The Chicago Bears went a surprising direction in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the selection of Stanford tight end Sam Roush at 69th overall, adding another tight end for head coach Ben Johnson's offense.
While tight end was far from the biggest need on the board at that point, it's not a big surprise that Chicago went in that direction given Johnson's penchant for 13 personnel. The Bears ran the fifth-most 13 personnel in the NFL last season, and we've seen how Johnson's offense relies on multi-tight end sets.
Roush fills the void left by Durham Smythe, who departed in free agency. The rookie has been hailed as an elite blocker who will complement last year's first-round pick Colston Loveland and veteran Cole Kmet as Chicago looks to maintain its stance as a top-five offense in the league.
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 BergHere's what some expert draft analysts had to say about Roush during the pre-draft process and what Bears fans can expect to see:
"A three-year starter at Stanford, Roush worked primarily inline as an attached Y tight end in former head coach Frank Reich’s offense. After not playing football until high school, he made up for lost time and produced improved tape each season — as both a receiver and blocker — for the Cardinal. He doesn’t have much “wow” on that tape, but his combine performance opened some eyes.
With his rugby background, Roush prides himself on trying to be the toughest and most physical player on the field. He works to center his blocks and strains to sustain, even moving defensive linemen against their will at times. As a pass catcher, his quickness at the snap helps him uncover in the short-to-intermediate parts of the field, although his catch-point consistency must improve (12.5 percent drop rate in 2025)."
"In a draft landscape full of pass-catching tight ends, Roush stands out as one of the few plug-and-play “Y” tight ends (in-line blocking TE) available. He can make cut-off blocks in zone and combo blocks in gap schemes. He holds his own in pass protection, too. As a receiver, he’s not stiff, but he lacks elusiveness underneath. He needs to apply more of his tough playing style to win combat catches and expand his role beyond run blocker/zone beater. While his catch production might draw questions, his size, toughness and pro-ready blocking profile could push him into Day 2 consideration."
"Roush has the build of an NFL tight end capable of playing on the line of scrimmage. As a blocking “Y” tight end, he can be a valuable piece in heavy personnel packages and some single-tight-end looks, though his impact in the passing game will likely be limited."
"Roush is not a seam stretcher, and his short arms are cause for some concern. But his combine workout displayed some untapped explosive athletic traits that can be nurtured in the NFL. While he’s not a burner, he runs physical, crisp routes and exhibits some good acceleration out of his cuts. His body control and stop-start ability (both impressive for a 6-foot-6, 267-pound player) really show up on tape, and they were further confirmed by a three-cone of 7.08 seconds, best among tight ends, and a good short shuttle of 4.37 seconds.
He has good but not elite skills. He plucks the ball and seamlessly transitions upfield. He didn’t get many downfield catch opportunities in college, but when he did, I really liked his tracking ability and his confidence attacking the ball. He shows good focus and will make some tough contested catches while securing the ball in traffic. However, his shorter arms show up in two areas: First, when the ball is low and/or behind him in the quick game, he has difficulty adjusting to it. Second, he failed on a couple of opportunities to reach back over and head-top smaller defensive backs. There are only a few examples of those two limitations on tape, but there will be some concern about his smaller-than-ideal catch radius.
Roush is really strong after the catch. He runs with good contact balance and bounces off tackles. He also displays excellent ball security, with only one fumble on 119 career receptions, which he recovered. And he’s one of the best blocking tight ends in this class. Yes, his short arms show up on tape, and he fails to sustain at times, but his effort is awesome, he takes good angles, he shows good pop at the point of attack, and he fights to the finish."
Multi-functional player who brings in-line ability to go with the multitude of ways he can impact an offense as a blocker. He shines in pass protection and consistently works his hands to find proper leverage.
The 6'6", 267-pound tight end showcases a well-balanced route tree and timing. Roush reads defensive leverage and can adjust his route while manipulating defenders in man coverage.
With enough speed to work the seam, Roush can sell routes vertically. He also sinks his hips and decelerates at the top of his routes to create separation.
Flashes the tools to catch the ball away from his body and turn upfield, while churning out physical yards after the catch. He plays with great effort.
When blocking, Roush tends to create a wide base, which makes it difficult to absorb and redistribute power. He will lunge and lower his head, thus falling off some blocks.
He must refine his technique since his film is littered with concentration drops and inconsistent hand placement when the ball is in the air (alligator arms).
Fighting through contact in his routes, as well as at the catch point, will allow him to create more separation.
Roush must continue to develop his feel for zone-coverage and locate soft spots to exploit in the passing game.
"Sam Roush is a blocking tight end and chain-moving receiver who will translate quickly to the NFL, but has limited upside in basically every area. I would describe Roush as a solid overall blocker who is well-rounded enough to do a lot of things for a team’s scheme, but doesn’t do any of them really well. He has some of the shortest arms for a tight end we have seen in the last 30 years, which show up in his trench battles against bigger opponents.