The Chicago Bears received mixed reviews for their haul in the 2026 NFL Draft. While most were happy with the haul, others were upset that they prioritized BPA (Best Player Available) over positions of need (with another faction being furious with their decision to draft two pass-catchers on the second night of the draft).

The class also received mixed grades in their regular-season debut. A few rookies provided major impacts, while others barely made a dent in the snap count department.

It's important to note that the jury is still out on the entire group. Nobody's story has been written after one game. The stock would've been plummeting for virtually their entire class at this point last season, and we all saw how that went by the end of the year.

With that said, how is the stock looking for their 2026 draft class with one game in the books?

Dillon Thieneman: Rising

Rookie safety Dillon Thieneman was all over the field against the Carolina Panthers. The Bears expected him to provide an immediate impact when they selected him with the 25th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he lived up to that billing in Week 1. He was lightning quick to the ball and came downhill like a bullet on a few occasions.

Aside from his standout play in run support, he also held his own in coverage throughout the game. That was the top area of concern from his limited preseason action, and he passed the test with flying colors in the opener. Thieneman's early impact is monumental for a defense that's holding on by a thread. Can you imagine how much worse off they'd be without any stability (because he was arguably their lone bright spot) on the back end?

Logan Jones: Incomplete (but he's not any closer to seeing the field)

Center Logan Jones was expected to put up a fight to win the Bears' starting center job when they selected him in the second-round of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, it wasn't much of a competition whatsoever. Garrett Bradbury ran away with the job and received virtually all the valuable first-team reps throughout training camp.

The only way Jones will see the starting lineup is if Bradbury falters. As it stands, that doesn't appear likely anytime soon. He played well against Carolina upon the first watch, helping clear running lanes to the tune of 291 yards on the ground. The pressure coming Caleb Williams' way also came from the left side (or when they sent extra rushers up the gut) more often than not.

Zavion Thomas: Falling

Zavion Thomas' stock couldn't be soaring any higher after the Bears' preseason finale against Tennessee. He finished the contest with five grabs for 140 yards and showed great promise in the return game, including an electric 39-yard punt return.

However, Thomas failed to make a dent in the box score against Carolina. He didn't have any passes thrown his way, and Josh Blackwell and Kalif Raymond both handled the work in the return game (with the latter showing promise with a great punt return of his own). Johnson will eventually incorporate a few packages that will incorporate Thomas' speed on offense, but Kalif Raymond led the team in targets (9), catches (8), and receiving yards (84). He'll have a role as long as he stays healthy this season.

Sam Roush: Falling

According to PFF, Sam Roush played 12 snaps against the Panthers. His only noteworthy play came when former Bear Trevis Gipson beat him across his face for a TFL. Not exactly a great showing, but not exactly a surprise, either. Chicago boasts a loaded group of pass-catchers, and it was always going to be difficult for him to crack the lineup early.

Like Thomas, Roush's role will probably expand as the season goes on. However, he's never going to be a stat sheet stuffer in year one. Cole Kmet might not be someone opposing defenses gameplan against, but he is as reliable as they come at the tight end position.

Malik Muhammad II: Rising

We initially felt great about the Bears decision to draft Malik Muhammad II in the fourth-round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and we feel even better about it after one game. Despite having no experience playing nickelback at Texas, he more than held his own in the slot against Carolina. He allowed five completions (for 67 yards) off nine targets they threw his way.

Muhammad led the team with two pass deflections and also nabbed their only interception (an extremely impressive one) of the game. While it wasn't a perfect performance, as he got caught out of position a few times on underneath routes, it was still a much better performance than most expected him to have in his first career game.

He should have a role in his more natural spot on the perimeter once Kyler Gordon is back in the lineup. Tyrique Stevenson was arguably their worst player in the secondary in Week 1.

Keyshaun Elliott: Falling

Keyshaun Elliott didn't log a defensive snap against the Panthers. Notably, Jack Sanborn did see a few snaps on defense.

Despite being initially cut when the Bears were crafting their 53-man roster, he appears to be firmly ahead of Elliott on the depth chart at this point. However, that shouldn't be at all surprising based on how much time Elliott missed throughout training camp with a back injury.

Jordan van den Berg: Falling

First off, I still have an airtight agenda on this one and I'm not coming off of it anytime soon. However, Jordan van den Berg. didn't play much against the Panthers. He logged only 22 of the team's 68 defensive snaps. That was tied for fifth among DTs with James Lynch.

Expectations for the Georgia Tech product should be slightly tempered based on the Gold Jacket trajectory (which always should've been taken in a tongue-and-cheek manner) he was on throughout preseason, but he's still someone to be excited about. Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III were both "falling" with each passing week over the first month-and-a-half of last season, too. He has plenty of time to turn it around and become a key contributor.