Chicago Bears' sleeper picks from the 2026 NFL Draft class

The Chicago Bears welcomed seven new rookies to the roster during the 2026 NFL Draft, which included first-round safety Dillon Thieneman, who was considered a steal at 25th overall. Chicago also added some new offensive pieces for Ben Johnson with center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas, while adding some new defensive players in cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg. While it's not the flashiest class, it's one assembled by Johnson and GM Ryan Poles that one analyst believes will be the thing to get the Bears to the Super Bowl .

Over the next few days, our Bears Wire staff will be sharing their thoughts about the 2026 rookie class. Next up: We're discussing our sleeper picks and which players have the potenital to surprise the most in Chicago. Alyssa Barbieri: TE Sam Roush Technically, the Bears drafted Sam Roush in the third round, so they have high expectations for him.

Still, considering he's the third tight end on the roster, he's my sleeper pick and I expect him to make a significant impact as a rookie. This is a draft pick that has Ben Johnson's fingerprints all over it, and looking at how last year's rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III flourished in their first year, that should be the expectation for Roush in his role as TE3. While tight end was far from the biggest need on the board when Chicago was selecting at 69th overall, it's not a big surprise the Bears went in that direction given Johnson's penchant for 12 personnel and 13 personnel.

The Bears ran the sixth-most 12 personnel and fifth-most 13 personnel in the NFL last season, and we've seen how Johnson's offense relies on multi-tight end sets. Roush is an elite blocker who should help the run game and passing game excel, and he brings the toughness and physicality that Johnson looks for in his players. While it's not a sexy position, Roush could wind up having one of the biggest impacts among this Chicago rookie class.