1 center for Chicago Bears in every round of 2026 NFL Draft
Here is one player at center in every round for the Chicago Bears to consider in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and the Chicago Bears should be looking to add at the center position, a spot where they lost veteran Drew Dalman to a sudden retirement this offseason. After Dalman's decision to step away, the Bears moved quickly to acquire veteran Garrett Bradbury, who will join the team on a one-year contract, giving the team a need to address the position long-term. Last season, the team signed Dalman in free agency, and he played pivotal role in turning around the play of the offensive line.
While the Bears have other pressing needs on their roster, especially on the defensive side, they could be looking at two additions on the offensive line, most importantly the center position. With four picks in the Top 89 selections of the draft, Chicago has an opportunity to bring in the highest talent with a best player available strategy. We're examining a center that Chicago can target in each round of the NFL draft.
Offensive line coach Dan Roushar is not shy about discussing what he's looking for at each position of the offensive line, while Ben Johnson has amplified the importance of center, which will be crucial to keeping Caleb Williams' development rising. Round 1: Sam Hecht, Kansas St While there is not a specific center who has a Round 1 value on them, Sam Hecht is slotted here for how quickly the team was interested in him during the pre-draft process. Shortly when the offseason began, Chicago was present at Hecht's Pro Day and workouts, as he's coming off a very strong 2025 season for Kansas State.
Hecht committed no penalties while allowing zero sacks and zero quarterback pressures this past year. Round 2: Connor Lew, Auburn The other top center in this year's draft, with the Bears having two picks in the second round, Connor Lew could very much be a realistic target. He has been praised for his technique at a young age, but he didn't particularly have a strong statistical season in terms of grading high on the PFF scale.