It may seem like just yesterday the Chicago Bears’ season ended, but a key date on the calendar is arriving with the start of the 2026 NFL Draft.
This year’s draft will be held next week in Pittsburgh, and the Bears will have several early-round picks to help restock a roster that won the NFC North last season.
But when do the Bears pick? Who are some of the top players available? And how can you watch all of the action?
Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about the upcoming NFL Draft.
When does the 2026 NFL Draft start?
This year’s NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, with the draft stage and theater located in the area outside Acrisure Stadium, home of the Steelers. An NFL Draft Experience will be held across the Allegheny River at Point State Park, according to the Steelers.
The draft will get underway with the first round on Thursday, April 23. The second and third rounds will be held the following day, and rounds 4-7 will be held on Saturday, April 25.
How can fans watch the NFL Draft?
The first round of the draft will begin at 7 p.m. Central time, and will air on NFL Network, ABC and ESPN.
The second and third rounds will get underway at 6 p.m. Central time on April 24, and the final four rounds will begin at 11 a.m. on April 25, airing on the same three networks.
All seven rounds of the draft will be available for streaming on NFL+, according to the league.
Fans who are in Chicago can buy tickets to the Bears’ NFL Draft Party, which will be held at Soldier Field beginning at 6 p.m. on the first day of the draft.
Fans will get a chance to buy official team merchandise, check out a gaming lounge, get autograph opportunities with former players, and test their draft skills with a 40-yard dash, quarterback challenge and more, according to the team.
More information can be found on the team’s website.
Where do the Chicago Bears pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Bears own a total of seven picks, including three in the first 60 picks of the draft.
In addition to the No. 25 overall pick and the No. 60 overall pick, the Bears have the 57th pick in the draft after trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills during the offseason.
The Bears own picks No. 89 (third round), No. 129 (fourth round), and Nos. 239 and 241 (seventh round).
The team traded their fifth round pick to the Bills in the Moore trade, and their sixth round pick went to the Cleveland Browns in a trade that brought Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to Chicago.
Who are some of the top prospects in this year’s draft class?
The top of this year’s draft class is loaded with plenty of defensive stars, but the likely No. 1 pick will be a quarterback, as most mock drafts have the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, fresh off winning the Heisman Trophy and a stunning national title with the Hoosiers.
Ohio State’s vaunted defense could be well-represented in the top-10, with safety Caleb Downs and linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese all expected to be top picks.
The Buckeyes’ talented wide receiver Carnell Tate could also be the top wide-out taken off the board, and Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love could be a high pick as teams look to add an explosive offensive talent to their squads.
Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey, Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane are also highly touted.
In terms of later selections in the first round where the Bears sit, there are several intriguing offensive linemen that could be available, including Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, Utah’s Spencer Fano and Georgia’s Monroe Freeling.
The Bears could also seek pass rush help, with Missouri’s Zion Lee, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk and Miami’s Akheem Mesidor all projected as late-first round picks.
The Bears could also stun and decide to go with a wide receiver after trading Moore, with Washington’s Denzel Boston or Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion possible options.
What is the NFL Draft order?
Here is the first round order for this year’s draft:
1 Las Vegas Raiders
2 New York Jets
3 Arizona Cardinals
4 Tennessee Titans
5 New York Giants
6 Cleveland Browns
7 Washington Commanders
8 New Orleans Saints
9 Kansas City Chiefs
10 Cincinnati Bengals
11 Miami Dolphins
12 Dallas Cowboys
13 Los Angeles Rams
14 Baltimore Ravens
15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16 New York Jets
17 Detroit Lions
18 Minnesota Vikings
19 Carolina Panthers
20 Dallas Cowboys
21 Pittsburgh Steelers
22 Los Angeles Chargers
23 Philadelphia Eagles
24 Cleveland Browns
25 Chicago Bears
26 Buffalo Bills
27 San Francisco 49ers
28 Houston Texans
29 Kansas City Chiefs
30 Miami Dolphins
31 New England Patriots
32 Seattle Seahawks
