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Chicago Bears land stud running back in way-too-early 2026 NFL mock draft

The Chicago Bears land a franchise running back in the first round of way-too-early 2026 NFL mock draft.
Bryan Perez|
Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Yes, the 2025 NFL Draft is less than one week in the rear-view mirror, but, no, that doesn't mean we can't look ahead o the 2026 NFL Draft... already.

Maybe it is a bit early to do a 2026 mock draft, but the good folks at Pro Football Focus decided to publish one and I had to give it some attention, because it sends the Chicago Bears a first-round running back.

The Bears were connected to first-round prospects Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton throughout the 2025 NFL Draft process, but GM Ryan Poles stunned the draft industry by opting to wait until the seventh round to select a runner -- Kyle Monangai, who enjoyed back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons at Rutgers.

With D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Monangai the primary running backs on the roster as of now, the odds that runninng back will rank high on the team's 2026 NFL draft wish list are sort of high.

Granted, anything -- literally, anything -- can happen between now and the 2026 draft, but if the Bears remain underwhelming at running back, PFF has Notre Dame's Jeremiah Love headed to Chicago.

"The Bears surprisingly waited until the seventh round of this year’s draft before selecting a running back," PFF wrote. "They dive into next year’s class earlier with the selection of Jeremiyah Love from nearby Notre Dame.

"Love’s 91.8 PFF rushing grade tied him for fifth in the nation last season. His 6.8 yards per carry tied him with Ashton Jeanty for seventh. Notre Dame’s quarterback situation is in flux, so Love could be in for a massive season in South Bend."

If you've been around the NFL Draft long enough, you know that prospects ranked in the top 10 overall (or even at their position) often fall out of that slotting by the time draft season rolls around. Love will begin the 2025 college season as the top ranked running back, but Penn State's Nick Singleton could quickly pass him with a hot start to the year.

And, yeah, 2026 NFL Draft talk can... wait a while.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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