Anticipation is building for how the Chicago Bears will navigate the 2026 NFL draft as head coach Ben Johnson continues to put his mark on their roster.
In 2025, the Bears ambitiously added two new offensive playmakers — tight end Colston Loveland (No. 10) and wide receiver Luther Burden III (No. 39) — with their first two picks in the draft, breaking from expectations to follow Johnson’s vision.
This time around, though, fans and media alike expect that the Bears will invest more of their resources into building up Dennis Allen’s defense, including with the No. 25 pick.
Here’s a mock draft that looks at how things might play out for the Bears when the draft officially begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 23, with an emphasis on trading back:
Note: This mock draft was created using Pro Football Sports Network’s mock draft simulator along with Bears draft analyst Jacob Infante’s draft prospect rankings:
Round 1, Pick 30: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
GettyFormer Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.
Trade: The Bears move back five spots in the first round with the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a late third-round draft selection (No. 97 overall).
McDonald is one of the top interior defenders in the draft class, having put together an All-American campaign for the Buckeyes in 2025 that saw him rack up 65 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and three sacks. He is also an elite presence against the run with a strong nose for the ball. He should make an immediate impact for a Bears defense that allowed the sixth-most rushing yards (134.5 yards per game) during the 2025 season.
The Bears also hosted McDonald for an official top 30 visit this spring.
“[The Bears have] talked to me a lot,” McDonald told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I’m their No. 1 guy. That’s what I feel like. They seem very excited to get me up there. They say they like how I play and they like my motor. I play all four quarters, and I’m relentless.”
Round 2, Pick 57: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
GettyFormer Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
Hill is a three-down linebacker who has seemingly slipped down consensus draft boards more than expected, given his high-end athleticism and production. He tallied 249 total tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks over his three seasons for the Longhorns and has an excellent size-speed blend at 6-foot-2, 238 pounds with the third-fastest 40 time (4.51 seconds) among the linebackers in the 2026 class. Chicago is happy to pounce on him, adding another Day 1 contributor — with Pro Bowl upside — to Allen’s defense.
Round 2, Pick 60: Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
GettyFormer UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence.
I have some doubts about whether Lawrence falls all the way down to No. 60 overall, but it would be a no-brainer for the Bears if he were still available. He has prototypical size (6-foot-4, 253 pounds) and length (33 5/8-inch arms) for an edge rusher to play in Allen’s defensive scheme. He also has an explosive first-step get-off and a refined toolkit of pass-rushing moves that should earn him a spot quickly in the Bears’ edge rotation.
Round 3, Pick 87: Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
GettyFormer South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore.
Kilgore adds a big-bodied replacement (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) for Jaquan Brisker to the Bears’ deep field who appears to have better anticipation and ball skills as a cover man. He had eight interceptions and 21 pass breakups in three seasons with the Gamecocks and tallied nearly 180 tackles, bringing oomph to his hits that should help him against the run at the NFL level. He can also slide into the nickel, if the Bears want to mix it up.
Round 4, Pick 103: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida
GettyFormer Florida center Jake Slaughter.
Trade: The Bears move back again, dealing away the pick they acquired from the Dolphins (No. 97) along with a 2027 sixth-round pick to add more Day 3 capital — two fourth-round selections (Nos. 103 and 140) — from the rebuilding New York Jets.
The Bears traded for veteran Garrett Bradbury — who played last season for the Super Bowl runner-up Patriots — to resolve the vacancy that Pro Bowler Drew Dalman created when he unexpectedly retired in March, but Slaughter gives them a chance to work on their long-term solution for the position. He is an ideal fit for a zone-blocking scheme like Johnson’s and collected ample experience against high-level SEC competition as a three-year starter, allowing only one sack and four pressures for the Gators in 2025.
Round 4, Pick 129: Austin Barber, OT, Florida
GettyFormer Florida offensive tackle Austin Barber.
Barber is another swift riser in the class whom I have doubts about still being around when the Bears are picking again in the fourth round, but the value is excellent here. The 6-foot-7, 318-pound lineman has experience at both tackle spots, allowing just three sacks on 750 offensive snaps for the Gators in 2025. He would figure to compete with Braxton Jones and Jedrick Wills Jr. for the Day 1 starting left tackle job, but he could slide into the swing tackle role or move inside for more depth, if necessary.
Round 4, Pick 140: Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
GettyFormer Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton.
The Bears are likely to roll into 2026 with veteran D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai as their one-two punch again, but Swift is entering a contract season, putting Chicago in a position where the team must start to think about its future at the position. Singleton would bring outstanding speed and agility to the mix. He can also provide pass-catching ability out of the backfield (102 catches in four seasons) and spent three seasons as the Nittany Lions‘ primary kick returner, making him an ideal RB3 for their 2026 offense.
Round 7, Pick 239: Domani Jackson, CB, Ohio State
GettyFormer Alabama cornerback Domani Jackson.
Cornerback is a tricky need for the Bears heading into 2026. While Tyrique Stevenson is entering a contract year after a middle-of-the-road 2025 season and Nahshon Wright is no longer on the roster, they will return Terell Smith and Zah Frazier after both players missed all of last season. That might be enough to stay their hand on more ambitious moves, but Jackson is a quality late-round depth selection with solid upside. He fell off in his second season at Alabama after two picks and seven pass breakups in 2024, but he has an NFL-ready frame (6-foot-1, 194 pounds) and speed (4.41 seconds in the 40) that could be molded into a contributor by defensive backs coach Al Harris.
Round 7, Pick 241: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
GettyFormer Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling.
The Bears might lean on Rome Odunze, Burden, Jahdae Walker and veteran free-agent signing Kalif Raymond as their primary quartet of wide receivers, but Johnson would be happy enough to add another speedster to the mix. Stribling ran the eighth-fastest 40 time among receivers at the 2026 NFL Combine (4.36 seconds) and would head to Chicago with an abundance of experience after playing 56 games in five total seasons. He will need refinement before he is ready to see the field on offense in a meaningful way, but his block-first mentality could endear him to Johnson and earn him a shot.
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