The Chicago Bears lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round this year, ending an incredible season. The first year with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams together could not have gone better. But now, the front office has to put together a great offseason to keep the momentum. Who will the Bears take in all seven rounds of the NFL Draft, according to the PFF mock draft simulator?
The Bears have seven picks going into the NFL Draft, including their own first-rounder at 25th overall. Through all the trades they made last offseason to improve the offensive line, they held onto their top picks. Now, they have a chance to cash all of those in on elite players to get them over the top and into the Super Bowl.
The Bears get Caleb Williams a weapon in the first round
Last year, the Bears took tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden with their first two picks. Now, in the 2026 mock draft simulator, Chicago does it again. With the 25th pick in the NFL Draft, PFF gives the Bears KC Concepcion out of Texas A&M University. With DJ Moore's departure coming soon, Concepcion comes in to replace the veteran.
In his one year with the Aggies, Concepcion led the SEC with nine receiving touchdowns and racked up 919 yards in 13 games. Replacing Moore will be a priority for the Bears, even with Burden and Rome Odunze already on the team. Concepcion fills that role well and could be a star for Williams for years to come.
Addressing the defense in the second round
The Bears' defense kept the Rams at bay for much of their final game of the season. But in a division with the Lions and Packers, they need to improve their defense to clinch another division title. They do that in the second round with USC safety Kamari Ramsey at 57th overall.
Dennis Allen joined the Bears coaching staff as the defensive coordinator before the 2025 season. That put their defense on a new level throughout the season. Now, they give him a talented safety to evolve the secondary and make the Bears a true Super Bowl contender.
The Bears get a high upside player in the third round
With the 89th pick in the NFL Draft, the Bears take Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. This is a pick that gives Allen another high-upside player on the defense who just had an elite college season. Rodriguez finished fifth in Heisman voting, won the Bronko Nagurski Award for most outstanding defensive player, and won the Chuck Bednarik Award for defensive player of the year.
There is no guarantee that a linebacker with all of those accolades leaps into superstardom in the NFL. Manti Te'o had a very similar senior season and did not become an NFL stalwart. But that should not stop the Bears from taking this bet on Rodriguez. His elite season should earn him an NFL opportunity, which he gets in this mock draft.
More defense in the fourth
The Bears improve the defense once again in the fourth round, taking Notre Dame safety Jalen Stroman. In five years in college, Stroman only had one interception and one sack, but graded out well in coverage, according to PFF. Adding more talent to the secondary is important for the Bears, but Stroman could be a special-teams player as well.
In the fourth round of the NFL Draft, every team is just looking for the diamond in the rough. For a player to start 11 games for a talented Irish team, he must have some talent. That's the bet the Bears are going to take with this selection.
Beefing up the edge in the fifth round
The Bears take another defensive player in the fifth round, according to the mock draft simulator. Iowa defensive end Max Llewellyn is the pick at 163rd overall, addressing a huge need for the Bears. Even through a great stretch at the end of the season, the Bears could not get after the quarterback. Taking Llewellyn this late in the draft gives them a low-cost opportunity to improve that position.
There could be a big trade or signing coming for the Bears this offseason to improve the edge position. Trey Hendrickson is available in free agency, and Maxx Crosby could be available in a trade. Drafting Llewellyn is a low-cost backup option for the Bears if they do not land one of those players.
The Bears finish it off in the seventh round
The Bears go back to the offensive side with their final two picks in this mock draft simulator. With the 239th pick, they take Navy fullback Eli Heidenreich, but calling him a fullback isn't really fair. He rushed for only 499 yards compared to 941 receiving yards in his final season with the Midshipmen. This is the kind of gadget player that the 49ers have used with incredible success in recent years, and could be the secret to unlocking the Bears' offense.
With the 241st pick, the Bears select Indiana wide receiver Riley Nowakowski. After spending five years at Wisconsin, Nowakowski transferred to Indiana for his final college season. With 387 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games, he was a bit part of the Hoosiers' offense. This pick is hoping that he can develop into a bit player on the offense, especially after drafting Concepcion so high in the first round.
