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Consistent trend emerging for Bears in early 2026 NFL mock drafts

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 11:25 AM ET

The Chicago Bears are trending in the right direction after four games of the Ben Johnson era. They're entering the bye week with an even record at 2-2, and if it weren't four a fourth-quarter collapse against a Minnesota Vikings team that they dominated in Week 1, the Bears would be the talk of the NFL at 3-1.

But if there's one thing that's been lacking in Chicago during the first month of the season, it's a reliable running game.

D'Andre Swift is averaging a career-worst 3.3 yards per carry, and the Bears rank 24th in the NFL in rushing yards at 102.3 yards per game.

Remember: Any success the Bears have had running the ball has largely been because of Caleb Williams and his escapability. The running backs simply haven't done their part.

It's why the early round of 2026 NFL mock drafts have the Bears investing in a running back in the first round.

The latest of those mock drafts came from The Athletic, who sent the Chicago Bears a superstar in the making in Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love.

The Bears land Love at the 13th overall pick.

Jeremyiah Love is good at football.pic.twitter.com/kjGkv9MPfF
— LINESTAR DFS & PROPS (@LineStarApp) September 27, 2025

"Ben Johnson’s Bears are far from a finished product, but the lack of a dynamic playmaker in the backfield might be the biggest hole on the roster," Nick Baumgardner said. "Love — a top-five player on my board currently — would be an absolutely perfect fit with Johnson, who was able to work magic with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in Detroit."

While Love isn't off to the kind of start in 2025 that he had in 2024, when he ran for 1,125 yards and 17 TDs (6.9 yards per carry) for the Fighting Irish, he's still the unquestioned No. 1 running back in the 2026 NFL Draft.

He's arguably a top-five player, as Baumgardner noted.

Through four games this season, Love has run for 341 yards and five scores (5.2 yards per carry). It feels like he's just getting going, too.

With a player like Jeremiyah Love added to Johnson's arsenal, there's no telling how explosive the Chicago Bears offense could be.

Indeed, the Bears would have to lose a bunch of games to be within in striking distance for Love, but he'd be a great consolation prize if that happens.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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