Don’t look now, but the Chicago Bears have been on a heater at the top of the NFL Draft in recent years.
Over the last two drafts, the club has come away with foundational pieces that helped springboard them to an 11-6 record in 2025, which saw the franchise win the NFC North for the first time since 2018. While taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick back in 2024 was obvious, landing offensive playmakers like wideouts Rome Odunze and Luther Burden, along with tight end Colston Loveland, either in the first or second rounds were seismic hits.
As the organization now looks toward the 2026 NFL Draft, they’ll look to carry that positive momentum, but they face a tougher challenge due to their success last season. Instead of picking inside the top-10, which helped bring in Williams, Odunze, and Loveland previously, Chicago will first be on the clock with the No. 25 overall selection this spring.
Another interesting wrinkle that could be on the horizon for the Bears is possibly pivoting away from their recent history of drafting an offensive player in the opening round. The last time they utilized a first-round pick on a defensive player was back in 2018 when Chicago selected linebacker Roquan Smith. With key changes to that side of the ball this offseason, GM Ryan Poles may decide to give the defense some juice early this draft.
But what are Chicago’s best options this go around? Below, we’ll rank the top five avenues the Bears could go with their first-round pick at the 2026 NFL Draft.
5. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
For all that talk about possibly making the switch and utilizing their first-round pick on a defensive player, we can’t entirely rule out the Bears continuing to build on offense. That’s particularly true considering that they have some legitimate questions along the offensive line, specifically at left tackle. 2025 second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo started to find his footing on the blindside at the tail end of the season, but then ruptured his patellar tendon during Chicago’s wild-card win over the Packers. Now, that position isn’t on sturdy ground with Trapilo rehabbing.
With that in mind, if Clemson’s Blake Miller is sitting there as a possible option at left tackle, you better believe Poles and Co. will think long and hard about taking him. That said, there is some risk with Miller as a left tackle prospect, as he played on the right side at Clemson. Chicago would have to be confident in their ability to help him transition to make this selection worthwhile.
4. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
The Bears could stand to add some juice off the edge opposite of Montez Sweat. In 2025, they were in the bottom half of the league in total sacks (35), along with pressure rate (21.1%). This is why we could see a shakeup in their draft approach towards the defensive side of the ball and address the edge, especially after establishing its core on offense in recent years. Faulk, the No. 6 EDGE prospect in CBS Sports’ rankings, is a long, athletic rusher who has plenty of upside given his frame. The 6-foot-6, 276-pounder should be able to line up on the end and kick inside, depending on how coaches want to deploy him, giving him solid versatility along the line. Faulk was third-team All-SEC last season and served as a team captain.
3. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Unlike previous drafts, the Bears do not have a top-10 pick in 2026, but they could scoop up a player who was once considered that caliber in Parker. Entering last season, the Clemson edge rusher was widely considered one of the top prospects in the 2026 class, but his lack of production during his junior campaign took a hit to his stock. Parker saw his sack total dip from 11.0 in 2024 to 5.0 last year. His 19.5 tackles also dropped to 9.5. All that said, the talent and raw ability are there to rekindle that upside in the right environment. This would be a savvy strategic roll of the dice for the Bears.
2. Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
McDonald doesn’t provide the Bears help at rushing the passer, but the Ohio State defensive tackle is a menace at stopping the run. He could dominate on the interior, giving Chicago some much-needed physicality for a team that surrendered the sixth-most rushing yards last season on a 5.0 yards per carry clip. The 6-foot-2, 236-pounder was a unanimous All-American last season, named first-team All-Big Ten, and was the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. Again, McDonald isn’t a flashy edge rusher, but he could fix one of the defense’s biggest issues from last season effectively overnight. While he may not be taking down the quarterback, his presence could open up lanes for Bears rushers.
1. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
There is certainly a need for the Bears along the defensive line, but the club did lose Kevin Byard III in free agency as well, creating a noticeable hole at safety. Last season, Byard led the team with seven interceptions, which helped him be named first-team All-Pro. To help replace Byard, Chicago could look to safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Safety isn’t the most valuable position, so the Toledo product could find his way to No. 25 overall despite being the No. 2-ranked safety in this class after Ohio State’s Caleb Downs. McNeil-Warren can help the Bears against the run and in coverage, addressing multiple areas of need on defense.
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