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2026 NFL Draft Recap: Chicago Bears
Dillon Thieneman — SAF, Oregon
Selected at No. 25 overall in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears made 7 total selections in this draft class.
SWN draft grade: B+
The Bears' draft revolved around protecting Caleb Williams and shoring up the secondary. Headlined by Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman at No. 25 and Iowa center Logan Jones in Round 2, the class addresses two of the team's biggest 2025 weaknesses.
Players to Watch
The Chicago Bears' highest-impact 2026 draft picks — the rookies most likely to make immediate contributions and the ones to follow heading into training camp:
Dillon Thieneman
Round 1, Pick 25Three-year starter at Oregon (after transferring from Purdue) with a combined 290+ tackles and 11 career interceptions across his college career. Thieneman is a high-floor safety who Bears DC Eric Washington can deploy as either a single-high free safety or a robber underneath. With Kevin Byard aging, Thieneman should compete for an immediate starting role. Smart, instinctual, and rarely out of position — exactly the kind of pick a young defense built around Caleb Williams needs to grow alongside.
Logan Jones
Round 2, Pick 57Iowa's center anchors the interior offensive line directly in front of Caleb Williams — a likely Day 1 starter at a spot the Bears needed to stabilize. A multi-year college starter known for snap-to-snap consistency and pass-protection technique, exactly what a young franchise quarterback needs up the middle.
Full Chicago Bears Draft Class
| Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | Dillon Thieneman | SAF | Oregon |
| 2 | 57 | Logan Jones | C | Iowa |
| 3 | 69 | Sam Roush | TE | Stanford |
| 3 | 89 | Zavion Thomas | WR | LSU |
| 4 | 124 | Malik Muhammad | CB | Texas |
| 5 | 166 | Keyshaun Elliott | LB | Arizona State |
| 6 | 213 | Jordan Van Den Berg | DT | Georgia Tech |