The Chicago Bears continue to add defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft, but once again avoid the defensive line altogether and this time look at linebacker.
With the 166th pick in the draft, the Bears selected Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott. Over the last two years, Elliott has been a second-team All-Big 12 selection. Last season, he racked up 98 tackles and got a career-high seven sacks.
Elliott becomes the third defensive player selected in the draft, after Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman in the first round. They also picked Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad in the fourth round.
Bears select Keyshaun Elliott with the 166th overall pick of the draft
This is an interesting pick for the Bears, as they add depth at linebacker. Tremaine Edmunds left the team, but most of the main guys from last year are back in Chicago for the 2026 season.
T.J. Edwards and Devin Bush are expected to be the starters for the Bears and will have good backups behind them. D'Marco Jackson should get plenty of playing time in the rotation after a breakout 2025 season, and 2025 draft pick Ruben Hyppolite II should see more playing time as well.
Elliott is a fast and instinctive linebacker who ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash in his offseason workouts. He might be too small to be a pass rusher, but he could be a perfect blitzing linebacker in the middle, or the Bears could get him bigger in order to be an edge rusher.
Read more: Texas guru says exactly what Bears fans needed to hear about Malik Muhammad
Bears fans are most likely frustrated with the edge rusher not being picked, and it looks like anyone they get at this point won't make an impact. Elliott, though, is a solid defender who at worst is a special teams ace and at best is a solid rotational linebacker.
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