The 2026 NFL Draft is six months away, but that shouldn't stop Chicago Bears fans from wondering who they could take.
There's been a ton of conversation surrounding the 2025 Bears draft class not living up to high expectations. The blame, of course, is being pointed at the guy who made those selections: Ryan Poles.
Fans may not be happy with Poles, but he has a chance to right the wrongs of the past with a solid pick next year. ESPN's Jordan Reid might have the perfect option as he has Chicago taking Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker with the 17th overall pick in his mock draft.
"The Bears have struggled to generate a pass rush this season, as their team pass rush win rate of 28.2% is 30th in the NFL. They need impactful rushers off the edge, and Parker is a power-based rusher with strong hands and a good initial burst. He has also been productive, with 18.5 career sacks -- including 11 in 2024."
Could Parker give the Bears the pass rush consistency they need?
There have been some rough times at Clemson this season, with the Tigers not living up to expectations in the College Football Playoff, but that hasn't slowed Parker down from playing well. He has racked up 18 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery through the first six games.
Chicago's pass rush has not been good this season, as the team has a combined seven sacks and 19 quarterback hits in five games. Big money defensive ends like Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo have combined for two total sacks.
The point of signing Odeyingbo was to create more opportunities for Sweat to get sacks with another solid pass rusher. Sweat is getting nearly $100 million to be one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL. Neither guy has impressed.
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Parker won't solve the issues right away, but he would at least be a guy that Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen could develop from Day 1 and get him playing the way they need him to. Getting younger and growing from within should be the direction the Poles and the Bears take in the draft.