Three Prospects the Bears Would Love to Pick At No. 25 in 2026 NFL Draft
This is an interesting year for us Bears fans. Usually, I make jokes about how our season actually begins in February and ends in August, as we are three-time reigning offseason champs.
But after an incredible ride in the 2025-26 season resulting in a late first-round pick, the buzz around the draft feels dimmer than usual.
That is not necessarily a bad thing. It is more the reality of rooting for a team that is finally competitive. The Bears are now in a spot where they are looking to fill holes and take the best player available instead of desperately searching for the franchise-changing player we spent years begging for.
That being said, it oddly feels like we are entering the 2026-27 season as a true contender, yet still have some massive holes to fill. Even though Poles and Ben have turned this ship around, in my mind, there has never been more pressure to nail a draft than this one. You have the quarterback on the rookie contract, you have an offense loaded with weapons, you have the coach, and now is the time to fix the defense and, unfortunately, still left tackle.
Thus, to no one’s surprise at all, the three positions I must see the Bears address in this draft are edge rusher, safety, and left tackle.
Lucky for us, I think there is a very real chance we could land a great player at one of those positions at pick 25.
EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
This is a name I have seen mocked as early as the top 15, but also as someone who could realistically still be there in the late 20s for the Bears. If they could land him at 25, it would be an absolute home run.
He is not the flashiest player in the world, but the Bears are not flashy. The Bears’ defensive line has too many milk drinkers and not enough whiskey drinkers. Akheem Mesidor is a whiskey drinker.
He plays with a high motor, never gives up on plays, and can be a true three-down player because of how good he is against the run. He can line up in different spots, bring toughness to the front, and immediately make life easier for Montez Sweat.
The main concern people seem to have is that he is already 25. To put that into perspective, Micah Parsons is 26. To me, that is a non-issue. The Bears need an instant-impact starter on Day 1, and getting a guy who is fully grown, mature, and ready to contribute right away is exactly what this defense needs.
This is also not me declaring I am out on Austin Booker. You can never have too many pass rushers, and Mesidor feels like the kind of player who could make an immediate difference the second he walks into the building.
Safety Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
This is probably the least likely of the three names actually to make it to 25, but if he somehow did, I would sprint the card in myself.
Thieneman feels like the type of player Bears fans would instantly fall in love with. He is an instinctive player who tracks the ball well and is not afraid at all to put someone in the dirt. A versatile safety feels like the exact chess piece Dennis Allen would love on this defense right now to pair up with Coby Bryant.
The guy can play deep, play in the box, blitz, and he is a magnet for the football. Like many teams ahead of us, I have slowly fallen in love with this guy. It will be a shame if the Vikings snag him and he becomes the second coming of Harrison Smith.
P.S. If Thieneman is gone and the Bears do not trade up to get him, I will gladly take the consolation prize of Emmanuel McNeil-Warren out of Toledo.
LT Caleb Lomu, Utah
I know offensive line is not the sexy pick here. And for some reason, a lot of Bears fans are content at left tackle already. I am not one of those Bears fans.
I have been hurt too many times by Braxton Jones to suddenly have this newfound trust in him protecting the cornerstone of our franchise’s blind side. I do not think he is horrible. He is fine. But fine is not good enough for me on a contending team.
We have seen how much losing a star offensive lineman hurts playoff teams. The Eagles look like half the team they are at their peak when Lane Johnson goes down. The Niners are a completely different team without Trent Williams. Offensive line matters.
And with Ozzy suffering such a horrific injury, I do not think it is fair to expect him to come back as the same player in 2027. I am not saying the Bears have to reach on a tackle. This is really only if Poles or Ben fall in love with a guy.
To me, the most likely candidate at 25 would be Caleb Lomu. He has actually played left tackle his whole career, has a ton of experience, and I think he can be a Day 1 starter, especially with Joe Thuney next to him.
It sucks that we found ourselves in this position again, but the most important player on this team is Caleb Williams. Protect the man at all costs.
Now, these are really the best-case-scenario players for me.
I have no clue what the Bears will do, and honestly, I am not stressing. I trust Ben Johnson; I sort of trust Poles; and I trust that, with the two working together, they will once again make strong decisions like they did last year.
Discover more from Chicago Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categorized:Bears