Meet the Bears' rookies: Breaking down all 7 of their picks in the 2026 NFL Draft
Here are all seven Bears' draft picks:
Round 1, No. 25
Dillon Thieneman
Oregon S
6-0, 201 pounds
Age: 21
Background: Thieneman grew up outside of Indianapolis, followed his two older brothers’ path by going to Purdue as a safety, then transferred to Oregon with the hope of vaulting himself into a first-round prospect.
The stats: No number stands out more than the 4.35 seconds Thieneman clocked in the 40-yard dash, which caught general manager Ryan Poles’ eye as has been obsessive about adding speed to the defense. He had eight interceptions, 10 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in three collegiate seasons.
The skinny: Thieneman instantly steps into the vacancy at safety next to Coby Bryant. None the Bears’ other candidates for that spot will be a legitimate contender.
Round 2, No. 57
Logan Jones
Iowa C
6-2, 299 pounds
Age: 24
Background: Jones is Midwestern through and through, growing up in Iowa, staying in state for college, then landing with the Bears. He came up as a defensive tackle before moving to the offensive line his second season with the Hawkeyes.
The stats: He played 52 games (51 starts) at a program reputed for coaching offensive linemen in a way that readily translates to the NFL. He won the Rimington Trophy as the best center in the country last season. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranked him the No. 75 overall prospect in this draft.
The skinny: Poles made this pick with an eye on 2027. The plan is for veteran Garrett Bradbury to be the starter as Jones learns the position and cross-trains at guard.
Round 3, No. 69
Sam Roush
Stanford TE
6-6, 267 pounds
Age: 22
Background: Roush’s NFL lineage traces back to his grandfather, Phil Olsen, the No. 4 overall pick in 1970 and Olsen’s brothers Merlin and Orrin. Merlin Olsen was a Hall of Fame defensive tackle and actor.
The stats: There is a lot of blocking and special teams on Roush’s résumé. As a receiver, he had his best season as a senior with 49 catches for 545 yards and two touchdowns.
The skinny: He’s the new Durham Smythe. Don’t know who that is? Smythe was the Bears’ third tight end behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet last season and was a relatively subtle piece in coach Ben Johnson’s offense. He’s unlikely to cut into Loveland or Kmet’s action.
Round 3, No. 89
Zavion Thomas
LSU WR
5-10, 190 pounds
Age: 22
Background: Thomas, from the New Orleans area, played two seasons at Mississippi State before transferring for two at LSU. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds this offseason and has incredible start and stop ability.
The stats: As the No. 2 wide receiver at LSU last season, Thomas caught 41 passes for 488 yards and scored four touchdowns, as well as rushing 19 times for 99 yards and a touchdown. He also had a season of 40 catches, 503 yards and one touchdown for Mississippi State in 2023.
The skinny: Johnson fell in love with Thomas’ film as a receiver and rusher, and the Bears believe he can develop him into an explosive weapon. That’ll be mostly as a gadget player at first.
Round 4, No. 124
Malik Muhammad
Texas CB
6-0, 182 pounds
Age: 21
Background: Muhammad, from Dallas, earned a significant role at Texas as a true freshman. He might be a little small to match up with wide receivers on the outside, but the Bears plan for him to bulk up.
The stats: He left school early after being second-team All-SEC last season with 30 tackles, two interceptions and 2 1/2 tackles for loss. He had three career interceptions in 41 games.
The skinny: Even with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon in the building, teams can never get enough cornerbacks. Muhammad will battle Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith, both of whom are entering the last season of their contracts.
Round 5, No. 166
Keyshaun Elliott
Arizona State LB
6-1, 231 pounds
Age: 22
Background: He’s the grandson of former Bengals and 49ers running back Lenvil Elliott, a Super Bowl champion. He grew up outside of Kansas City, began his college career at New Mexico State and played his last two seasons at Arizona State.
The stats: Elliott had 98 tackles, including seven sacks last season. He totaled 11½ sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries in 52 collegiate games.
The skinny: The Bears envision Elliott competing for playing time at linebacker, where the Bears are relatively unproven after T.J. Edwards and Devin Bush, but he also has the qualities to play on all four special-teams units.
Round 6, No. 213
Jordan van den Berg
Georgia Tech DT
6-3, 310 pounds
Age: 24
Background: Van den Berg is South African, moved to the U.S. at 10 and grew up playing cricket, rugby, basketball and baseball before trying football in high school. He began as a linebacker, then moved to defensive end and eventually defensive tackle.
The stats: He was an All-ACC defensive tackle last season with 44 tackles, including seven for loss. He ran a 4.94 in the 40-yard dash and has a 36-inch vertical leap.
The skinny: Any pick at this point is a lottery ticket, and that’s the Bears’ hope with van den Berg. He’ll have a tough road to make the roster and could be a long-term project on the practice squad.
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