Ranking Every Bears' Draft Class of the Last Decade From Franchise-Changing to Forgettable

The Chicago Bears have seen some historic draft classes in recent years. In 2021, they selected a first-round quarterback for just the third time in the 21st century. In 2024, they had two first-round picks for the first time since 2003, and they made the first-overall selection for the first time since 1947.

Many of these recent draft classes have led to only disappointment for Bears fans, but others have produced genuine stars. With the 2026 NFL draft less than two weeks away, let's take a look at Chicago's last 10 draft classes and rank them from worst to best, starting with one that I'm sure Bears fans would like to forget.

10. Passing on Patrick Mahomes (2017)

I don't think I need to explain myself on this one. It can be argued that Patrick Mahomes would not have become Patrick Mahomes had he gone to Chicago in 2017, but that's as close to a silver lining as you're going to get from me on this disastrous draft class. Passing on a three-time Super Bowl champion for a quarterback who didn't even earn a second contract with the team is a brutal mistake that ultimately cost former general manager Ryan Pace his job.

Mitchell Trubisk — Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

9. The Justin Fields Class (2021)

Bears fans believed in 2021 that they had just witnessed a generational draft class, and they had good reason to. Quarterback Justin Fields was an Ohio State phenom. Offensive tackle Teven Jenkins had been consistently mocked to them in Round 1, but they ended up getting him anyway in Round 2. Even wide receiver Dazz Newsome looked like a potential draft steal.

In the end, not a single one of these highly regarded selections stuck with the Bears for a second contract. Whiffing on all seven picks and trading away their 2022 first-round pick to move up for Fields are what ultimately dragged this draft down near the bottom.

8. Nearly a winner (2016)

The Bears' 2016 draft class nearly featured two outstanding picks in the first two rounds: Leonard Floyd and Cody Whitehair. Floyd, selected ninth overall, was supposed to be the dominant pass rusher that Chicago needed. As for Cody Whitehair, he went on to win a Pro Bowl nod in 2018. However, injuries robbed Whitehair of a longer, more productive career, and Floyd never truly hit his full potential until he signed with the Rams in 2020, winning a Super Bowl with them in 2021.

While not a disastrous class, this one ranks low for its unrealized potential and overall lack of impact.

7. Made the best of a bad situation (2019)

After the blockbuster trade for Khalil Mack in 2018, Ryan Pace left himself with bare coffers for the 2019 NFL draft. His first selection wasn't until the third round, when he picked running back David Montgomery. I give Pace credit for making the best of a bad draft situation, but Montgomery was never more than a slightly above-average running back in Chicago, and no one else from that class made even a remote impact.

David Montgomer — Matt Marton-Imagn Images

6. Chicago's proud linebacker tradition continued (2018)

Now we're getting into draft classes that weren't awful, but had limited upside, and that perfectly describes the 2018 draft. Selecting a linebacker with a Top 10 pick was risky, but Roquan Smith proved Pace right to trust in him. He quickly became a team captain on defense and even earned second-team All-Pro nods in 2020 and 2021.

This class also brought in other solid contributors: guard James Daniels, receiver Anthony Miller, and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols were all quality starters for the Bears at some point, and that makes this class a tolerable one, even if Smith never got a second contract with the team.

Roquan Smit — Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

5. The Ryan Poles era begins (2022)

It's hard enough being a new general manager in your first NFL draft. It's even harder when you don't have a first-round pick. That's the situation Ryan Poles faced in 2022, and all things considered, I think he acquitted himself well. His first pick ever as general manager of the Chicago Bears was Kyler Gordon, selecting him with the No. 39 pick, and Gordon signed a market-setting contract extension with the Bears just one year ago. He has more than proven his value to this team, as long as he stays healthy.

This class also saw Poles find a quality left tackle in the fifth round, selecting Braxton Jones, who just re-signed with the Bears on a one-year contract worth up to $10 million. Jaquan Brisker was another good pick, even if he is now a Pittsburgh Steeler, as was Elijah Hicks as a backup safety in the seventh round. The selection of Velus Jones Jr., however, holds this class back.

4. The fan favorites (2020)

Ryan Pace's penultimate draft class was a good one. Both of Chicago's first two selections are still with the team on their second contracts: Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson. Kmet has earned his place in Bears history by catching Caleb Williams' wild throw to force overtime in their Divisional round loss to the Rams. As for Johnson, he's now a two-time Pro Bowler and, when healthy, is a Top 5 cornerback in the league. And when you look at what other cornerbacks are making in the open market, Jaylon Johnson's contract is a bargain.

This draft also saw the Bears add wide receiver Darnell Mooney in Round 5, and he gave Chicago a 1,000-yard season in 2021 before eventually signing with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.

3. The "Wright" Pick (2023)

The Bears' 2023 draft class caused a controversy among fans when Ryan Poles traded back one spot, from No. 9 to No. 10, effectively gifting defensive tackle Jalen Carter to the Eagles. Carter had been many Bears fans' dream prospect, and watching their GM not only decline to draft him, but actually trade back in the process, stirred up some strong reactions.

Those fans, however, owe Poles an apology. The player he did pick, right tackle Darnell Wright, is coming off an All-Pro breakthrough season that validates the Bears' decision to draft him. In fact, Wright has become such a dominant player that the top offensive tackle in the 2026 NFL draft is being compared to him.

The rest of this class was a mixed bag, with Gervon Dexter and Tyrique Stevenson potentially in line for second contracts with the team, but not having done enough yet to earn those. Several of the Day 3 picks have already flamed out, but linebacker Noah Sewell had himself a mini-breakout of his own last year and could stick around.

2. The Ben Johnson Effect (2025)

I almost put this class at No. 1 despite these players only having one year of experience. I wrote on draft night that Colston Loveland was the wrong pick for the Bears, and I may still be eating crow for that take for the next 15 years. After a slow start to the season, Loveland came alive and looks every bit like a tight end who is ready to take the torch from Travis Kelce as the game's most clutch tight end in the postseason. At this point, I'll be shocked if Loveland is not a perennial All-Pro throughout his career.

But Loveland wasn't the only hit from that draft class. Luther Burden slipped into Round 2 and flashed enough potential for the Bears to feel comfortable trading receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Ozzy Trapilo looked like a franchise left tackle before his brutal injury in the Wild Card round, and Bears fans can only hope that he can return to form next year. And I would be remiss not to mention seventh-round running back Kyle Monangai, who has become an immediate fan favorite with his hard-charging running style.

Landing so many playmakers in one draft class is fantastic work by Ryan Poles, but it also speaks to the effect of head coach Ben Johnson. At long last, the Bears seem to have gotten it right at the three most important positions on an NFL team: general manager, head coach, and quarterback. Which makes for a nice segue into my final ranking.

Colston Lovelan — Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

1. Iceman (2024)

Pardon my pessimism, but there's a very real chance that, despite picking twice in the Top 10 of the loaded 2024 NFL draft class, the Bears only see one player from that class earn a second contract with the team. However, as long as that player is Caleb Williams, this will still be Chicago's best draft class of the century. That's how important finding a franchise quarterback is, especially for a team like the Chicago Bears.

Caleb Williams' breakout season in 2025, his first year with Ben Johnson, was exactly what we needed to see to believe that Williams has finally broken the quarterback curse in Chicago. While he didn't quite get to 4,000 passing yards, his history-making seven fourth-quarter comebacks prove that he is the Iceman and that he can be the quarterback who brings the Bears back to the Promised Land.

"Can" is the key word there. 2025 was a great season, but the Bears still fell short of their ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. If they're ever going to do that, then Williams needs to take another step forward in his development in 2026. If he does, and if Ryan Poles gets to sign Williams to a monster contract extension, then it's hard to see any Bears' draft class ever supplanting 2024 as the best in franchise history.