The 2026 NFL Draft is still over a month away, but that isn't stopping the Chicago Bears from making sure they do their homework before making their picks.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has plenty of needs he needs to address on the team, with the edge rusher position the biggest one. A new problem occurred in the offseason after the retirement of 27-year-old center Drew Dalman, leaving the center position with some questions for the future.
Chicago didn't take long to find a replacement for Dalman, as it traded with the New England Patriots for Garrett Bradbury. That move doesn't mean the Bears are going to be done at center, with a new target at the top of their minds.
Bears targeting Big 12 center before the 2026 NFL Draft
The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs shared on social media that the Bears will have "a large contingent of scouts/coaches at the Kansas State pro day" to watch Wildcats center Sam Hecht. This is the first reported Pro Day visit the Bears are planning on taking.
I'm told the #Bears had a large contingent of scouts/coaches at the Kansas State pro day on Tuesday with a focus on center Sam Hecht.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) March 11, 2026
Hecht is just one of many prospects I'd expect the team to get a close look at in the pre-draft process.
Hecht has been a full-time starter on the offensive line for Kansas State over the last two seasons, as he was named the All-Big 12 Second Team center by the Associated Press last year and earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors from the league’s coaches in 2024. Last season, Pro Football Focus graded Hecht out at an 80.3, ranking him fourth out of 307 centers in the nation as he allowed seven pressures, zero quarterback hits, and zero sacks in 392 pass blocking snaps with zero penalties committed.
The Bears are looking for a smart, instinctive center who can do it all for the Bears, and Hecht is that guy. He's widely considered to be the best center from this season's NFL Draft.
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There are Bears fans who are concerned about whether Bradbury is the long-term solution. Well, Hecht is the guy who can sit on the bench for the first season and play in 2027.