Bears Mock Draft Shocker: ESPN Sends Surprise Pick in Final Prediction
ESPN’s final 2026 NFL mock draft delivers a surprise for the Chicago Bears, linking them to an unexpected edge rusher pick at No. 25.
It’s never too late for a 2026 Chicago Bears mock draft to throw a complete curveball into everything fans thought would happen in Round 1.
That’s exactly what ESPN's Field Yates delivered in his final 2026 NFL mock draft.
The position itself wasn’t shocking. Edge rusher has been one of the most logical targets for Chicago all offseason.
The player, however, is where things get interesting.
Yates projects the Bears to select Oklahoma pass rusher R. Mason Thomas.
ESPN Mock Draft Prioritizes Need Over Value for Bears
“Chicago has put an emphasis on getting faster this offseason, and Thomas would support that push,” Yates wrote. “He has an excellent first step, powerful hands and a high-level motor to help the Bears be less reliant on scheming pressure via blitzes. Last season, Chicago ranked 29th in pressure rate (28%).”
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This marks the first time Thomas has been linked to the Bears in any meaningful way, and it’s one of the only mock drafts this cycle that places the Sooners' edge defender in the first round.
It raises the obvious question: Is this late intel from Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., or simply a bold swing to close out the mock draft season?
Either way, when that duo shifts direction this late in the process, it’s worth paying attention.
Still, this projection feels like a stretch for Chicago.
Look at who comes off the board shortly after the Bears’ pick. Peter Woods, Caleb Lomu, and T.J. Parker are all selected in the back half of Round 1. All three prospects align far more cleanly with Ryan Poles’ roster-building tendencies and Chicago’s immediate needs.
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Each offers either a higher floor, better scheme fit, or more consistent first-round buzz than Thomas at this stage of the process.
Credit to Yates for injecting some late chaos into the conversation.
But if the board falls anything like this, it’s hard to envision the Bears passing on more established targets for a true out-of-nowhere riser.
