Last year's draft class from the Chicago Bears puts a lot more pressure on the 2026 one to step up after so much potential came from 2025.
All eyes will be on first-round pick safety Dillon Thieneman, who ended up falling right into the Bears' laps. Many still can't believe Thieneman fell to the Bears at pick 25, but no one is going to argue, as they know the kind of impact he can make in Year 1.
Bears fans know that he will be a Day 1 starter in the secondary with free agent signing Coby Bryant, and the two together will put up some great stats. There is some curiosity about what kind of numbers Thieneman will put up for the Bears.
ESPN has the projections for Dillon Thieneman in 2026
ESPN senior NFL writer Mike Clay shared who be believe will be the top five rookies at each statistical stat and what that projection will be. Thieneman has two stats where he will be in the top five, with the first being at tackles, as he was tied for fourth with Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, with a projection of 82.
"The most tackles by a rookie safety over the past decade is 147 by Jalen Pitre in 2022. Only 12 others reached 80 during that span, with three hitting 100. First-rounders Downs and Thieneman are positioned as every-down starters in Dallas and Chicago, respectively. Both should put up solid tackle numbers in Year 1."
The other stat is interceptions, where Thieneman was once again fourth with 1.8.
"Wide-open cornerback depth charts in Kansas City and Miami position first-rounders Delane and Johnson with an immediate starting path. Downs and Thieneman are in the same boat at safety with their teams, and Stukes (a second-round pick) has a good shot to quickly earn a major role at safety in Las Vegas."
Thieneman has the versatility to do so much in this Bears defense as he will play in the box to stop the run and pressure the quarterback. He also proved at Oregon that he has a nose for the football and can nab interceptions in the air.
One thing about this Bears defense from last year was that they created the most turnovers in the NFL with 33. A lot of the turnovers created are gone, as multiple defenders have left the team via free agency, but Thieneman has many of the same traits, including being instinctive and grabbing picks.
Read more: 4 Bears UDFAs who might sneak onto 2026 roster before anyone notices
The Bears shouldn't use too much ground on defense as Thieneman's athleticism and speed only improve that unit.
Add us as a preferred source on Google