It's probably more accurate to call this the mock draft preseason than mock draft season, as no one can even be certain who picks where and can't even really project with any accuracy until real games get played.
This doesn't stop football people from doing it anyway, and also from shocking with their Bears pick.The Bears are not above doing that themselves in real life, anyway.
The website Pro Football Network attempted to promote its mock draft simulator with a three-round mock and managed to deliver a jolt to the Bears.
At least it would be for some of the Bears players if they made this pick, then fans would probably want to know what's going on as well.
There were actually multiple mock shocks delivered here.
The first was how they have the Bears drafting 13th overall. This means they believe the Bears will come in with the 20th best record. That's discouraging right off the bat.
Then, with that 13th pick, the Bears drafted Alabama massive left tackle Kadyn Proctor.
"If you're a Chicago Bears fan, you need to be praising the Lord for Kadyn Proctor somehow falling to 13th overall in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft," PFN wrote.
Or maybe, asking the Lord what in the world is going on.
The Bears just drafted a left tackle in Ozzy Trapilo in Round 2. They have Kiran Amegadjie as a third-round Year 2 project. And starter Braxton Jones is still around at this moment, although his final contract year and the two young tackles could make him into trade bait at some point if he doesn't stick around for the full season.
Nevertheless, PFN is saying between three guys the Bears won't find their long-term starter and will need to draft Proctor?
Sure, Proctor looks like a lock future starter if not star, but what are the Bears doing then with a second-round and third-round tackle? More importantly, is PFN saying Darnell Wright will be squeezed out?
The mock takes a turn toward sanity after this as the two main Bear needs get addressed.
At No. 45 in Round 2, they finally went for an edge like everyone thought they would this year and picked Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei It's a realistic pick as the big 6-foot-5 270-pounder fits the Dennis Allen mold for defensive ends. He enjoyed a 10 1/2-sack season in 2024 so there is also success as a pass rusher.
The edge situation is likely to remain unchanged by the real 2026 draft since third edge Austin Booker has a long way to go in development. They could look to free agency next year before the draft but they spent so much on defensive ends the last two years that their next acquisition there would either be a low-cost veteran on a one-year deal this year or waiting.
Finally, in the third round of this three-round mock, PFN has them address the bad need for a running back with Oklahoma's Jaydn Ott.
Ott is a 6-foot, 205-pound back who struggled in 2024 during his second year at California. He averaged 5.3 yards a carry with 1,315 yards on 246 carries and 12 TDs in 2023, then only had 116 attempts with 385 yards last year. Ott suffered an ankle injury and never really got over it as he tried to play through it. So his playing time was reduced even though he was in 10 games.
What he'll do at Oklahoma after going into the transfer portal for this year will determine if he's really worthy of a third-round pick.
