Shaw Local

News   •   Sports   •   Obituaries   •   eNewspaper   •   Election   •   The Scene   •   175 Years
Bears

Who the Chicago Bears could select in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft

Illinois defensive end Gabe Jacas in action against Washington during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The first round of the NFL draft is in the books. The Chicago Bears boosted their secondary Thursday night when they selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman in the first round at No. 25 overall.

But the work is far from over. Bears general manager Ryan Poles will have two second-round picks and one third round pick to work with Friday night. He’ll still have plenty area of needs to address with those picks and his remaining draft picks on Saturday.

The defensive line will still need to be addressed. Chicago will need both defensive end and defensive tackle spots to be filled after failing to stop the run and pressure quarterbacks for most of the season.

Chicago could also look to upgrade different spots even if they currently have starters there. Cornerback, linebacker and left tackle would be some of those positions.

Poles felt comfortable about what he would be able to do.

“Lotta good options,” Poles said Thursday night after the first round. “I’ll say this, this was probably the most aggressive they were in terms of the guys that we really like. They have to play our style. They’ve gotta have the right makeup. In terms of our scheme fits, all of that had to be there. If it wasn’t there, you’re off the board. We were really aggressive with it, so when you look at it, it feels really thin, but that’s a good thing. I think it’s a really good things because we’re really selective of who we want. Now, there’s some historical numbers that I have that makes me feel confident that there’s gonna be guys that we like still available to us. Thankfully the numbers are high enough where I’ll be able to sleep a little bit [Thursday night].”

Here are some players Poles could target Friday.

Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois

Poles will need to find someone who can get to the quarterback in the second round and Illinois’ Gabe Jacas can do just that. He finished with a career-high 11 sacks for the Illini last season after he had eight during his junior season. Jacas has versatility to play with his hand down or standing up, which would allow Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to move him around the line of scrimmage.

Logan Jones, C, Iowa

The Bears could look to draft a center after the sudden retirement of Drew Dalman even after trading for Garrett Bradbury. Jones would bring plenty of experience after playing 50 games at center for the Hawkeyes over four seasons. He switched to the position after entering Iowa as a defensive tackle. He could compete with Bradbury or learn from the veteran during his rookie season.

Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

After not addressing it in the first round, Poles should look for to boost the interior of the defensive line with a big body who can stop the run. At 6-foot-3 1/2, 318 pounds and a 33 1/4-inch arm length, Hunter has the frame to be tough to stop in the trenches. He started all 14 games last season for Texas Tech and finished with 41 tackles, 11 for a loss, with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He was named a Third Team AP All-American.

T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson

Parker could be another option for Poles if he wants to get add a talented edge rusher to his room. Once expected to be a top-10 pick, Parker fell into the second round after his numbers dipped last season at Clemson. He had 11 sacks during his sophomore season with the Tigers, which dropped to five last year. At 6-foot-3 5/8, 263 pounds and a 33 1/8-inch arm length, Parker has the length to be an impact player in the NFL.

Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker (3) plays during an NCAA college football game between Clemson and SMU, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Even with starters on the roster, the Bears could look toward the future by selecting Terrell. He’s proven a knack for creating turnovers, something Allen would like to continue from last season. Terrell intercepted three passes over three seasons with the Tigers and forced eight fumbles, five of which came last season. At 5-foot-10 3/4, Terrell would have the size to play either inside or outside.

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

The Bears let Tremaine Edmunds leave in free agency this offseason and replaced him with Devin Bush. But they could look to add to the room on the second day. Rodriguez proved that he had a nose for the ball during his time with Texas Tech. He forced seven fumbles last season to go along with four interceptions. Over the past two seasons, Rodriguez had 127 and 128 tackles, respectively.

Christen Miller, DT, Georgia

Miller could be another option to add to the middle of the defensive line. At 6-foot-3 3/4 and 321 pounds, Miller played well off the snap and gained early advantages when he made contact with an offensive lineman. He became more of a starter last season and played in 14 games, finishing with 23 tackles, four for a loss, with 1.5 sacks.

Zion Young, Edge, Missouri

Young dropped out of the first round after some expected him to find a landing spot with the Bears. That could happen in the second round instead. Young took a big jump with the Tigers last season and finished with 6.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-5 3/4, 262 pounds and a 33-inch arm length, Young has the length to become a disruptor in the NFL.

Michal Dwojak

Michal Dwojak

Michal covers the Chicago Bears for Shaw Local and also serves as the company's sports enterprise reporter. He previously covered the CCL/ESCC for Friday Night Drive and other prep sports for the Northwest Herald. Michal previously served as the sports editor for the Glenview Lantern, Northbook Tower and Malibu Surfside News.