Latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft Bolsters Chicago Bears' Defense in First and Second Rounds

The Athletic's latest 2026 NFL mock draft projects the Bears to land a massive defensive tackle and a reliable safety in the first two rounds.

Ethan Morrison / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears' 2025 season may only be a few weeks in the rear-view mirror, but with NFL free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft quickly approaching, there's no time for GM Ryan Poles and his staff to rest.

In fact, the job became a bit harder for Poles with the departure of assistant GM Ian Cunningham, who was hired to be the next GM of the Atlanta Falcons.

It means the Bears' 2026 draft prep will look different from how it has since Poles took the job in 2022, and we'll soon find out if the results will be just as fruitful as the 2025 draft class proved to be.

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In anticipation of what that draft haul could look like, The Athletic published a two-round 2026 mock draft this week, and they have the Chicago Bears doing what most of us assume they will: invest in the defense.

At No. 25 overall, the Bears' first-round selection, The Athletic has Poels selecting University of Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks.

Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks (88) celebrates recovering a fumble. Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images. | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Banks is listed at 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, and while a preseason foot injury limited him to just three games, The Athletic notes that his return late in the year reminded scouts why his ceiling is so high. If Banks dominates the pre-draft process, he could end up a mid-first-rounder, meaning it may take a little luck for him to fall to No. 25.

From a Bears perspective, the logic behind this pick is sound. Chicago needs more consistent interior disruption, and a player like Banks fits the mold of a prospect who can bring that to the defense. He has length and power, and his rare size is hard to find.

The risk, of course, is durability. Drafting Banks in the first round would be a bet that his foot injury was a minor setback, more than a long-term concern. If his medicals come back clean, the upside is undeniable.

In the second round, the Bears land Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.

Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks practice | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thieneman is a very clean pro projection. He'd bring versatility to the secondary, which could be the Bears' biggest need with both Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker headed for unrestricted free agency.

Thieneman is viewed as a fringe-first-round pick at this point in the 2026 NFL Draft process, so landing him at No. 57 overall would be viewed as a home run for Poles and the Chicago Bears.

Overall, this mock draft would be viewed as a balance between taking a home-run swing on Banks and a solid double with Thieneman.

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