The Chicago Bears welcomed seven new rookies to the roster during the 2026 NFL Draft, which included first-round Safety Dillon Thieneman, center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas on Day 2, as well as cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg on Day 3.
When looking at this draft class, it's clear that general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Ben Johnson and their draft team had a specific vision in mind. The Bears added speed, athleticism and high-character football guys to the roster with this group of rookies, even if it didn't come at the positions that fans and analysts expected.
“I think (Assistant General Manager) Jeff King hit it a couple days ago, and that's really that we're looking for high level competitors," Johnson said. "Guys that if you took football away from, they really don't know what to do with themselves. It's a huge part. They eat it, they sleep it, they breathe it. And I think we're able to identify those types of guys. When you have guys like that, they usually find a way to come out on top.”
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Dillon Thieneman in first round (No. 25)2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Logan Jones2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Sam Roush2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Zavion Thomas2026 NFL Draft: Bears select CB Malik Muhammad2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Keyshaun Elliott2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Jordan van den Berg1 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Dillon Thieneman in first round (No. 25)1 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Dillon Thieneman in first round (No. 25)2 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Logan Jones3 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Sam Roush4 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Zavion Thomas5 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select CB Malik Muhammad6 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Keyshaun Elliott7 / 7Chicago Bears' 2026 rookie draft class2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Jordan van den BergAfter the first round of the draft, Poles made it clear that the Bears were being "aggressive" with targeting players who fit their play style and would be good scheme fits. If they weren't, they were off the board. So while some were criticizing Chicago for not reaching on an edge rusher or defensive tackle earlier, the Bears had a clear vision for their approach and execution with this draft class. As for whether that pays off, well, that remains to be seen in a few years.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson on what 2026 rookie draft class has in common