The 2026 Chicago Bears draft class has a lot of talent within the group, with the real question circling around what kind of impact they can have in Year 1.
Rookie first-round pick Dillon Thieneman feels like the most obvious choice to be a Day 1 starter for the Bears on defense. After that, though, it is a complete mystery who will start in 2026 and who will have time to learn from the bench.
There might be one rookie, though, who has a chance to move up quickly on the depth chart and surprise some people in Chicago. Maybe he won't start, but he could play a key role in the rotation on Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's defense.
Bears rookie DT Jordan van den Berg could be a difference maker in 2026
The Bears selected defensive tackle Berg in the sixth round as the team's last pick in the draft. Last year with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, he had 42 tackles, 11 tackles for loss (second in the nation), and three sacks. He earned second-team All-ACC honors for his performance.
Chicago has an interesting situation at defensive tackle going into the 2026 season, as Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett look like the clear-cut starters, but there is a backlog of players after that who could make the team and be in the rotation. The Bears have to decide between Berg, Neville Gallimore, James Lynch, Kentavius Street, and potentially Shemar Turner if he doesn't play more edge rusher.
Berg faces an uphill battle to make the roster, but he has received a lot of praise for his play last season, and some believe he's a sleeper pick to be on the field in 2026. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger recently compared Berg to a younger version of Jarrett, which might give him a leg up on the competition.
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The Bears want their younger players to step up and play early, with Berg capable of doing so on a defensive line that could use some help.
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