Ryan Poles' 2026 draft class didn't exactly rank as high as Bears fans would want

The Chicago Bears' draft class had its ups and downs, leaving many fans feeling a little unsure about their instant reaction.

It appears that is how the NFL media stands as well. Mel Kiper had them right in the middle tier, and Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked the Bears 19th overall on his list of best overall drafts.

The Chicago Bears' 2026 draft class comes in at below average in The Athletic rankings

You could probably argue that the Bears could be as high as about 16, but this still confirms that the draft is viewed as average at best by the NFL media. Brugler notes that the best pick was Dillon Thieneman, and after day one, most fans assumed the team would walk away as the draft's winners.

However, Day 2 did not go the way that so many wanted or expected. The team took Iowa center Logan Jones a bit high, but it was not a bad pick considering the need. However, from there, they took Stanford center Sam Roush, who is currently the third tight end in the rotation. Then they took LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas, who is fast but has not produced much and was considered a Day 3 prospect.

You can argue that they redeemed themselves by taking Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad, Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, and Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg on Day 3. Brugler even notes that Elliott was excellent value at the time of his selection.

However, the Bears do not quite need Elliott right now, and he is just insurance behind Devin Bush, T.J. Edwards, D’Marco Jackson, and potentially even Noah Sewell. Muhammad was a value pick as well, but he is unlikely to start and may end up behind Terrell Smith for the number four cornerback. Van den Berg was taken so late that, even though he filled a need, the Bears do not get much credit, and most fans and media will call out that this team did not draft enough in the defensive trenches to grade out well.

For what it is worth, the Bears finished second in the division despite being 19th. The Packers were 26th, and the Vikings were 28th. Detroit led the way, but even they finished 14th. So, some of this may have to do with the teams having strong records and not picking high enough to finish high in the rankings.

Add us as a preferred source on Google