What Mel Kiper Got Right, Wrong with Bears Picks in Final Mock Before 2026 NFL Draft

Mel Kiper's final mock draft before the 2026 NFL Draft has three picks for the Chicago Bears. One of them was good, but two were not.

Missouri defensive lineman Zion Young. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As we inch closer to the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, experts are putting out their final projections for the Chicago Bears and the rest of the NFL.

One of those experts is legendary draft guru, ESPN's Mel Kiper, who has put out his final mock draft of the year. In what will be Kiper's final projections, he makes picks for two rounds.

With the Bears having three selections over the first two rounds of this year's draft thanks to the DJ Moore trade with the Buffalo Bills that netted Chicago a second second-rounder, here's the three players Kiper has mocked to Chicago:

Mel Kiper's Bears picks in final mock draft

Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young. | Travis Register-Imagn Images

Kiper checks three different boxes for the Bears by taking an edge rusher, center and defensive back. Here's a look at his predictions for Chicago:

• Round 1, Pick 25: DE Zion Young, Missouri State

• Round 2, Pick 57: S Treydan Stukes, Arizona

• Round 2, Pick 60: C Logan Jones, Iowa

While those positions are all needs for the Bears, we don't exactly love all of Kiper's projections. That said, Kiper did nail one of them.

Here's a look at what Kiper got right and what he got wrong with the picks he made for the Bears in his final mock draft.

What Kiper got right

Arizona Wildcats defensive back Treydan Stukes. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Treydan Stukes at No. 57 (second round)

We're comfortable with just one of the second-round picks Kiper made for the Bears, which was Arizona's Treydan Stukes.

An unquestioned leader with a ton of experience and playmaker ability (four picks in 2025), Stukes is a versatile defensive back who could play snaps at safety or slot cornerback at the next level. He also brings athleticism in spades with his 4.33 40 time.

The Bears let both Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard leave in free agency and signed Coby Bryant, which leaves Chicago with an opening to fill.

Stukes, who the Bears had an formal interview with at the NFL Scouting Combine, can fill that role in Year 1, and he also provides insurance just in case Kyler Gordon gets hurt again.

What Kiper got wrong

Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Logan Jones. | Ross Harried-Imagn Images

Zion Young at No. 25, Logan Jones at No. 60 (second round)

We don't like Kiper's first-round pick, edge rusher Zion Young out of Missouri, and one of his second-round picks, Logan Jones out of Iowa. Granted, the Bears have needs at both positions, but we don't like the particular choice at edge rusher and believe the Bears should wait longer to address center.

Is Young a promising prospect? No doubt, but he also has major red flags after multiple off-the-field issues in college.

Not only that, but Auburn's Keldric Faulk was still on the board when Kiper made that pick and Faulk is not only as good a pass rusher as Young, he's a superior run defender and we know the Bears' bottom-10 run defense needs a serious jolt.

When it comes to Jones, we think the Bears can get a quality center in the middle rounds of the draft, which Dane Brugler of The Athletic also subscribes to.

"There’s not a center in this class that you point to and say, okay, that’s a top 50 pick,” he said. “But the centers in that third round, fourth round, fifth round, there’s more than a handful of those guys, and I think it comes down to what style of player you want."

If that's truly the case, Chicago should not spend this high of a pick on a center. Having Garrett Bradbury as a one-year stopgap also enables Chicago to wait a bit longer and aim for a mid-round gem instead of trying to grab a center early on Day 2.