Keyshaun Elliott Gives Bears Versatile Skill Set, Locker Room Leadership

GettyLinebacker Keyshaun Elliott of Arizona State pressures quarterback Quinn Ewers of Texas.

Elliott spent four years in college football, playing his last two campaigns at Arizona State. Lance Zierlein of NFL Network projected Elliott as a fifth-round prospect, extolling his virtues of “work ethic and football character.”

Brugler also noted Elliott’s leadership and a mentality that should transition seamlessly to a high-energy, accountable NFL locker room like the one Chicago has cultivated. However, Brugler was more complimentary than Zierlein of Elliott’s on-field prowess, projecting a potentially higher ceiling and a third-round grade.

“He combined for more than 300 career tackles and was the only player from a power conference in 2025 with 90-plus tackles, 14-plus tackles for loss and seven-plus sacks,” Brugler wrote prior to the draft.

“Elliott has good size and speed for the position, with the read-react instincts to trigger and go,” Brugler continued. “A high school quarterback, he does a great job picking up on pre-snap clues and meets contact with violence as a downhill tackler. In coverage, he has functional athleticism but needs to see things faster.”

Bears Put Together Strong First 2 Days of NFL Draft

GettyHead coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.

Brugler graded the Bears’ draft in totality as the 19th-best out of 32 teams, slotting it in just slightly below average.

The capital a team has at its disposal, however, factors into any such calculations, and it is difficult to argue too fervently against either of the decisions Chicago made across the first two rounds.

Selecting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick, when several reputable mocks had him coming off the board in the mid-to-late teens, was found money for head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles.

Meanwhile, second-round pick Logan Jones out of Iowa, potentially the longterm center moving forward, was a solid choice at No. 57 overall and could challenge the recently acquired Garrett Bradbury for the starting job as early as Week 1.

Chicago’s decision-making was a little more curious after that, though tight end Sam Roush in Round 3 (No. 69) has high upside and can step in for Cole Kmet as a cheaper option in 2027 and beyond. Roush also affords Johnson some optionality with three-TE sets next season — a formation popularized by Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams last year.

The Bears finished out Day 2 by picking wide receiver Zavion Thomas out of LSU at No. 89 overall in Round 3, well above where most analysts had him graded. That said, Thomas was among the fastest players at the NFL combine in February, posting a 4.28-second 40-yard dash. His athletic skill set is in lockstep with how the Bears approached their entire 2026 draft class.