NFL executives like to plan ahead. Way ahead.
The 2025 NFL Draft is still a month away, but you can be certain that even without a clue as to what their opening day rosters will look like, there are 32 general managers working on their 2026 Draft big boards. And their 2027 big boards. And 2028. And ’29. And so on.
For the sake of this discussion, we’ll aim the spotlight at next January, when a handful of GMs will begin planning and plotting how they’ll be able to weasel the top pick from away from the New York Giants so they themselves can snatch up Texas quarterback prodigy Arch Manning.
The Chicago Bears are in the enviable position of being set at QB, so they’ll have no need or interest in getting into the Manning Sweepstakes. Thus, assuming that GM Ryan Poles doesn’t get trade happy, the Bears—who, barring a disaster or a miracle, should finish the season with somewhere between six and ten wins might be picking in the middle of the 2026 NFL Draft—will have options galore.
Here are a few potential-laden prospects from the 2026 draft class who Poles and his minions could already be eyeballing.
Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
T.J. Edwards will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season, so linebacker might be the team’s biggest position of need, and Hill—who is considered among the class’ top-three LBs—could be both the short- and long-term answer.
The perfectly-sized 6’3”, 235-pounder is a straight-up athlete who, in 2025, racked up 113 total tackles and nine sacks—not to mention his four forced fumbles—and would slot neatly into Bears D-coordinator Dennis Allen’ scheme.
Kevin Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
After a spectacular freshman season, the diminutive speedster and NC State transfer took a step back in 2024, catching 53 balls as opposed to the 71 he snatched up in 2023. But he nonetheless demonstrated a nose for the end zone, finding the house on six occasions.
He’s a field-stretcher who could become Caleb Williams’ favorite deep-ball target.
Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
Is Delp that elusive wide-receiver-trapped-in-a-tight-end’s-body? We’ll give that a maybe, with a lean towards yes.
A crisp route runner with deceptive quickness, Delp could be a legitimate TE1, something Chicago has been missing since the days of Greg Olsen. If Delp lives up to his potential, Bears head coach Ben Johnson would be thrilled.
D.J. Hicks, DL, Texas A&M
Every defensive coordinator lusts for size and speed, and the 6’5”, 300-pounder offers both. What with former Aggie 2024 defensive stars Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton headed to the NFL, this elite athlete will have plenty of opportunity to flash the chops that made him a five-star recruit.
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