Chicago added pieces that fit their needs/scheme on both offense and defense with their 2026 draft class. How would we have handled things using the Wolf Sports big board?

 

Actual selections

1.25: S Dillon Thieneman

2.57: C Logan Jones

3.69: TE Sam Roush

3.89: WR Zavion Thomas

4.124: CB Malik Muhammad

5.166: LB Keyshaun Elliott

6.213: DL Jordan van den Berg

 

Wolf Sports selections

1.25: CB D’Angelo Ponds

2.57: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

3.69: WR Chris Brazzell II

3.89: CB Jermod McCoy

4.124: G DJ Campbell

5.166: DL Zane Durant

6.213: LB Harold Perkins Jr.

 

Thoughts

The first-round pick for Chicago was expected to be an edge defender or a safety, and Dillon Thieneman going a few picks later than anticipated led to him being their choice—joining Coby Bryant for what should be a more rangy and athletic safety duo. We would have gone with D’Angelo Ponds as a feisty cornerback who can play man coverage at the level defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants, and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren would have still been on the board in Round 2 to pair with Bryant; a case could be made for EMW being the better fit (especially taking value into consideration) as more of a strong safety alongside Bryant.

 

The Bears instead went with Logan Jones to begin Day 2, and we like the pick as our top center in the class and the first center off the board—as most didn’t view him as such. If he shows well this summer, Jones could immediately replace the retired Drew Dalman in the starting lineup and allow Chicago to trade Garrett Bradbury with a couple of center-needy teams around the league.

 

In the third round, Sam Roush was the first actual selection as a primary blocking tight end behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, so he should be the long-term complement to the receiving threat in Loveland. Then, the Bears took speedster Zavion Thomas as a player they hope can make an impact both on offense and in the return game, and the rookie could learn behind Kalif Raymond for a year; remember, Ben Johnson brought along Luther Burden III and Loveland somewhat slowly before they took off down the stretch in 2025.

 

Our haul in Round 3 would have started with Chris Brazzell II, and Jermod McCoy was too good of a value to pass up with the second selection—as he’s a perfect scheme fit for Dennis Allen with his ability to play man coverage. It would have been difficult to see a spot for him in Year 1 behind Jaylon Johnson, Ponds, and Kyler Gordon, but the actual selections show that Chicago was fine with looking ahead.

 

The Day 3 selections were all on defense for the Bears, and our favorite was Malik Muhammed, who—despite being a thinner cornerback—is very aggressive in man coverage, so it was a great match in terms of both scheme fit and value (our No. 64 overall prospect). For the defensive front, the style of prospect was the same with Chicago taking Jordan van den Berg and our choice being Zane Durant one selection earlier, and it’s clear Chicago wanted to add more penetrator types this offseason.