The Chicago Bears are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, picking at No. 25 for the first time in five years. With seven picks, including four in the Top 89, the team faces significant needs after a conservative free agency period.
Key points
Chicago Bears pick at No. 25 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Team has seven picks, including four in the Top 89.
Bears face significant needs after a conservative free agency.
Potential strategies include trading down or selecting best players available.
Mentioned in this story
PittsburghRyan Poles
Chicago BearsNFL
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 24: Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images) | Getty Images
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 24: Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Although late July is still three months away, the last big piece of the offseason puzzle is just days away from being solved as the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off in Pittsburgh on Thursday with the start of Round 1. For the first time in five seasons, the Chicago Bears find themselves picking outside the Top 10, which may feel like less excitement on the surface, but the importance of this class remains paramount.
Following a relatively conservative free agent period and a few surprise subtractions, the Bears will head into draft weekend with a laundry list of needs and seven picks to help fill them. Luckily for general manager Ryan Poles and his front office, the team will have four selections in the Top 89 picks and five picks in the first four rounds overall. With the margin for error thinner than it should be for a team coming off an 11-win season and their first playoff victory in 15 seasons, weāll try our best to set the stage for draft weekend with a special edition of our 10 Bears Takes.
**1)** **Iāve concluded that no matter who the Bears select on Thursday, nothing is going to look āgreatā on paper. More on why it feels like No. 25 is no-manās land.**
Now, that doesnāt mean the pick wonāt work out by any means, but for me, itās hard to get overly excited about the Bearsā options late in the first round. The NFL Draft landscape has changed drastically in a short time due to the ever-changing NIL deals. College players are taking the money and staying in school, which means older seniors and fewer underclassmen are declaring. For a second straight year, weāve seen older classes with less talent than usual.
Thereās no telling whether this will become the new normal, but in the short term, this is the situation the Bears and 31 other NFL teams find themselves in. In addition to those factors, this is the first time since 2021 that Chicago is slated to make a selection outside of the Top 10, and just the second time overall since 2014 when they took with the No. 14 overall pick.
Typically, successful teams stay successful no matter where they draft, and while that might end up being the case again this year, it does feel as though most of last yearās playoff teams will be at a disadvantage during the first round on Thursday night.
With that being said, there are still a few different approaches the Bears could take once the first round opens. The first of which would be to simply trade down. Every year, the majority of the NFLās 32 fanbases have the trade-up and trade-down conversations, and more often than not, nothing ever comes to fruition. The good news for Chicago this year: history is on their side when it comes to the likelihood of pulling off a trade. The recent history of the final 10 picks of Round 1 being traded has plenty of merit.
While trading up for a player they covet is always an option, the Bears arenāt exactly in a position to be giving away additional draft capital, considering the long list of remaining needs.
In the scenario where a trade doesnāt work out, the mindset could be one of two approaches.
Q&A
What is the significance of the Chicago Bears picking at No. 25 in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Picking at No. 25 marks the first time in five years the Bears are outside the Top 10, impacting their draft strategy and options.
How many draft picks do the Chicago Bears have in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Bears have seven picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including four selections in the Top 89.
What are the Chicago Bears' primary needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Bears have a laundry list of needs, particularly on the defensive line, following a conservative free agency period.
What strategies might the Chicago Bears consider during the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Bears could either trade down to acquire more picks or focus on selecting the best player available at positions of need.
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Target their top needs, even if it goes against higher graded players on their overall board.
Every general manager in the league will claim their approach is to take the best player available, but often their boards omit positions that wonāt be needed in the short or long term. As a specific example, more geared toward the Bearsā situation, they wouldnāt take a quarterback or tight end at 25, considering what they already have on their roster. Positional value also plays its role, but this late in the first round, thatās not a position on the board that should be āoff limitsā to Chicago.
Ultimately, picking at 25 in this particular class must come with a general understanding that, between positional value and the overall talent level, there isnāt going to be any āslam dunkā selection come Thursday night. Even so, adding the best player at a position of need should be the goal, but acquiring additional draft capital, even if that means dropping out of the first round completely, might make the most sense in the end. No matter the result, finding a Week 1 starter is a must after such a conservative free agency period.
**2) For as much as the defensive line feels like an obvious need, I canāt help but feel like the Bears donāt share the same urgency.**
To be abundantly clear, this is just a gut feeling. This is nothing that Iāve heard, but the continual mention of players like Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner have led me to believe that with a so-so draft class and some veteran free agents remaining on the market that should be there into July, the need that fans see on paper wonāt be met with as much urgency if all the chips donāt line up like they many are hoping for.
Now, to be clear, that doesnāt mean that I donāt foresee them adding to this group with a pick in their first four selections. Simply put, Iām just not convinced that weāll see them add multiple Day 1 and 2 names to the mix. In a more likely scenario, based on how the board is stacking up, defensive end makes the most sense early. Whether thatās in the first round or with one of their second-round picks, my assumption is thatās where the one āguaranteedā addition on the defensive line will come.
Itās also worth mentioning that this defensive tackle class isnāt a great one. Not only does it lack any semblance of top-end talent (within the first 10 to 15 picks), but the majority of the top graded players on the consensus board arenāt prototypical fits in Dennis Allenās scheme. Much has been made about his preferences, especially when it comes to the draft. Still, barring a significant change in philosophy, I find it hard to believe that guys like Kayden McDonald, Domonique Orange, etc., are truly that high on their board, if at all.
Typically, Allen has targeted smaller interior defensive linemen. One name that stands out in the late first or early second is Peter Woods, but his troubling workout numbers, combined with his lack of length and overall size, will make for an interesting discussion. Outside of Woods, the prototypical three techniques are mostly players that project closer to the bottom end of the Top 100 into Day 3.
Maybe Iāll be wrong, and in the end, theyāll value some of these bigger nose tackle types like a McDonald, Orange, or even Christen Miller. Assuming Allen stays more to his preferred physical build, the board for them really starts in the late second or third round with players like Gracen Halton, Zane Durant, Kaleb Proctor, Landon Robinson, and David Gusta ranging through the end of Round 7.
That brings me back to the conclusion that while I would expect them to add a defensive lineman over their first three to four picks, Iām not convinced weāll see multiple investments over the first three rounds. The deeper Iāve gone into this class, the more it makes sense to stick with and take the best player available at each of their short-term and long-term needs. Weāll dive deeper into the additional spots they could look to add in a few. Still, heading into Thursday night, I expect that defensive end is going to be an easier āfindā in terms of value than anything at defensive tackle until we get to the later rounds.
**3)** **The longer the draft process has gone along, the more Iām convinced that left tackle is a spot theyāll seriously consider at No. 25 if the right player is on the board.**
Heading into Januaryās Wild Card Round matchup with the Green Bay Packers, it appeared that the Bearsā starting five along the offensive line was set for the next two-plus years. Then Ozzy Trapilo tore his patellar tendon, and six weeks later, Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman retired. Even if youāre somebody who believes the offensive line will be in good shape moving forward, two long-term questions need to be addressed soon, with veterans like Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson also coming into question over the next year or two.
On the plus side, right tackle Darnell Wright appears to be headed into potential All-Pro territory. Just one year after completely rebuilding their offensive line, Johnson and his offensive staff will continue to look toward the future when it comes to building out this offensive line and maintaining one of the leagueās top units.
In a perfect world, Dalman doesnāt retire, and Trapilo stays healthy. Unfortunately, injuries happen, and this is far from a perfect world. That means while a spot like center can be addressed later in Day 2 or at the start of Day 3, left tackle is a much more immediate swing, if they choose to take one. Similar to the trend of many other positions in the draft, the tackle talent at the top of this class is good, but not great. The bigger issue is that after the Top 50 picks, the talent drops off a cliff, and it becomes much more about projection.
Originally, I would have been in the boat of not taking a tackle this year, but the more Iāve thought about it, the more it could make sense. Although Iām still putting the finishing touches on my only full first-round mock draft, I currently have seven tackles going in the top 32 selections and eight offensive linemen overall. Because thereās not that one elite prospect in this yearās class, much of how these names come off the board will be dependent on each teamās preference.
For a team like the Bears, the immediate future must be weighed against a more long-term outlook. While they did re-sign veteran Braxton Jones to a one-year deal, while also giving former Top 10 pick Jedrick Wills Jr. a one-year prove-it deal, it stands to reason that with Trapiloās long-term viability in question, the ārightā tackle could make sense. On the left side, of course.
With Spencer Fano and Francis Mauiga expected to be long gone before 25, the five potential names that could be available when the Bears are on the clock are Monroe Freeling, Kadyn Proctor, Caleb Lomu, Blake Miller, and Max Iheanachor. Of those players, Freeling, Proctor, and Lomu have all spent time on the left side. It stands to reason that if the Bears were to take a swing at the position, theyād want to steer away from projects and hone in on players that have a more established floor that could hit the ground running.
While players like Freeling and Iheanachor are intriguing for their ceilings, both are relatively inexperienced and/or raw technically. For as much as I loved watching Blake Miller and his ability to put defenders in the dirt, forcing a player to flip to the left side after years of playing at right tackle might not make the most sense. That leaves two primary names, I believe, that will be under consideration on draft night: Proctor and Lomu.
Both players have multiple years of starting experience against high-level competition, but itās fair to say that they each bring different skillsets to the table. Proctor was a Top 15 recruit out of high school and shouldnāt be able to move the way he does for his size. While I would argue that Lomu is the more ārefinedā of the two players, itās easy to argue that Proctor has the higher ceiling. The big concern with Proctor is that, while heās an athletic freak, his physical profile hasnāt translated well to the NFL over the last decade-plus. He came in just under 360 at his Pro Day, but there were rumors that he was playing closer to 380 during the season. The list of players (at any position) who can play at that weight is in the 99th percentile of the league. In fact, the only two names that come to mind as players who shared a similar physique, stayed at tackle, and have had success are Trent Brown and Orlando Brown.
Similar to Wright coming out of Tennessee, the Bears would need to put a sizable focus (no pun intended) on weight management. Can it be done? Absolutely. That said, the chances of him becoming a Top 5-10 left tackle in the league versus being someone like Mekhi Becton are dangerously unpredictable. While I prefer his overall play style, thereās also a stronger chance that he wonāt be on the board when the Bears pick, barring a trade up.
That brings us to Lomu. Similar to other names in this class, heās relatively new to football, and while all of the physical and athletic traits are there, his lack of physicality, especially in the run game, is a concern. Both Poles and Johnson have put a premium on physical players in the trenches, and at least on the surface, Iām not sure Lomu fits that mold. While I love his foundation as a pass protector and his athleticism as a run blocker pulling and getting to the second level, youāll very rarely see him finish a play with the opposite on the ground. Maybe thatās something that can be taught over time, but heās much more of a technician than someone who is going to seek and destroy defenders.
In many ways, these questions are the byproduct of a so-so talent pool as a whole. So while I have my concerns, thatās the inherent risk the Bears will take with almost any player on the board at No. 25. With all of that said, left tackle is one spot that fans should keep an eye on come Thursday night.
**4) Given the strength of this class, Day 2 might be what makes or breaks it for the Bears.**
The first part of my statement cannot be emphasized enough. Unlike our draft expert Jacob Infante, Iām almost always a ālate bloomerā when it comes to the draft and tend to focus more on the Bearsā positions of need versus evaluating 300-plus prospects each draft cycle.
That said, what Iāve found seems to line up with the consensus. While Iāll never discount the importance of the first round, even at No. 25 overall, I canāt help but feel like the Bearsā class will be won or lost on Day 2, where they make three selections over the course of Rounds 2 and 3.
Of the teamās most immediate needs, defensive end, defensive tackle, safety, and the offensive line stand out as likely selections. That said, cornerback, wide receiver, and possibly running back or linebacker are four other positions that I could easily see being addressed before the start of Day 3. As up in the air as the first round is in terms of projection, which position theyāll address, the second and third rounds provide ample opportunities to take advantage of positions of depth and others like center, where the talent wonāt even start coming off the board until Round 3.
Due to their lack of impact moves in free agency, the Bears have truly put themselves in a position where almost any pick they make could be classified as one of āneedā. Some might view that as a good thing, while others, like myself, canāt help but wonder how a team that was a few plays away from the NFC Championship game is heading into the draft with so many outstanding needs to fill before the start of training camp.
That said, employing a ābest player availableā approach (within reason) will be their best chance to land impact talent with all three of their projected Day 2 selections. The defensive line and safety stand out as their most urgent needs, but cornerback, receiver, and center are three other spots that could easily be taken, and no one will bat an eye.
One way or another, the Bears need to head into Day 3 with three players ready to make serious contributions in Year 1 as a rookie.
**5) Even if I believe that the first three to four picks should be slated to the defensive side of the ball, donāt be surprised to see Ben Johnson get himself another receiver on Day 2.**
As Iāve covered in some of the other previous topics, fans should expect the Bears to head into draft weekend with a wide-open mindset. Sure, they need much more help defensively, but after all, their head coach is offensive-minded. After trading DJ Moore and not retaining Olamide Zaccheaus, who went to the Atlanta Falcons, thereās going to be a need at receiver, even if itās from more of a developmental perspective.
On the plus side, the teamās top two receiving options are young and cost-controlled. The issue is that, outside of Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, there isnāt much proven production behind them. Itās worth noting that Johnson did recruit veteran receiver and return man Kalif Raymond to join the Bears on a one-year deal, but heāll be 32 when the regular season starts and doesnāt project as a long-term option. The only other option on the depth chart with some NFL regular-season experience is last yearās undrafted free agent Jahdae Walker. While Walker had some highlight reel moments, itās worth noting that he was a healthy scratch for the majority of the season and is far from proven.
Would the Bears be OK heading into the season as currently constructed? Probably, but considering Johnsonās ability to develop offensive skill-position talent, it shouldnāt come as a surprise if they take a receiver, and maybe earlier than they should.
The lone receiver who was reportedly brought in for a Top 30 visit was Ole Missā DeāZhaun Stribling. Like most players, projections for where heās expected to go are a little all over the place, but it seems safe to assume that heāll comfortably go somewhere on Day 2, likely at the end of the second round or beginning of the third. If the timing doesnāt line up or that value is too rich for their evaluation, there are plenty of other names that could be available in the third round or even early Day 3.
Some of those names include: Brenen Thompson, Ted Hurst, Malachi Fields, Skyler Ball, Deion Burks, and JaāKobi Lane. Similar to the rest of the draft, many of the receivers on the board in Day 2 and Day 3 will be more of a flavor preference, simply because not many of this group are well-rounded, at least on the surface.
For Bears fans, thereās always going to be a āprototypeā. Speed and a willingness to block traits that are impossible to ignore and should be taken into account when trying to project who they might take.
One way or another, I fully expect the Bears to take a receiver this weekend. Where itāll become BPA is anyoneās best guess, but something tells me that Johnson and his coaching staff will be looking toward the future and want someone with speed who fits the mold as a willing blocker.
**6) Speaking of offensive needs, the pool of schematic fits at center should allow the team to be patient in addressing the future need into early Day 3.**
Make no mistake, center is a need for this team, and I wouldnāt expect the team to ignore it during the draft process. That said, thereās no top-end talent, and plenty of prospects who fit into the type of athletic mold required for the Bearsā outside zone blocking scheme. While some have speculated that Top 50 name Keylan Rutledge could slide inside to center, Iām not sure the value for him will line up with where the Bears pick with their first two to three selections.
Instead, fans should be able to safely focus on a pool of names that will go anywhere from the end of Round 2 well into Day 3. Some of those names include: Sam Hecht, Logan Jones, Connor Lew, Jake Slaughter, Brian Parker II, Trey Zuhn III, Febechi Nwaiwu, Parker Brailsford, and Jager Burton.
The bulk of them might go on Day 2, but a few intriguing names will leak into Day 3. While Hecht, Jones, Lew, Slaughter, Brailsford, and Burton are all natural centers, Parker, Zuhn, and Nwaiwu would be transition, with the first two names coming from the tackle position. Part of how the Bears approach drafting a center will be dependent on what they are looking for. Both routes have produced plenty of successful players at the position, but each option requires a different developmental plan.
Itās worth noting that the majority of the natural centers in this class are athletic, but also on the smaller side when it comes to height and weight. Another factor to consider is that Slaughter, Parker, and Zuhn coming in at 6ā5 or above might work against them in the Bearsā particular situation, with Caleb Williams being a shorter quarterback at 6ā1.
No matter their choice in the end, the good news is that theyāll have plenty of options, many of them with different backgrounds. Fortunately for Chicago, the need for a rookie to come in and start from Week 1 is not a factor with veteran Garrett Bradbury manning the position for the season. This might allow them some additional developmental leeway when it comes to taking a converted tackle.
**7) Based on general manager Ryan Polesā history, Iād expect the Bears to maneuver around and add some additional Day 3 picks.**
Heading into the weekend, the Bears hold seven total picks. That said, only three of them are slated to come on Day 3, with a giant gap between their pick in the fourth round and their late seventh rounds that come in the span of three picks.
As weāve seen in recent years, Poles has done a great job of moving around the board, especially when it comes to acquiring late-round capital. It is worth wondering how much value teams will put into the later rounds in an older, shallower class. Still, even if Chicago is simply adding extra bites at the apple as a way to guarantee some of their priority undrafted free agent targets, it might be worth it.
Filling the gap between No. 129 and No. 239 shouldnāt be overly difficult. It could also make sense to add an extra fourth, and maybe a fifth, considering some of their other needs, where they might just want some added depth to get young and grab more upside at certain positions.
Regardless of how things end up, Iād set the over/under at 2.5 when it comes to trades that Poles will make throughout the draft. Fans should also not be surprised if he employs a similar approach to last year and tries to add an extra pick for 2027.
**8)** **On paper, Iām still having a hard time coming around to the idea that this roster is better than it was last year. How they handle the early rounds will go a long way in determining if they can take the next step in 2026.**
This is a topic that many Bears fans have taken a āwait and seeā approach to, and for good reason. After all, this team is a few months removed from winning its first NFC North title since 2018 and was a few plays away from making the NFC Championship Game. Thatās exactly why I believed they would take a more aggressive free agent approach heading into March. Instead, they allowed more talent to walk out the door than expected while maintaining a relatively conservative approach to handing out big-money contracts.
Now, donāt get me wrong- I was never expecting an offseason as impactful as last year, but, at least for me, itās easy to make an argument that even with a strong draft class, they are, at best, a draw from what they were last year. Counting on the offense to take another step is necessary, but from a defensive perspective, there are still plenty of holes. Most importantly, the talent along the defensive line doesnāt come close to resembling anything weāve seen in the Super Bowl over the last handful of seasons.
For as much focus as the offense receives in Chicago, the key to contending deep into the playoffs and taking down the favored team in the Super Bowl comes down to the defensive side of the ball. The last two Super Bowl winners have sent waves of pass rushers, leaving MVP-caliber quarterbacks looking helpless. Even if youāre optimistic about names like Austin Booker and Shemar Turner, the top-end talent is basically non-existent, and the depth is even worse.
This isnāt meant to come across as an alarming view or anything overly negative; itās just the reality of where the Bears sit, especially after missing out on trades for superstars like Maxx Crosby (expected to remain in Las Vegas) and, more recently, Dexter Lawrence. This defense needs star power, but most importantly, they need a considerably better defensive line. Right now, itās hard to see a path forward with their remaining options to a vastly improved group up front, which, in turn, gives me pause when looking at the overall ceiling of this group for 2026.
**9) My Top 10 favorite prospects in this yearās class are (In Order Of Big Board):**
RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)
WR Jordan Tyson (Arizona State)
S Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)
LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech)
DE Gabe Jacas (Illinois)
DT Gracen Halton (Oklahoma)
C Logan Jones (Iowa)
WR DeāZhaun Stribling (Ole Miss)
OT Aamil Wagner (Notre Dame)
RB Desmond Reid (Pittsburgh)
With our last two talking points, I wanted to zoom out and take a more league-wide approach with some of my thoughts. For most of last year, Bears fans had Love circled as a name that could help quell the yearning for a star running back after missing out on Ashton Jeanty. Instead, the Bears went 11-5 and reached the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Even if heās no longer possible in Chicago, itās hard to overlook his talent, especially in this class. Some have argued that Loveās skill set is more impressive than Jeantyās, but only time will tell how true that proves to be.
Further down the list, Tyson is another offensive player I love in the early first round. Despite some injury concerns, heās one of the few pass catchers that I would consider āwell-roundedā, and outside of Carnell Tate, he might have the most āstar powerā potential of any receiver in this class. Thieneman is my best-case scenario for the Bears, but regardless of where he goes, heās one of my favorite defenders in this class. His versatility, combined with his impressive athleticism, should create a damn-good player at the NFL level.
Rodriguez and Jacas are two players, at least for me, who are talented, and their effort level and overall instincts stand out as players who are bound to be perennial Pro Bowlers while being in conversations for an All-Pro or two along the way. Simply put, both, especially Rodriguez, are flat-out football players who are a blast to watch.
Halton and Jones are both undersized players who will be scheme-specific, and maybe because of that, thereās some bias involved in evaluating schematic fits for the Bears, but both have certain qualities I love. Halton might never be a full-time player, but he was in a deep group of pass rushers at Oklahoma and continued to find a way to stand out. Jones is just one of those guys who has a lot to like, even if heās undersized. Itās tough to bet against Iowa offensive linemen.
Stribling is a player I admittedly knew little about before news broke that the Bears were bringing him in for a Top 30 visit. Although Iām not convinced heāll ever develop into that do-it-all receiver, his top-end speed and willingness to block in the area make it a blast to watch. Not only would he be a great scheme fit in Johnsonās offense, but itās hard to see many teams not loving his game, especially with his ceiling.
The last two names on my list are Day 3 guys. Admittedly, I donāt do nearly as much legwork as others do when it comes to the entirety of each draft class, so my knowledge when it gets into the later rounds is lacking. That said, Wagner is a rock-solid offensive tackle with enough of a ceiling to be an average starter in this league. Heās one of those players who will get taken somewhere in the late rounds, nobody will talk about him, and eventually, when he gets a chance to start, heāll be more than reliable. With Reid, I see A LOT, and I mean, a lot of Tarik Coen in his game. While he might not possess the same top-end speed as a player like Coen, heās a do-it-all player from the backfield who should carve out a role as a part-time offensive player and a special teams stalwart.
A few players that just missed the cut for me: DE Zion Young, WR JaāKobi Lane, and C Brian Parker II. Those might be a little more Bears specific, but they are players I ālearned to loveā along the way.
**10) Three non-Bears things Iāll be watching this weekend:**
*How does the rest of the NFC North fare?*
For the majority of the draft, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings will be picking within two spots of each other. For the first time in a while, the Vikings will have close to a full allotment of picks, while the Green Bay Packers will be the only team in the division without a first-round selection, thanks to their pre-regular season trade last year for Micah Parsons. All teams are so closely grouped in terms of talent and where folks project them to finish in 2026. The draft is always a long-term outlook, but the teams that get the most impact from their upcoming classes might have the upper hand when it comes to winning the NFC North title.
Hereās a look at how many picks each team in the division has and how much their rookies played last year:
Chicago- 7 (1,2,2,3,4,7,7) | 9.3% (22nd)
Detroit- 9 (1,2,4,4,5,5,6,6,7) | 8.4% (24th)
Green Bay- 8 (2,3,4,5,5,6,7,7) | 8.0% (26th)
Minnesota- 9 (1,2,3,3,5,6,7,7,7) | 7.0% (28th)
Although snap counts donāt tell the whole story, PFF handed out WAR rankings for each teamās class, which gave a slightly better idea of how each team fared in terms of overall impact. Only the Bears ranked in the Top 10 at No. 1 with a 1.0207 cumulative WAA/WAR score.
*Can the two New York teams turn their fortunes around with their pair of first-round picks, respectively?*
The Jets kicked off their rebuilding festivities at last yearās trade deadline, dealing both Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for an impressive lot of future picks. Coupled with their rough season, theyāve set themselves up well to have an impactful draft, much like they did when they took Gardner and Garrett Wilson. The Jets will have nine total picks, including a whopping four in the top 44. This is a team that has been teetering on the edge for a while, so their new regimeās commitment to a full rebuild was great for the future, even if it hurts in the short term.
The other team that plays in East Rutherford just capped off an impressive trade return for Dexter Lawrence, receiving No. 10 overall from the Bengals, giving them three picks in the Top 37. The trick is, the rest of their five selections come in a slew of 88 picks from 105 through 193. With no pick in the third round, hitting on their top three picks will be key. Itāll be tough to replace Lawrence in this draft cycle, but if they employ a best-player-available strategy and Jaxson Dart takes the next step, they could be in for a big leap in 2026.
While the Giants have more on the line in 2026, this will be a monumental draft for both teams, which are looking to build lasting foundations.
*How does this quarterback class shake out?*
For a second straight cycle, thereās a severe lack of talent at the quarterback position. While many believed that the 2026 class would be headlined by multiple potential No. 1 overall quality candidates, Fernando Mendoza is the only quarterback graded as a first-round quarterback on most peopleās boards. Ty Simpson appears to be entrenched as the QB2 of this class, but the debate of where he should go versus where he will go is an interesting one.
Outside of the Top 2 names, thereās a lot of projection involved and not much certainty. As of now, many believe next year will be a return to prominence for this group, but for now, this is what weāre dealing with. Hereās a look at some of the other names who are slated to be drafted on Day 3:
Drew Allar (Penn State)
Carson Beck (Miami)
Cole Payton (NDSU)
Taylen Green (Arkansas)
Cade Klubenik (Clemson)
Sawyer Robinson (Baylor)
Luke Altmeyer (Illinois)
Haynes King (Georgia Tech)
Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt)
Behren Morton (Texas Tech)
Jalon Daniels (Kansas)
While itās likely that none of these names will end up with starting jobs at any point in their career, itās worth monitoring where they go and who wins backup jobs out of the gate.
