The 2026 NFL draft saw a lot of firsts and historic picks for the Chicago Bears. Their highly graded selection of Dillon Thieneman marked the first time since 1990 that the Bears had drafted a safety in the first round, and the Jordan van den Berg pick in Round 6 marked the first time in NFL history that a South African-born player heard his name called in the NFL draft. Historic picks are nice, but that doesn't guarantee that these rookies will be difference makers for the Bears. They still have to prove themselves on the field once football is played. With that in mind, here are four bold predictions for Chicago's 2026 rookie class. 1. Dillon Thieneman will be a rookie Pro Bowler Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Let's start with a take that's about as bold as it gets. Yes, Thieneman is going to be a Pro Bowler in his very first NFL season. He's such a tremendous athlete, and he understands the game of football at a higher level than anyone else his age.…