Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune
Fri, April 24, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC
(Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
The Chicago Bears made their 100th first-round selection Thursday in the NFL draft. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman was the team’s choice with the No. 25 pick.
Twelve of the Bears’ first-round picks have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Four of them (including Hall of Famers Walter Payton and Brian Urlacher) stuck with the team for 13 consecutive seasons. A dozen or so never saw a snap for the Bears.
Here’s a look back at the Bears’ selections since the first NFL draft, according to Pro Football Reference.
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Most — and least — Bears selections by NFL draft year
The most first-round picks by the Bears in a single draft were three (1941, 1951 and 1965).
The franchise did not have a first-round pick in 1970, 1978, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2020 and 2022.
Bears selections by pick number
The No. 11 pick has been the Bears’ most frequent pick. The team has had the No.1 pick just three times in its history. (Two of those selections were bummers.)
Bears’ first-round draft picks by college or university
Almost one-third of the Bears’ first-round draft picks have been from five schools.
Bears’ 99 first-round selections since 1936