Chicago should also keep their minds open to adding more competition at the left tackle spot, which they sounded very willing to do in pre-draft meetings with the media. Caleb Tiernan wouldn’t have to go far from his college days at Northwestern, where he displayed great IQ and technique which helps make up for his shorter arm length.
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
A Heisman Trophy finalist this past season, Jacob Rodriguez fits the Bears model perfectly, as an athletic linebacker who knows how to make plays on the football and with it as well. More so a potential pick in Round 3 than Round 2, the Bears have a bunch of veterans at linebacker including the return to the franchise for Jack Sanborn, as well as the re-signing of D’Marco Jackson, and free agent addition of Devin Bush. The linebacker spot is not a major concern for the Bears, but a player with the talent level of Rodriguez should be in consideration.
R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
Back to the defensive line with R Mason Thomas, who is incredibly explosive but his lack of ideal size could make him a situational pass rusher at the NFL level. He had 6.0 sacks this past year for Oklahoma, down from his total of 9 in the 2024 season.
Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
If Chicago wants to look for another option at defensive tackle, Christen Miller has good speed for his size, including a great first step to go along with his outstanding strength. Miller can hold his own in the middle of the defensive line, and has excelled in run defense, with a great capability to shed blocks.
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