First Round Recap

Pick #25- Dillon Thieneman/S/Oregon

Holy crap! This couldn’t have gone any better. He was the perfect first prospect for the Bears, I just didn’t think there was any chance he’d still be on the board at 25. In fact, I had him going 12th to Dallas and I figured there was no way he’d get past Minnesota at 18. Thank you, Vikings, for botching another draft.

Minnesota passed on a perfect replacement for Harrison Smith and instead had the biggest reach of the night, taking Caleb Banks a defensive tackle from Florida, with a history of foot problems, a player I had as a late second rounder, at best.

This let Thieneman fall into our laps at 25. The Bears didn’t screw this up. They didn’t reach on an edge rusher, they didn’t take the 7th best offensive tackle, they took the best player on the board that just happens to be a perfect scheme fit. Outstanding first round.

Now, can they keep it going?

Updated Bears Mock Draft

In my full day two mock, I have the Bears lucky streak continuing as Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas and Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II are on the board at #57 & 60, respectively. In this mock, the Bears weren’t so lucky.

I ended up trading completely out of the second round, adding an extra pick in this draft and a second rounder in next year’s. I didn’t like the board at either 57 or 60, so this made sense.

With the 67th pick, I have the Bears taking Michigan edge Derrick Moore. Moore is a pass rushing demon, that needs work as a run defender and edge setter. He’ll bring instant pass rushing juice and he has the tools to become a more complete player.

At pick #89, I have the Bears taking one of my draft crushes, Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. Great size and length with tremendous speed. Also, probably the most tenacious blocking receiver in this class. Ben Johnson will love him.

With the 95th pick, I have the Bears taking Auburn center Connor Lew. I passed on Kansas State’s Sam Hecht earlier, trading down and adding picks instead. When Duke’s Brian Parker II went off the board, I had to pivot to Lew. Lew is a technically sound player and he should be a solid pro, but he has had injury issues.

Going into the fourth round, I think the Bears caught some more luck by being able to land Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette with pick #117. Everette should challenge Tyrique Stevenson for the starting corner role opposite Jaylon Johnson.

At pick #129, I took another draft crush in Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton. Singleton is a bigger, faster version of D’Andre Swift. He can bring juice to the kickoff return game and earn more carries as the season progresses, before fully supplanting Swift for the 2027 season.

With the 131st pick I took Southeast Louisiana defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor. I wasn’t prioritizing defensive tackle, but with the other needs filled, for the most part, I had my eye open. Proctor wasn’t just the best player available, he’s an explosive near perfect scheme fit.

With the Bears final pick, at #241, I took a developmental offensive tackle in Illinois’ JC Davis. Davis has all the physical tools, he just needs to refine his technique and improve his footwork to be a competent swing tackle.