Defense still wins championships, and that's what this three-round 2026 NFL mock draft delivers for Chicago.
, and for good reason, given the composition of their team. What they lack as far as a flashy offense goes, they more than make up for with a stingy, stifling defense that should be back in its entirety in 2026.
Defense still wins championships in the NFL, as the last two Super Bowls have proven, and for a copycat league like this one, there are several teams that could punch their own Super Bowl ticket if they try to emulate what the Seahawks built up. The Chicago Bears are one such team. They already have the proven head coach-quarterback duo, but their defense left a lot to be desired in 2025. This 2026 three-round NFL mock draft aims to fix that. In this mock draft, I tried to find the best fits for the Bears to create the kind of suffocating defense that just brought another Lombardi trophy to Seattle without sacrificing draft value.performance last month has made him one of the NFL's most intriguing draft prospects. The six-foot-three, 320-pound defensive tackle is a dominant force in the run game, effortlessly absorbing double-teams and plugging up run lanes, but has enough athleticism to also impact the passing game, though he'll need to refine his techniques in that regard at the next level. For a team that has struggled against the run in each of the last two seasons, Hunter could be exactly what Chicago needs to emulate Seattle's dominance in the trenches., the last two champions have proven that having waves of pass rushers to send after a quarterback is more effective than having just one elite pass rusher. That's where Tennessee's Joshua Josephs comes in. Josephs is one of the most athletic defensive ends in this year's draft class, and he already possesses a fairly refined repertoire of pass rush moves. This is a true rarity, as most athletically gifted college players are so much stronger and faster than their opponents that they never put in the effort to learn good technique. The biggest downside to Josephs is his smaller frame. Weighing just 240 pounds, he would likely be asked to put on 15-20 pounds without sacrificing any speed or quickness, which could be challenging. But even if his undersized frame keeps him from hitting his NFL ceiling, he could be used to devastating effect as a rotational pass rusher, like Seattle's Derick Hall.If possible, the Bears ought to bring back both of their starting safeties from 2025: Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker. However, odds are that only one will get a contract extension, and considering Byard's veteran experience and his 2025 All-Pro award, Brisker will probably be the odd man out. That will leave a big hole to fill in Chicago's secondary, but luckily for the Bears, Brisker's own alma mater could supply the ideal replacement. Wheatley's calling cards are his size , athleticism, and a nose for the football. He loves attacking downhill to stop the run and has the size to take on NFL running backs, but he's also athletic enough to roam the backfield and break up pass attempts. His tackling could use some coaching up, as will his ability to diagnose what the offense is up to, but I trust Dennis Allen to get him up to his ceiling. Seattle's Julian Love left his stamp on the Super Bowl with a timely interception of Drake Maye, and that's exactly the kind of role I could see Wheatley filling.One Fast Riser in 2026 NFL Draft That Every Bears Fan Should KnowA former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.
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