Stock Up, Down for Chicago Bears Draft Picks After Day 1 of Mandatory Minicamp

Only one Chicago Bears draft pick saw their stock decline during the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.

Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears turned the page to the next chapter of their offseason program when the Bears began their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday afternoon.

If you missed anything that happened on Day 1 of minicamp, don't worry because we've got you covered with our biggest takeaways from the session, which covers standouts, injuries and more.

This time around, the focus is on diving a bit deeper into how the team's 2026 draft picks performed based on the information we could find from beat writers on the ground at practice.

And, with that information, we're determining if the draft pick hurt or improved their respective stocks, or saw no change at all. Here's the lowdown.

Stock up: Dillon Thieneman

Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

According to Herb Howard of The Bigs, Thieneman was running with the ones on Tuesday.

"Dillon Thieneman got ample reps with the 1s, as he rotated with veteran Elijah Hicks, at Safety opposite Coby Bryant," Howard wrote.

Another positive note from Howard is that Thieneman notched what would have been a sack on Caleb Williams.

"Dillon Thieneman came off the left edge untouched, it would’ve been a killshot right in Caleb’s face for a sack. The 1st Team Defense definitely won that period," Howard wrote.

This amounts to a step in the right direction for the rookie, who did not receive first-team reps during OTAs. The Bears are making him earn it, but Thieneman is clearly moving toward the starting role we've had him pegged for since being drafted.

No change: Logan Jones

Chicago Bears offensive lineman Logan Jones. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

We have not heard much about Jones this offseason, as there were no real significant nuggets about him at OTAs and after minicamp on Tuesday.

That doesn't mean he's doing bad, it just means we can't say for sure if Jones stock is climbing or falling.

The rookie is competing for the starting center job with Garrett Bradbury and I remain steadfast in my belief the veteran will win out. However, it remains to be seen if Bradbury will be able to stave-off Jones for the entire 2026 campaign.

Stock up: Zavion Thomas

Chicago Bears wide receiver Zavlon Thomas. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Thomas has managed to make at least one standout play at every open practice so far this offseason and nothing changed during mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.

Bear Report's Zack Pearson reported that Thomas "had a big play in two minute" that saw him "taking a short pass for a TD."

Pearson also pointed out Thomas' impressive speed, and former Bears tight end Clay Harbor lauded the LSU product for his "smooth routes" and "good ball skills."

If Thomas keeps this up, he's going to have a role right away in head coach Ben Johnson's offense.

Stock up: Sam Roush

Chicago Bears tight end Sam Roush. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Harbor said the Bears were using Roush in different ways and he believes that's a sign the rookie is going to get ample run in his first season.

"Sam Roush is already being moved all over backfield, out wide, attached. Impressive for a rookie. He’s going to help this year," Harbor said.

With the Bears expected to utilize more 13 personnel this year, Roush is going to have an opportunity to make a significant contribution alongside Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet.

Stock up: Malik Muhammad

Chicago Bears cornerback Malik Muhammad. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We didn't see any information on Muhammad coming from Bears beat reporters on Tuesday, but a pair of injuries are sending the rookie's stock in a positive direction.

Not only did Cam Lewis and Kyler Gordon sit out yet again, but Tyrique Stevenson left practice early with an injury.

Muhammad is competing with Stevenson for a starting job on the boundary and earlier this offseason the rookie was getting looks in the slot, where Gordon is the starter and Lewis could be the primary backup.

If one or more of those veterans remain sidelined, Muhammad stands to get more reps with the ones, which will help speed up his development while also helping his cause to earn a starting job.

Stock down: Keyshaun Elliott

Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It has been a quiet offseason thus far for the fifth-round pick and that's not going to help in his quest to earn a role in Year 1.

Also not helping Elliott is the fact that he did not take part in practice on Tuesday. It isn't clear what Elliott is dealing with, but missed practice time is never good for a rookie.

I think Elliott will make the 53-man roster out of training camp and contribute on special teams, but he's facing an uphill climb to see defensive snaps with T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush and D'Marco Jackson in front of him.

No change: Jordan van den Berg

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive lineman Jordan van den Berg. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Like Jones, there was no information that we could find on van den Berg, so we'll put him in the "no change" category for now.

The sixth-round pick is competing for a roster spot and will need to stand out the rest of the offseason in order to earn one. The good news is, van den Berg's competition upfront isn't exactly daunting, so he's got a shot.