Latest 3-round 2026 Bears mock draft helps fulfill Ryan Poles’ goal while adding more insurance to the left tackle position
There’s no such thing as over attacking the trenches and it’s something the Chicago Bears should plan to do.
The Chicago Bears officially kicked off the offseason on Wednesday when general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson met with the media for the end-of-season press conferences.
It’s clear everyone was proud of what this team accomplished during the 2025-26 season and two-game playoff run, but now it’s time to turn the page and start from scratch. The Bears are full steam ahead into the offseason with free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft coming up quickly.
When asked about the potential needs for this team going into the acquisition process, Poles didn’t shy away from addressing the areas everyone wants to see improved.
“We’ll evaluate everything,” Poles told reporters during his end-of-season press conference. “O-line and D-line is always a space where we want to get better.”
Which is why the latest 3-round 2026 mock draft from our A to Z Sports draft experts had the Bears attacking the trenches early with each of their first three picks. Let’s take a look and break it down.
Latest 3-Round Mock Draft from A to Z Sports for the Chicago Bears
Round 1, Pick 25: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
You’re going to hear Kayden McDonald’s name mentioned a lot over the next few months and the majority of the time, he’s going to be linked to the Chicago Bears in the first round. It’s no secret the Bears need to upgrade the defensive front, and the biggest need is on the interior.
Gervon Dexter Sr. has shown some flashes throughout his first three seasons but hasn’t been a reliable disruptor for this defense and Grady Jarrett is on the final leg of his career while playing on a pricey contract. Both players will still be in the picture for at least 2026, so the Bears should prioritize adding a dominate nose tackle to play in the middle of the front to replace Andrew Billings.
McDonald is one of the safest nose tackle prospects you could consider in the first round. Many are comparing this guy to Carolina Panthers Pro Bowler Derrick Brown and McDonald is exactly the kind of beast that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen needs in the middle of his D-line.
Round 2, Pick 57: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
Offensive tackle is starting to look like a top need again after second-round rookie Ozzy Trapilo suffered a patellar tendon injury in the team’s wild card playoff matchup. It’s going to be a long road of recovery for the massive left tackle, who really started to show some promise late in the season.
“That’s a part of our job. Really unfortunate because I thought he was coming along and was looking forward to him getting this offseason,” Poles said of Trapilo. “I don’t have a specific timetable, I’m sure it’ll be somewhere deep into next [season] for the injury.”
With that being the reality, the Bears would be smart to add some insurance at left tackle. The team could look to bring back Theo Benedet, who started seven games at left tackle, and rely on him to be the Week 1 starter but adding competition would be ideal. Caleb Tiernan is a player I like in the second-round as well who can bring some competition at left tackle while also having the ability to kick over to guard when Trapilo returns. And the short arm length conversation will inevitably come up regarding Tiernan’s potential at guard anyways.
Round 3, Pick 89: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Landing T.J. Parker in the third-round would be an absolute steal. This guy has first-round potential and I’ve already seen a few mock drafts with the Bears selecting Parker with the 25th overall pick.
Poles usually has history favoring SEC defensive linemen (Dexter, Shemar Turner, Zacch Pickens) but snagging the second-team All-ACC selection in the third round is great value. The Bears need some juice off the edge to rotate behind Montez Sweat and Austin Booker along with Turner and Dayo Odeyingbo.
Having a down season (5.0 sacks compared to 11.0 sacks in 2024) could allow Parker to take a slight fall in the draft. He does lack some of the explosiveness Allen is looking for off the edge, but in this range he’s still worth adding to the room.
Chicago Bears News
Multiple teams are zeroing in on one of Ben Johnson’s best assistants, including the Bears biggest rival
The raid of the Chicago Bears coaching staff is expected to continue.
