The Darkhorse Position The Chicago Bears Could Target In The First Round

The defensive trenches aren’t the only spot that could make a difference for the Bears in 2026.

Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

It’s hard to argue with the success the Chicago Bears had on the offensive side of the football ion last year’s NFL Draft, from drafting Colston Loveland at No. 10 overall to stealing Kyle Monangai in the seventh round.

Now, it’s time for the Bears to do that on the defensive side of the ball, with the trenches struggling last year and several positions set to lose players to free agency.

Of course, all the attention has been on the Bears’ inability to stop the run or rush the passer last season, which primarily fell on the lack of a dynamic defensive front. As such, about 95% of the mock drafts we’ve seen this offseason have involved taking an edge or a defensive tackle.

But especially at No. 25 overall, once the top prospects have come off the board, thinking purely about positions of need isn’t the play. You need to grab the best player and value possible. After all, how many teams have we seen take a player at a “need” position at the back end of the first round only to see them flame out?

Taht’s why a few experts have suggested an under-the-radar position for the Bears to target at No. 25: safety.

In particular, NFL Media’s Dan Parr went with Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren as the Bears’ first round pick in his opening mock of the year.

“With Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard and C.J. Gardner-Johnson ticketed for free agency, the Bears seem likely to be keeping a close eye on the top safeties in this year’s class. Landing McNeil-Warren -- who has Pro Bowl potential, per colleague Daniel Jeremiah -- would be a coup,” Parr writes.

Now, before you get ready to throw something because this pick isn’t an edge or run-stopping DT, consider the truth in Parr's assessment.

🎥 Film Breakdown 🎥

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S - Toledo

-6’2 | 202
- 1st Team All-MAC
- 77 Tkl | 3 FF | 2 INT | 6 PBUs pic.twitter.com/uO4mEOqH4y

— Chris Cooper (@ChrisCooper_NFL) February 12, 2026

As bad as things were up front for the Bears last year, they still do badly need talent at safety. While the Bears have made it clear they want to keep Byard, it seems like Brisker is probably gone. Meanwhile, Gardner-Johnson, while useful, isn’t an elite playmaker at the position and has limitations.

The Bears can address the holes up front in a variety of ways, including free agency and trades, though they absolutely should draft multiple trench players in this deep class. But when you watch McNeil-Warren play, it’s hard not to think of someone like Nick Emmanwori, who went high in the second round last year to the Seattle Seahawks and played a big role in their suffocating defense. Having a multi-dimensional, ball-hawking talent at safety learning under Byard for another year or two sounds like fun to me.

Sure, a good safety won’t make up for bad interior play, so the Bears have to weigh that risk when making their decisions at No. 25. If they don’t get what they want on the board there, maybe they should trade down and accrue picks rather than taking a safety there. But it all depends on how highly they value someone like McNeil-Warren, who looks like a quiet star in the making on the back end.

The Bears bucked consensus a few times last year, and it worked out for them because they simply got good players in the building. That approach might keep someone like McNeil-Warren in play more than Bears fans think.

More Chicago Bears News:

• The Chicago Bears’ 2025 Rookie Class Might Just Be Special

• Why The Chicago Bears Need To Extend Darnell Wright Immediately

• Chicago Bears Getting More Top-10 Love Heading Into Next Season

• ESPN Mocks Perfect Montez Sweat Running Mate To Bears