Ranking the Top 6 Chicago Bears Prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears shocked the world this year when they went from perennial losers to clinching the 2025 NFC North championship and pulling off a miraculous Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers, but they can't afford to rest on their laurels. The goal, as has been stated many times by team president Kevin Warren, is winning championships, and the Bears still have a long way to go to get there.

General manager Ryan Poles did a commendable job fixing the biggest roster holes last offseason, highlighted by his massive trade for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney. Now he needs to prove that wasn't a fluke and do it again, only this time on the defensive side of the ball. Their salary cap situation isn't nearly as bad as it seems, but it's still limited. And for the first time in years, the Bears don't have a Top 20 pick in the NFL draft.

Poles needs to ensure that he hits a home run with the No. 25 pick. It's way too far back to grab a blue-chip pass rusher, but there are still several good options at the Bears' biggest positions of need. Here are six prospects who possess both a reasonably high ceiling and a safe floor, as well.

1. Kayden McDonald - Defensive Tackle, Ohio State

McDonald is beginning to rise in most mock drafts I've seen, but there's still a good chance he'll be on the board when the Bears pick at No. 25. Chicago has given up over 130 rushing yards per game in each of the last two years, but McDonald would put a stop to that. He's a monster in the gaps, absorbing double-teams effortlessly and closing up run lanes. His upside as a pass rusher is limited, but he could still contribute in this regard.

McDonald has the highest floor of all the defensive tackles in this year's draft class, in my estimation, and would be a Day 1 starter at Chicago's biggest position of need.

Kayden McDonal — Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

2. Lee Hunter - Defensive Tackle, Texas Tech

One of the biggest standouts from the 2026 Senior Bowl, Lee Hunter transferred to Texas Tech after three years at UCF and anchored one of the best defensive lines in the country. In many ways, he's just like McDonald as a prospect: an elite run stuffer with limited but useful pass rush upside. He's been one of the fastest risers in this year's draft, and that should come as no surprise to anyone who's watched him.

The only reason I can't put Hunter above McDonald is that Hunter only spent one year at a top school while McDonald spent three years facing the country's top talent.

3. Caleb Banks - Defensive Tackle, Florida

After two relatively safe picks, we now get to the defensive tackle with a sky-high ceiling but questionable floor. Banks missed most of 2025 with a foot injury that required surgery, which has muddied the picture of what he can do in the NFL. He starred at the Senior Bowl like Lee Hunter did, but foot injuries can have major long-term implications on explosive big men like Banks.

If his medicals look clean, Banks projects as a perennial All-Pro defensive tackle for years to come, but the risks are hard to ignore.

Caleb Bank — Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

4. Dillon Thieneman - Safety, Oregon

The Bears currently don't have a single safety who started last year under contract, and that needs to be addressed. They'll probably bring back Kevin Byard III after his All-Pro 2025 season, but that means bidding farewell to Jaquan Brisker, and that's a big pair of shoes to fill. However, Thieneman might be just the man for the job.

A standout ever since his freshman season with Purdue, when he grabbed six interceptions, Thieneman has largely flown under the radar at the national level, but he's one of the best safety prospects in years. If it wasn't for Ohio State's Caleb Downs, Thieneman would be by far the top safety of his class.

It might be controversial to spend a first-round pick on a safety, but Thieneman could be a huge contributor to this defense from Day 1, and the Bears can't allow their secondary situation to deteriorate.

Dillon Thienema — Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

5. T.J. Parker - Defensive End, Clemson

I don't think defensive end is as big of a need for the Bears as defensive tackle and safety, and that's why Parker scores so low on this list, but make no mistake: Parker could be a game-changer for this defense. His 2025 stats fell off a cliff from his highs in 2024, but that had more to do with Clemson's team-wide implosion. Parker remains a dominant pass rusher with sky-high upside, and he proved that at the Senior Bowl.

6. Anthony Hill Jr. - Linebacker, Texas

Standing six-foot-three and 238 pounds, Anthony Hill Jr. is the ideal replacement for Tremaine Edmunds, should he become a salary cap casualty. He's a big linebacker with deceptive speed and a motor that runs white-hot. He's already adept at diagnosing the opposing offense and has a nose for the ball, and his college production speaks for itself. In three seasons at Texas, Hill forced eight fumbles, three interceptions, and 17 sacks.

Hill would need some development when it comes to his pass coverage, but the two-time First-Team All-SEC standout has a high floor and a long runway to improve, given his young age (he turns 21 on Saturday). As aforementioned, the Bears have to hit on their first-round pick this year, and Hill comes with minimum risk.

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