The Chicago Bears are entering the season as one of the teams with the highest expectations for growth across the league, following the arrival of Ben Johnson as head coach and Caleb Williams heading into his second NFL season.
And while the team is focused on 2025, mock drafts for next season are already rolling out. In this 3-round mock from PFSN, the Bears are projected to select D’Andre Swift’s long-term replacement.
Bears Predicted To Draft Nicholas Singleton in 2026 NFL Draft
In 2024, Chicago’s offense was a major problem for the team, largely due to instability on the coaching staff. The lack of structure stalled Williams’ development as a quarterback and ultimately wasted the potential of the talent around him.
The expectation now is that Johnson will fix that, bringing his creative concepts to a young Bears core to build a competitive team that can finally reach its potential. Still, one position Chicago is expected to target in the near future is running back, and that’s why, in the 2026 NFL Draft, a name to watch is Nicholas Singleton.
Nicholas Singleton is arguably the most explosive runner in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s rare to find a runner with Nick Singleton’s combination of speed, burst, and power. pic.twitter.com/nmR3PkV1FF
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) May 16, 2025
The Penn State running back is one of the most electric players in the upcoming class and is currently on the rise. In each of his three college seasons, Singleton topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage and scored at least 10 total touchdowns, contributing as both a runner and receiver out of the backfield.
In 2024, he had his best season yet with 1,474 total yards and 17 touchdowns, showing off his burst, speed, and versatility as a pass-catcher and blocker, the latter being a trait increasingly valued in today’s NFL. Given that Johnson had success with Jahmyr Gibbs, Singleton fits perfectly with his offensive vision.
According to PFSN’s mock draft, Singleton is projected to be selected at pick No. 48 in the second round, a move that would make sense as the Bears look to replace Swift, who is entering the final year of his contract and is unlikely to land a major extension based on his current trajectory.
Swift played well last season, totaling 1,345 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns, but 2025 marks his sixth year in the NFL, and it’s rare for running backs to earn big deals heading into their seventh. Still, with Johnson’s new offensive scheme, a productive season from Swift can’t be ruled out.
Singleton would join a young offensive nucleus that includes Williams, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, and Luther Burden III, all of whom will still be on rookie contracts when the 2026 draft rolls around.
The franchise is expected to keep investing in the offense to change the scenario seen in 2024, when the Bears finished 30th in the PFSN Offense+ metric, which remains the biggest question heading into this season.
