Ideal fit for Chicago Bears in Round 1 of 2026 NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears will have their hands full heading into the 2026 NFL Draft as they look to fill out their team after a busy offseason that had plenty of roster turnover. After a big 2025 season, where the Bears won the NFC North with first-year head coach Ben Johnson, they will now face a bigger challenge in looking to not only improve off their success but do so with a new-look roster. Most of Chicago's biggest losses came on the defensive side of the field, and with their first-round pick slotted at No.

25, many mock draft and experts have them focusing on that side of the ball. Recently, James Reber of NFL. com released his ideal fit for every team and their respective first-round picks, and he has the safety position circled for the Bears, naming Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren a perfect fit.

The 2025 Bears' defense began to click when Chicago acquired C. J. Gardner-Johnson to be a hybrid nickel/safety prior to Week 9.

With Gardner-Johnson now in Buffalo, the Bears may have the chance to add a rookie at 25th overall who can replicate his disruptiveness in the hook/curl zone and off-tackle run game. Dennis Allen's split-field defense could flourish with McNeil-Warren and Kyler Gordon patrolling the seams while Coby Bryant erases the deep middle. Chicago's defense thrived on takeaways last season, and McNeil-Warren could help maintain that trend with last year's greatest turnover weapon, Kevin Byard, now in New England.