Who Might Ryan Poles Have Been Focusing on at Miami's Pro Day?

The University of Miami held its Pro Day on Monday, and Bears general manager Ryan Poles was in attendance.

100+ NFL personnel at Miami Pro Day. Some:

- Bears GM Ryan Poles
- Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer, VP Will McClay, DC Christian Parker
- Jets HC Aaron Glenn
- Dolphins HC Jeff Hafley, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan
- Saints HC Kellen Moore
- Patriots EVP Eliot Wolf
- Giants GM Joe Schoen pic.twitter.com/PjBGhQUb20
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 23, 2026

Edge-rusher Ruben Bain Jr. was definitely the biggest name to take part in drills at Miami's Pro Day. While the Bears would turn in the card in record time if he were somehow still on the board at pick 25, pigs would have already taken flight, and hell would have frozen before that would become a remote possibility. He's all but guaranteed to be a top 10 pick.

While I'm confident that Bain wasn't the reason Poles made the trip to Miami, I do think he's likely doing his homework on a former Hurricane edge-rusher. In fact, I bet he's doing extra credit on one of them. Bears fans should definitely keep an eye on Akheem Mesidor in the draft.

Miami stars Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. in drills. pic.twitter.com/wwWAvTJvxO
— Adam Lichtenstein (@ABLichtenstein) March 23, 2026

Mesidor is one of the most refined pass-rushers in this year's class. He's also one of the most well-rounded edges, showing a lot of promise against the run. He'd be hard-pressed to get out of the top half of the first round if he weren't an older prospect (he turns 25 next month).

Poles already hinted that he had his eye on Mesidor at the NFL Scouting Combine. He actually highlighted his experience at the collegiate level as a positive, saying he's less of a projection than some of the other edge rushers in the class.

Todd McShay asked Ryan Poles if he thinks guys are more NFL ready in the NIL era and he brought up Miami DE Akheem Mesidor specifically pic.twitter.com/uzEhNTisld
— Steve Letizia (@CFCBears) February 26, 2026

While Mesidor's age is less than ideal from the bigger picture, it wouldn't be a bad thing if it meant that a player of his caliber could be available for the Bears at 25. It would also matter a lot more for a few positions (running back and corner). The Ravens were about to give up two first-round picks for a 29-year-old Maxx Crosby, and the Bears were reportedly close to doing the same. I'd gladly sign up for five years of Mesidor in his prime if it meant the Bears wanted to go that route at the end of the first.

Besides the edge rushers, there are a few other players that Poles could've been eyeing in Miami.

Cornerback Keionte Scott is the biggest name of the bunch. While I don't think he'll be a likely target for Chicago at pick 25 (because he projects as a nickelback and they're already paying Kyler Gordon a lot of money to play that role), I could see a scenario where they draft him if he were somehow still on the board late in the second round. I fully expect them to draft a cornerback in this year's class, and he's one of the most dynamic.

Safety Jakobe Thomas is a much more likely fit for the Bears. If they don't draft a safety through the first two days of the draft and are still looking for a potential starter in the fourth round, Thomas definitely fits the billing. While he might not be an athletic freak, I could see his ball-hawking skills (he had five interceptions last year and four at Middle Tennessee State in 2022) catching Al Harris's eyes. His versatility would also make him a solid fit for Dennis Allen's defense.

While center James Brockermeyer and receiver CJ Daniels probably weren't crucial to Poles making the trip, they also could interest Chicago if they're still on the board in the seventh round (or if they're interested in Daniels via a potential trade-down scenario on day three). Brockermeyer, who is the son of former NFL left tackle Blake Brockermeyer, would be an ideal fit in the Bears' zone blocking scheme. Daniels would be a quality late-round gamble if they want to go bargain hunting for DJ Moore's replacement and they're looking for a potential big-bodied contributor.