Atlanta Falcons draft former Georgia Bulldog Zachariah Branch in 3rd round of 2026 NFL Draft
Atlanta Falcons select Zachariah Branch from Georgia in 3rd round of 2026 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears selected Sam Roush, a former Stanford tight end, with the 69th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Roush, a standout at Lipscomb Academy, had a successful college career with notable stats.
The Chicago Bears selected former Stanford tight end Sam Roush in the third round with the 69th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Roush, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound former Lipscomb Academy high school standout in Nashville, was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2025 after 12 starts. He had career highs in catches (49), receiving yards (545) and caught two touchdown passes.
He ranked sixth among FBS tight ends in receiving yards and eighth in receptions.
Roush played at Lipscomb for his senior year only, under Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer, helping the Mustangs win the 2021 TSSAA football state title.
Here are the pros and cons of selecting Roush in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Roush can be an in-line blocker at tight end immediately. He was vital in Stanfordās blocking scheme last fall in both running and passing protections.
Heās a hard-to-bring-down receiver with the ball in his hands, too. His 74 score at the NFL Combine ranked sixth among tight ends. That included a 4.70 40-yard dash time and a 38.5-inch vertical leap.
Scouts like that Roush comes from a long line of high-end athletes. His dad, Luke, is a former Duke football player. His mom, Brooke, played volleyball at Montana State. Phil Olsen, who is Roushās maternal grandfather, played football at Utah State and later in the NFL. Roushās maternal great uncle is the late Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. His paternal grandfather, John Roush, played football at and his cousin, Hans Olsen, played football at BYU.
Sam Roush had 49 catches for 545 receiving yards and two touchdown passes in his final season at Stanford.
The Bears drafted Sam Roush to bolster their tight end position, recognizing his strong performance in college as a second-team All-ACC selection.
Trent Dilfer coached Sam Roush during his senior year at Lipscomb Academy, leading the team to a state championship and contributing to Roush's development as a player.
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He had a career year on offense last fall, but Roush isnāt viewed as a big-play offensive threat yet. Heās still learning to use his size to his advantage and doesnāt have a huge catch radius.
So if Roush is on the field, donāt expect him to be in the mix for a lot of throws.
Route technique and limiting holding penalties are two other areas of question, according to NFL analyst Chad Reuter.
Roush can have an immediate impact as a blocking tight end with his size and strength but will take some time to become an offensive threat.
He could get there one day, but he could be an immediate contributor for a team with blocking needs.
Scouts were impressed by the Stanford graduateās knowledge and ability to pick up on things quickly.
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
He also contributes to The Tennessean's high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to The Bootleg here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Chicago Bears pick Sam Roush in 2026 NFL Draft