{"id":867646,"date":"2026-04-16T11:33:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T11:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/867646\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T11:33:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T11:33:24","slug":"bears-complete-draft-visit-with-explosive-playmaker-who-could-solve-underrated-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/867646\/","title":{"rendered":"Bears Complete Draft Visit With Explosive Playmaker Who Could Solve Underrated Need"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the more underrated needs the Chicago Bears have<\/a> going into the 2026 NFL Draft comes at wide receiver.<\/p>\n

After trading DJ Moore away to the Buffalo Bills<\/a> at the outset of the offseason, the Bears are now relying on unproven players at the top of their wide receiver depth chart in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden.<\/p>\n

Behind those two, the Bears will have a competition between Kalif Raymond and Jahdae Walker for the No. 3 wide receiver role, and the depth after Raymond and Walker consists of JP Richardson and Maurice Alexander, who have five games of experience combined.<\/p>\n

Safe to say, the Bears need to add more to that room<\/a>, and one avenue to do that will be the 2026 NFL Draft. And, we now have someone the Bears could be targeting for that need.<\/p>\n

Bears host De’Zhaun Stribling on visit\"Mississippi<\/p>\n

Mississippi Rebels wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

In what was his last 30 visit of the pre-draft process, Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling met with the Bears on Wednesday<\/a>, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs.<\/p>\n

“Ole Miss WR De\u2019Zhaun Stribling wrapped up the final one of his eight \u201830 visits\u2019 today and that was with the Bears,” Biggs wrote.<\/p>\n

Now, this of course doesn’t guarantee that the Bears are going to take the Ole Miss product, but it’s a good indication Chicago has its eyes on him<\/a> as a potential solution to add competition at receiver.<\/p>\n

Why De’Zhaun Stribling fits with Bears\"Chicago<\/p>\n

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson. | David Banks-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Not only does Strlibling bring size with his 6-foot-2, 207-pound frame, he also brings plenty of speed, as evidenced by his 4.36 40-yard dash time. Stribling ranked seventh in Athleticism Score<\/a> among wideouts at the combine, according to Next Gen Stats.<\/p>\n

If there’s one thing the Bears are lacking at wide receiver, it’s guys like Stribling who are big and fast and can make plays down the field. Raymond is a downfield threat<\/a>, but he may not be around longer than one season after signing a one-year contract.<\/p>\n

Stribling will likely line up outside because of his lack of short-area quickness, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, but that’s not a problem because Odunze, Burden and Raymond are all capable of playing out of the slot.<\/p>\n

De’Zhaun Stribling round projection\"Mississippi<\/p>\n

Mississippi Rebels wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Zierlein and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler have Stribling pegged as a second-rounder<\/a>. More specifically, Brugler has Stribling going with the second-to-last pick in the second round. ESPN’s Mel Kiper did not have the ex-Rebels receiver in his final two-round mock draft<\/a>, so he has a grade of third-round or later on Stribling.<\/p>\n

The Bears sport a pair of selections<\/a> late in the second round, so they might have two cracks at Stribling, assuming they have that high of a grade on him. If not, Stribling could potentially be an option late in the third, where the Bears have another pick.<\/p>\n

Either way, don’t be surprised if Stribling comes off the board to the Bears on Day 2. He’s an intriguing prospect and makes total sense for Chicago.<\/p>\n

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