Mel Kiper’s final 2026 2-round mock draft makes some questionable picks for the Chicago Bears even if the positions make sense
ESPN’s top draft expert Mel Kiper released his final mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft and it was a two-rounder that featured three questionable selections for the Chicago Bears.
The 2026 NFL Draft is now just eight days away from kicking off and I’m sure everyone is tired of reading mock draft after mock draft to see what the Chicago Bears will do to continue bolstering the roster.
However, over the next few days, various top NFL Draft experts will start rolling out their final predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft and usually some of those experts have a few accurate predictions for what teams do in the first-round and beyond.
ESPN’s top draft expert Mel Kiper is one of those and on Wednesday he released his final two-round mock draft. For the Bears, I believe he made some questionable decisions with Chicago’s first three selections, even if I agree with the positions he targeted as needs.
Mel Kiper releases final two-round mock draft with questionable picks for the Chicago Bears
25th overall pick: Zion Young
With the 25th overall pick in the first-round, Kiper stuck with Missouri pass rusher Zion Young, the same selection he made for Chicago in his previous mock draft. I understand the logic. The Bears need to find a way to land a top edge rusher on defense and Young used to be one of my top fits in the first-round.
However, things changed after Young ran a 4.75 40-yard-dash with a 1.72 10-yard-split at his Pro Day. That’s a major concern for a team looking to add speed on the defensive side of the ball and prioritizes explosive players off the edge. It’s also worth noting that Keldric Faulk, Akheem Mesidor, and Malachi Lawrence all came off the board after the 25th overall pick, all three are edge rushers I would prefer over Young.
57th overall pick: Treydan Stukes
With the first pick in the second-round, Kiper had the Bears selecting Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes, a versatile defender that slide into the big-nickel or safety role for the Bears. Again, I like the position and honestly like the player as a fit.
If Stukes is there, I wouldn’t be against making that move. However, another prospect I would prefer in that role is Miami defensive back Keionte Scott, who I believe brings more speed and fire. But, you can’t go wrong with either player.
60th overall pick: Logan Jones
And with the other second-round pick, Kiper finally had the Bears going with an offensive player in Iowa center Logan Jones. The Bears have done extensive homework on the center class and it’s a strong probability the Bears add one to eventually take over the starting role. Iowa has a knack for producing top offensive linemen and Jones is an experienced player many compare to Tyler Linderbaum.
It’s not a terrible pick at all, but I would rather use the second-round pick on another offensive position here (WR) and instead draft a center like Sam Hecht in the third-round, a player the Bears proved to be high on.
My Takeaways
After seeing this mock, top NFL draft experts need to stop being locked in on the Bears drafting a pass rusher in the first-round. I could fully see general manager Ryan Poles passing on the position once again in favor of drafting a higher graded player at a other position and banking on the EDGE depth. Yet, every single mock draft from a top draft expert has Chicago going the EDGE route with the 25th overall pick.
As for safety and center, those will be two positions I guarantee the Bears target within the first three rounds. I lean more toward center being a third-round target and see head coach Ben Johnson using one of those Day 2 selections on an offensive weapon.
