Bears' Keyshaun Elliott Might Not Replace Tremaine Edmunds, but He'll Bring a Violent Edge

With the No. 166 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott.

Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Keyshaun Elliott. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With the No. 166 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected linebacker Keyshaun Elliott out of Arizona State.

This is the sixth pick the Bears have made in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the second on Day 3 on Saturday. Chicago is now slated to make two more, both coming in the seventh round. Chicago picked cornerback Malik Muhammad out of Texas with their previous Day 3 selection in Round 4.

Adding to the linebacker position certainly wasn't a big priority, but the Bears needed to make an addition nonetheless. Here's how Elliott helps the Bears.

Why Bears drafted Keyshaun Elliott

Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Bears added Devin Bush in free agency this offseason and will welcome back T.J. Edwards, who saw his 2025 season end early because of a fractured fibula. Chicago subtracted Tremaine Edmunds in a cost-cutting move.

It was clear the Bears needed more competition for depth spots at the position, and Elliott can give them that, along with a special teams contributor.

At 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds, Elliott isn't the best athlete, but he is a hard hitter and, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, he has been lauded for his work ethic and character.

"Big, productive inside linebacker lacking the athletic traits to make enough plays on the next level. Elliott has earned praise for his exceptional work ethic and football character," Zierlein wrote. "His instincts and reaction time are average, though. He can be heavy-handed when taking on blocks and his execution is inconsistent. His pursuit speed to the sideline is too heavy-footed in pass coverage and as an open-field tackler."

Pro Football Focus gave Elliott grades of 79.3 in run defense and 80.4 in the pass-rush, so he can make an impact in those areas. He is, however, lacking in coverage after posting a 47.9. The kinds of linebackers rating highly in all three areas are typically first-round choices, but the Bears got a dominant run defender who can blitz the A-gap for Dennis Allen's strong front seven pass rush in the fifth round. That's a solid choice.

Bears' list of 2026 NFL Draft Picks

Stanford tight end Sam Roush. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

• Round 1, Pick 25: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

• Round 2, Pick 57: C Logan Jones, Iowa

• Round 3, Pick 68 (via TEN): TE Sam Roush, Stanford

• Round 3, Pick 89: WR Zavion Thomas, LSU

• Round 4, Pick 124 (via CAR): CB Malik Muhammad, Texas

• Round 5, Pick 166 (via CAR):

• Round 7, Pick 239 (via PHI)

• Round 7, Pick 241

How to watch Day 3 of 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft Theater stage. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Day 3 (Rounds 4-7): Saturday, April 25, 11 a.m. CT on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes (Spanish)

The NFL has institutued a new timing method for picks. This year, picks from Rounds 3-6 have just five minutes between them, and then the clock is shortened to four minutes in Round 7.