The Chicago Bears have several needs that must be filled at the 2026 NFL draft and own seven selections to address them. After an offseason of losses on the defensive side of the ball, the safety room, interior defensive line, and edge need attention in the draft. Ryan Poles and Co. figure to address that side of the ball with the first four picks within the first three rounds.
After that, though, there's room to get creative at the end of the draft. And while there are plenty of bodies at the left tackle spot vying to fill in for the injured Ozzy Trapilo, Oregon Ducks standout Isaiah World should be on the Bears' radar.
Isaiah World Would Be Perfect Off-Ramp For Braxton Jones
At 6'8" and 315 pounds, World brings a massive frame, but with a recently torn ACL, that frame doesn't appear ready to contribute any time soon. World suffered the injury during the first half of Oregon's College Football Playoff semifinals matchup against the eventual champion Indiana Hoosiers. That injury caused World to miss the NFL Combine.
It didn't cause World to miss top-30 visits, though. While being on them doesn't guarantee going in the first, and it'd certainly be a genuine shock if a team reached for a developmental project who will miss most, if not all, of his rookie season, World did meet with the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers during the pre-draft process.
World's perceived value is high, but he has a strong likelihood to fall in the draft, solely because of an ill-timed injury. World had a 72.5 gap-blocking grade during the 2025 season. This is a steal waiting to happen for someone.
Over the long haul, the hope in Chicago is that Theo Benedet, free agent signing Jedrick Willis Jr., and Braxton Jones could hold down that position. Truth be told, there's minimal confidence in the latter, who signed a one-year prove-it deal to stick with the Bears. Hence, the Willis addition.
The writing is on the wall for Jones. Poles and Co. ought to start considering what the room will look like without him in the coming years, and World provides the perfect high-ceiling, long-shot candidate. He would've been someone's potential answer at the position had it not been for the injury. He'll be behind the 8-ball his rookie year, but the right organization could mold him into what they need.
World's greatest asset is his potential. It can't be cashed in on for a while, but Chicago has enough depth in the meantime, without having the true definitive answer that'd keep World from ascending in the future.
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