The Chicago Bears' 2026 draft class is recognized as the most athletic in the NFL, with all first six picks scoring at least 76 on the RAS scale. Safety Dillon Thieneman was among the top athletes, scoring 85.
Key points
Chicago Bears' 2026 draft class ranks as most athletic in NFL
All first six picks scored at least 76 on RAS scale
Safety Dillon Thieneman scored 85 on athleticism scale
Chicago BearsDillon Thieneman
Chicago Bears' 2026 draft class ranks as most athletic in NFL
The Chicago Bears may not have addressed every single need of theirs during the 2026 NFL Draft, but they sure made it a point to clearly identify the type of players they were looking for: Athletes.
While the Bears were praised for their draft selection of safety Dillon Thieneman, he was not their best athlete in their draft class in Next Gen State's athleticism score, but he was one of the highest scorers of the bunch, with an 85 score.
All of Chicago's first six picks in their draft scored at minimum a RAS score of 76, making them the most athletic class league-wide, showing that the front office wanted to find the best possible athletes at the positions in which they were targeting.
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Dillon Thieneman in first round (No. 25)
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Logan Jones
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Sam Roush
Q&A
What is the RAS score of the Chicago Bears' 2026 draft class?
All of the Bears' first six draft picks scored a minimum RAS score of 76, making them the most athletic class in the NFL.
Who was the best athlete in the Chicago Bears' 2026 draft class?
While safety Dillon Thieneman scored 85, he was not the best athlete in the class according to Next Gen Stats' athleticism score.
How did the Chicago Bears approach their 2026 NFL Draft selections?
The Bears focused on selecting players with high athleticism, aiming to find the best possible athletes for their targeted positions.
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2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Zavion Thomas
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select CB Malik Muhammad
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Keyshaun Elliott
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Jordan van den Berg
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Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Dillon Thieneman in first round (No. 25)
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Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Dillon Thieneman in first round (No. 25)
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Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Logan Jones
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Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Sam Roush
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Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Zavion Thomas
5 / 7
Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select CB Malik Muhammad
6 / 7
Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Keyshaun Elliott
7 / 7
Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Jordan van den Berg
Despite the multiple impressive high scores from the early picks by the Bears, their sixth round pick, defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg, had the most impressive score of the group. The only defensive lineman that the Bears selected, van den Berg scored a perfect RAS score of 10.00, which ranked as the second best score since they began keeping track in 1987.
Chicago may not have addressed all of their needs during the draft, or taken the positions that most fans were expecting, but with the players they did select, they made sure to get athletes. For the way that this coaching staff works their players, having the best athletes with plenty of potential, could unlock their highest level of talent to help take the Bears to the next level.
