2026 Bears draft: 5 dream prospects to fall to No. 25

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 06: Sonny Styles #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in action against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2025 Big Ten Football Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the chances the Bears acquire a blue-chip prospect are pretty slim.

That's not at all to say that they can't end up with a blue-chip player with that pick. Rather, we're talking about an extremely highly-touted prospect heading into the draft. There's a difference between the two: not all blue-chip prospects pan out, while some late first-round picks end up elevating into elite status at their respective positions.

There are always a few surprise players who fall late into the first round, or out of Round 1 entirely, for that matter. In last year's draft, I had Michigan cornerback Will Johnson in my top 10, and he didn't even go in Round 1. Luther Burden III was another player in my top 20 who didn't go in the first round, though Bears fans everywhere should be extremely happy that wasn't the case.

It's impossible to accurately predict where every single player ends up getting picked. Using the consensus board on PFSN's Mock Draft Simulator, these five players are all currently ranked in the top 15 of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, they would be dream options for the Bears if they slide.

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

The Bears would save $15 million by releasing or trading Tremaine Edmunds this offseason. They have salary cap flexibility this offseason, but reaching it would likely require making a big move like letting him go. Should they be in the market for a new starting linebacker, they'll have a pretty good draft class to choose from. That said, Sonny Styles from Ohio State is one of my favorite overall players in the class.

Styles is a prototypical linebacker size-wise at 6'5" and 243 pounds. His massive frame and long arms give him a large tackling radius, and his natural strength complements his physical demeanor working through blocks. He finished 2025 with 82 tackles and only a 2.2% missed tackle percentage. He started off in a safety-type role for Ohio State in 2023, which shows in how fluid of an athlete he is and how explosive he can be out of his breaks.

Ohio State LB Sonny Styles (Rd 1):

+ Prototype size at LB
+ Stellar downhill quickness
+ Fluid mover at the second level
+ Range as a tackler
+ Physicality through blocks
+ Improved run IQ
- More reactive than instinctive
- Route processing consistency pic.twitter.com/2kfdUC7rez

- Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) January 31, 2026

With his athleticism, Styles is plenty comfortable covering the middle of the field in zone coverage. He has the fluidity to cover to seam and the downhill speed to jump routes and make a play on the ball. He's a physical tackler who wraps up with proper form and ideal toughness. I doubt he'll fall to the Bears - I have him ranked No. 8 overall on my board - but he's an easy pick if he is.

Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

Simply put, Keldric Faulk is what would happen if you tailor-made an edge rusher specifically for Dennis Allen. The 6'6", 288-pound edge rusher has been at least a top-20 player on my board since I first watched him in April of 2025, and he enters the draft at a time where the Bears have a clear need for an edge rusher. His production took a dip in 2025, but his 2024 campaign with 7.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for a loss was truly impressive.

As one could expect given his size, Faulk wins a lot with power at the point of attack. He packs a mean punch and has the long arms needs to lock out offensive tackles from getting inside his chest. He's got a killer bull rush, which is the most prevalent move in his arsenal. That's heavily because of his size and length, but he also does a great job of keeping his legs churning to push the pocket through contact. He'll also win well with inside moves across a tackle's frame or with a traditional long-arm move.

Lot of talk about Dennis Allen types" at EDGE for the #Bears in this year's draft.

Keldric Faulk from Auburn fits the bill in 2026. 6'6" and 288 pounds. Quick hands, high motor, smart run defender. 7 sacks, 45 pressures in 2024. pic.twitter.com/wTnkdUrSpg

- Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) May 6, 2025

Faulk has good size-adjusted athleticism, which is a plus for teams who prefer bigger edge rushers but are worried they'll sacrifice that juice off the snap. His flexibility and agility aren't much to write home about, and his decrease in sack production could see him drop a little bit come Draft Day. I still doubt he'd fall to the Bears, but if he's available at No. 25, it's certainly a possibility he's the pick.

Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

A three-year producer along Clemson's defensive line, Peter Woods has shown plenty over the course of his time with the Tigers. He's been a first-round prospect for much of this pre-draft process, and a strong argument could be made that he's the best defensive tackle in this class. Anyone who's watched the Bears could tell you they could use some juice along the interior.

I'm a big fan of the pass-rushing value Woods brings to the table. He's explosive off the line of scrimmage with a quick first step and relentless effort chasing the quarterback in pursuit. He has a diverse arsenal of moves like swipes, rips, push-pulls, and swims he can use to shed blocks. Against the run, I like his spatial awareness in how he frees himself up at the right time and positions himself to make the tackle up his gap. His thick, dense frame gives him a sturdy anchor and allows him to push the pocket with power.

Interestingly enough, Woods has appeared outside of the first round in a future notable mock drafts and big boards. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah - who might be my favorite draft analyst in the game today - has Woods at No. 34 overall on his board. I understand some of the concern; he doesn't have great length, his pads can run a bit too high at times in the run game, and he doesn't position himself super well against down blockers. That said, the pros outweigh the cons, and I'd still take him in a heartbeat if he fell to the Bears.

Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

I'm no doctor, so I can't comment one way or the other on if Ozzy Trapilo's ruptured patellar tendon will derail his NFL career. From everything I've seen, it's a pretty rough injury. I'm cautiously optimistic considering how young and athletic he is, but if the injury ends up hurting his development, it could make sense for the Bears to push to draft an offensive tackle early in 2026.

Spencer Fano is currently my OT2 in the 2026 NFL Draft. The three-year starter for Utah is an impressive athlete for an offensive lineman, demonstrating great foot speed in pass protection, redirect ability in space, and coordination blocking on the move in the run game. His body control and tempered movements allow him to consistently take good angles to defenders as a run blocker, and he rolls his hips and gets his base set to seal off defenders and open up running lanes.

Fano also brings refined hand usage to the table, as his strikes are placed and timed accurately to maintain proper leverage at the point of contact. He lacks in high-level play strength, which could see teams overthink his game a little bit. Again, I still doubt he falls all the way to No. 25, but the Bears would be smart to take advantage; he could also be an eventual starter at guard if needed, too.

David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

If you're looking for a full-on speed rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft, David Bailey is the best of the bunch. After a strong three seasons at Stanford, he transferred to Texas Tech and dominated this past season. His 14.5 sacks led the entire FBS, his 19.5 tackles for a loss led the Big 12, and he was named an All-American for his efforts in bringing the Red Raiders into the College Football Playoff.

As the numbers indicate, Bailey is a tenacious pass rusher. He's fast off the snap and has the flexibility to turn the corner with sharp angles, maintaining his momentum from his first few steps to close in on the quarterback. He has a high pass-rushing IQ and a deep arsenal of speed moves like ghost moves, spins, cross-chops, and swims. Bailey's agility and quickness make him an effective rusher on jab-step inside moves, too. In addition to all that, he has a relentless motor and a willingness to battle hard at the point of attack to string moves together.

David Bailey has 12.5 sacks so far this year, which leads the FBS. Look at that bend.

I don't care if he's smaller than Dennis Allen's type. At a certain point, you need to take the superior talent. I'd love Bailey on the #Bears. pic.twitter.com/aCFwZlkGDd

- Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) November 15, 2025

With Bailey listed at 6'3" and 240 pounds, there will be concerns about his size and whether he'll be a good enough run defender in the NFL to warrant using a top-ten selection on. I certainly think he's a better pass rusher than run defender because of his average size and strength, but he still plays with plenty of effort and polished hands against the run. If for some reason he falls to No. 25, the Bears should take him. Hell, if he falls out of the top 16, I'd start looking into ways to trade up for him.