aarg'S MOCK DRAFT
  1. Home
  2. Simulator

aarg'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 28, 2026

d14

  • aarg DRAFTING FOR THE
    Bears
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 25 RND: 1 (CHI)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Lee Hunter Head Shot
PICK: 57 RND: 2 (CHI)
Lee Hunter
DT Texas Tech
Genesis Smith Head Shot
PICK: 94 RND: 3 (CHI)
Genesis Smith
S Arizona
Mike Washington Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 129 RND: 4 (CHI)
Mike Washington Jr.
RB Arkansas
Skyler Gill-Howard Head Shot
PICK: 130 RND: 4 (CHI)
Skyler Gill-Howard
DT Texas Tech
Jude Bowry Head Shot
PICK: 163 RND: 5 (CHI)
Jude Bowry
OT Boston College
Thaddeus Dixon Head Shot
PICK: 239 RND: 7 (CHI)
Thaddeus Dixon
CB North Carolina
Cole Payton Head Shot
PICK: 241 RND: 7 (CHI)
Cole Payton
QB North Dakota State
Draft Picks Received
Genesis Smith Head Shot
PICK: 94 RND: 3 (DEN)
Genesis Smith
S Arizona
Skyler Gill-Howard Head Shot
PICK: 130 RND: 4 (DEN)
Skyler Gill-Howard
DT Texas Tech
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (DEN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Justin Joly Head Shot
PICK: 89 RND: 3 (DEN)
Justin Joly
TE NC State
Draft Grade — Bears
Overall B
ValueB+ NeedB+ TradesB- FutureB-
Dixon should have been long gone. The Bears pounced, and earned a B.

This is the pick they will still be bragging about in July: Thaddeus Dixon, the No. 215 name on the board, stolen at pick No. 239. The bottom line is a respectable B.

A whole weekend of picks and edge rusher is somehow still a want. If Gill-Howard pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick25 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In slot 25 they get a downhill thumper at linebacker, outstanding value to boot. A real need, handled.
Pick57 Rnd2 Lee Hunter
Lee Hunter at the 57th pick is money in the bank, a interior defensive lineman taken below his worth. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick94 Rnd3 Genesis Smith
No edge and no loss on Genesis Smith in pick No. 94; it is a wash and a sensible one. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Pick129 Rnd4 Mike Washington Jr.
No drama and no debate, Mike Washington Jr. went about where he belonged in the Round 4 slot. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick130 Rnd4 Skyler Gill-Howard
A reach for Skyler Gill-Howard in pick 130; a little patience would have been rewarded. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick163 Rnd5 Jude Bowry
A tidy bit of business in Round 5, Pick 25, where Jude Bowry graded well above the range. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick239 Rnd7 Thaddeus Dixon
Thaddeus Dixon at No. 239 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick241 Rnd7 Cole Payton
Fair-plus on Cole Payton, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. The roster fit checks out.