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The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching, and the Chicago Bears are focusing on potential mid-round picks to enhance their championship prospects. Evaluations suggest several players may fit their needs in the third and fourth rounds.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 02: Landon Robinson #96 of the Navy Midshipmen reacts during the first half of the 2026 AutoZone Liberty Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on January 02, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 NFL Draft is now under a week away. Much of the discussion has been around the first round that takes place on Thursday, seeing as though the consensus top prospects figure to have their names called that day.
However, donāt forget that there are two more days of the draft, While a lot of the flashiest names end up selected on Day 1, the real Super Bowl contenders are able to find diamonds in the rough on Days 2 and 3. Seeing as though the Bears won the NFC North last year for the first time since 2018, theyāre looking to establish themselves in that next tier up of serious championship contenders.
It can be tough to project which players will be available for the Bears in the third and fourth rounds, especially since we donāt know what the picks will be ahead of those rounds. However, using my own evaluations and the expert consensus rankings in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator, I know which players grade out as third- or fourth-round talents going into this class. Thatās no guarantee those players will still be available in that range, but if youāve watched tape for long enough, a lot of your evaluations donāt stray entirely away from what the league thinks.
On Thursday, I posted a scattering of mid-round prospects I believe best fit the schemes the Bears run on both sides of the ball.
Today, Iāll be going in-depth with each of these prospects, sharing their strengths and weaknesses while specifying while theyāre particularly good fits for Chicago in Rounds 3 or 4.
The Chicago Bears are looking to strengthen their roster to become serious championship contenders, particularly focusing on mid-round picks.
While specific names are not guaranteed to be available, evaluations indicate several players are graded as third- or fourth-round talents.
The 2026 NFL Draft is set to begin on Thursday, with the first round followed by two additional days for later rounds.
The Bears can identify potential diamonds in the rough by analyzing expert consensus rankings and player evaluations leading up to the draft.

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Kaleb Proctor fits the Bearsā scheme because of the athletic and physical attributes he possesses at defensive tackle. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has historically prefers his interior defenders on the smaller side, prioritizing explosiveness and quick backfield penetration over size and gap-eating ability. At 6ā2ā and 291 pounds, Proctor fits the bill as a smaller defensive tackle.
At the Combine, Proctor ran a stellar 4.79 40-yard dash with a 94th-percentile 1.68 10-yard split. Heās coming off a season with 9.0 sacks, two of which having come against LSU. His testing athleticism shows up on tape, as heās consistently the first defensive lineman off the snap at Southeastern Louisiana. His speed, low center of gravity, and flexibility help him squeeze through gaps and project him as a penetrating 3-technique in the pros. Proctorās quick hands and diverse arsenal as a pass-rusher should make him a valuable rotational defender on passing downs early in his NFL career.
An impressive size-speed combination at wide receiver, DeāZhaun Stribling projects as a WR3 or WR4 early in his career with the potential to be more down the stretch. He ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the Combine this year at 6ā2ā, and his raw size and speed are complemented by his ability to work the stem to obtain leverage as a route runner on vertical route concepts.
Stribling is also a sure-handed receiver who can make grabs away from his frame and secure the ball through tight coverage. However, what specifically intrigues me about him as a fit for the Bears is his blocking ability. His raw size and length help him out at the point of attack, and he takes full advantage of that with good hand placement and a rugged demeanor when he engages in contact.
Stribling told me this in a recent interview in regards to his blocking prowess. Iāll let you decide if this fits the āno block, no rockā mentality that Ben Johnson likes to implement:
āI think itās more my whole philosophy with it: establishing dominance. Iām gonna go out there, and Iām gonna establish dominance on whoever Iām playing. It doesnāt matter who it is or the body type; Iām gonna go out there and hit them right in the mouth, set the whole tone for the whole game.
āThe other part of about that is just trying to win. Iām just trying to do my job to help us win. If I have to go in there and block hard for 30 plays a game, Iām gonna do that, just so I can give the whole team a chance to go out there and win. As a receiver, you get maybe seven targets a game. So out of 50 plays, what are you doing the rest of the 43 snaps? You have to go out there and block and make the most of it.ā
Our Aaron Leming touched on Tacario Davis breaking down his own Day 3 prospects he likes for Chicago, and I agree with this sentiment of his in particular: āIf there was a cornerback made in a lab that fits this defensive scheme, itās Davis.ā Heās a 6ā4ā cornerback with 95th-percentile arm length at 33 3/8 inches, giving him the prototypical frame to excel in Allenās system as a perimeter cornerback.
Davis missed some time this year due to injury, but heās displayed starter potential between his stints at Washington and Arizona, when healthy. He tracks the ball incredibly well in the air and has the catch radius to make deflections and catches that most cornerbacks donāt have the physical ability to. He processes route concepts well in underneath zone coverage, and while his lateral crispness needs work, he brings a rare physical amalgamation of tools worth betting on.
In my eyes, the only major reason Logan Jones would be available in the third or fourth rounds would be because he turns 25 during his rookie year. Being an older prospect, he might scare off teams in need of a developmental center, like the Bears presumably do as a successor to Garrett Bradbury.
However, I think Jones is good enough that heād push Bradbury for a starting spot right away. Testing with a 9.63 Relative Athletic Score, he displayed the tremendous athleticism he showed in four years as a starter at Iowa. Heās explosive off the snap as a reach blocker or climbing to the second level in the run game, and heās agile picking up blitzes and stunts as a pass protector. He also has a strong anchor with good raw grip strength to drive defenders off the ball. Jonesā length isnāt much to write home about, but heās a perfectly functional blocker with quality starting upside.
Like Jones, Parker Brailsford fits the Bearsā zone-heavy run scheme because of his high level of athleticism and prowess blocking on the move as a run blocker. Between three seasons as a starter for Kalen DeBoer at both Washington and Alabama, Brailsford was a consistent anchor who could execute difficult assignments with his mobility, coordination, and technique.
At 6ā2ā and 289 pounds, Brailsford is smaller for a center and can struggle with taking on hefty nose tackles one-on-one. However, heās super quick coming out of his stance and hits his marks quickly on the move, using his explosiveness to reach his targets and his coordination to roll his hips through contact and seal the defenders off in the run game. He keeps his head on a swivel and showcases ideal spatial awareness in pass protection.
Between Adrian Amos and Jaquan Brisker, the Bears have had physical safeties from Penn State in their starting lineup for most of the last decade. Why not continue the trend with Zakee Wheatley? He fits Allenās system well because he complements Coby Bryant well as a more reliable tackler, and he also brings ideal versatility to the secondary; the Nittany Lions had him play 316 reps as a deep safety, 253 reps in the box, and 84 reps in the slot in 2025.
Wheatley is a big-bodied safety at 6ā3ā and 203 pounds, and that size shows in how much pop he generates as a tackler at the wrap-up point. Heās a quick processor with good downhill speed as a tackler, and that ability to shoot downhill helps him jump routes in coverage defending underneath. His motor as a tackler and his aggressiveness in coverage should see him fit in well in Chicago, if he gets drafted there. Wheatley might not be the rangiest safety in coverage, but with Bryant projecting well as a single-high safety in necessary formations, the rookie wouldnāt have to worry about that as much.
Versatility and speed is the name of the game for defensive backs in Allenās system. The faster you are, the quicker you can get to the ball, and the more versatile you are, the easier it is to disguise coverage concepts and make things difficult for opposing quarterbacks. Jalon Kilgore has both tools; he ran a 4.40 at the Combine, and heās played 1,382 career reps in the slot, 541 in the box, and 238 as a deep safety.
The only reason Kilgore might fall to Round 3 would be because of concerns around a relative lack of deep safety experience, as well as his over-aggression as a downhill tackler. That in mind, he has all the physical tools to be an impact player in the NFL. Heās 6ā1ā and 210 pounds with a muscular frame and tremendous downhill acceleration. Heās physical at the point in coverage and times his jumps on routes well coming out of his breaks. Kilgore is a hard hitter in run support who also has some experience as a punt returner on special teams. He would project as a likely starter from Day 1 on the Bearsā roster as it currently stands.
As mentioned in the Proctor evaluation, the Bears will likely be looking for athletic defensive tackles above all else, prioritizing burst and finesse over raw size at the position. If youāre looking for someone who prioritizes burst and finesse over raw size, thereās perhaps no better example than Landon Robinson from Navy.
Robinson is clearly short for an NFL defensive tackle at 5ā11ā, but he makes up for it in many ways. His naturally low center of gravity and high level of flexibility helps him squeeze up the B-gap with ease, and he has tremendous acceleration coming off the line of scrimmage. His agility in space is awesome for his size, and he has a deep arsenal of pass-rushing moves like cross-chops, two-handed swipes, rips, and swims to shed blocks. Robinson had 6.5 sacks and won the American Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
Interviewing Robinson a few weeks ago, he had this to say about the advantages of being a shorter defensive tackle:
āI think my size helps. I weighed 297 this morning, so Iām not underweight. From a height standpoint, itās about leverage. Low man wins. Thatās something every coach teaches. Being able to use natural leverage and quickness is how I win. I have long arms, too, so I can get under blockers and use my length to control them. Itās a game of leverage, speed, and strength. I use it to my advantage.ā