Bears get just-okay grade from Mel Kiper Jr. for 'up and down' draft class

Bears get just-okay grade from Mel Kiper Jr. for 'up and down' draft class originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Bears came into the 2026 NFL Draft with a few clear needs, with the defensive line, secondary, and offensive line as areas Ryan Poles should address.

All three spots were addressed during the draft, with the secondary receiving the most help. But, in the trenches, the Bears' additions weren't exactly as expected.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Bears a grade for their "up and down" draft class, with Poles' 2026 haul coming in at a "B" grade despite their steal of Dillon Thieneman in Round 1.

Bears receive B grade from Mel Kiper Jr.

"Chicago Bears: B. Dillon Thieneman was a great get at no. 25," Kiper writes. "... The rest of the class was slightly up and down."

Kiper was also a fan of the Logan Jones pick in Round 2, adding a center to replace the sudden retirement of Drew Dalman. But, the rest of the class wasn't exactly Kiper's cup of tea for a few reasons: the lack of investment at offensive tackle and edge rusher.

The Bears' defensive line pickups down the board amounted to just Jordan van den Berg in Round 6. He's more of a depth addition, according to Kiper, and there is still a big hole at the edge coming out of the draft.

While the additions of Sam Roush and Zavion Thomas are intriguing, they aren't moves made out of a major need at either spot.

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