Post-Combine 2026 NFL Mock Draft Sends Bears Three Risers on Defense

Loading up on defensive talent may be the best way to get the Chicago Bears back to the Super Bowl.

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With the NFL Combine officially over, we've moved one gigantic step closer to the 2026 NFL draft. The Chicago Bears, for the first time in several years, are picking outside of the Top 20, and that has created no small measure of uncertainty about what they'll do with their first-round pick. We know that the Bears met with Kayden McDonald at the NFL Combine, and they'll certainly take many more meetings with players in the coming weeks.

However, general manager Ryan Poles may have given us a clue about the Bears' 2026 draft plan at the NFL Combine last week by suggesting that there are fewer premium defensive tackles than there are defensive ends. Given that statement, I ran a three-round mock draft for the Chicago Bears that reflects Poles' evaluation of the defensive line class, but also pays attention to standouts from the NFL Combine.

While I wouldn't go so far as to call this the ideal draft haul for the Bears through the first three rounds, selecting these three prospects would have me feeling pretty good about the Bears' Super Bowl odds in 2026.

1.25 Caleb Banks - Defensive Tackle, Florida

Banks entered the 2025 CFB season with a chance to solidify his case as the best defensive tackle in football, but he underwent surgery after injuring his foot in Week 2, and he missed the rest of the season. But his performance at the NFL Combine should calm any fears about whether his foot still bothers him.

While he didn't perform every drill, Banks put up a solid 5.05-second 40-yard dash and a 32-inch vertical jump, showcasing that explosive athleticism that made him famous in Florida. Banks is a riskier prospect than Ohio State's Kayden McDonald, but his ceiling is sky-high.

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2.57 Dani Dennis-Sutton - Defensive End, Penn State

While defensive end may not be a major need for the Bears, I'm not convinced that they don't need to spend one of their first two picks here. Lacking a true superstar on the defensive line, the Bears need to have waves of pass rushers to send after quarterbacks, and their depth beyond Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Austin Booker just isn't good enough.

That's where Dennis-Sutton comes in. When you look at his build and athleticism, he is the prototypical Dennis Allen defensive end: six-foot-six, 256 pounds, and with 33.5-inch arms. Dennis-Sutton lit up the NFL Combine with his performance, and all of his numbers ranked in the top six for defensive ends. He posted a 39.5-inch vertical jump, a ten-foot-eleven broad jump, and a 4.63-second 40-yard dash.

He may not be a game wrecker by himself, but Dennis-Sutton is exactly what the Bears need to level up their pass rush.

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3.89 Zakee Wheatley - Safety, Penn State

The more I look at Wheatley, the more I think he's the perfect replacement for Jaquan Brisker, should the Bears allow him to hit free agency. Wheatley checked into the NFL Combine at six-foot-three and 203 pounds, giving him a profile similar to Brisker.

Also like his fellow Penn State alum, he boasts impressive athleticism and a nose for the football. He is willing nad able to stop the run, but he's also fast enough to lurk in the backfield. He still needs coaching up to hit his ceiling, as does his ability to diagnose what the offense is up to, but I trust Dennis Allen to get the job done.

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