As March continues and all 32 NFL franchises look ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears will have four picks in the top 100, including two in the second round, providing the front office with plenty of opportunities to add long-term building blocks on defense who fit Dennis Allen's scheme.
Despite adding linebackers Devin Bush and Jack Sanborn in free agency, the uncertainty surrounding T.J. Edwards injury means the front office could choose to spend one of the Bears top 100 draft selections on a linebacker to pair with Bush. One name that could be a potential fit is Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
Let's get into our scouting report on Rodriguez.
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech, (6-foot-1, 231 pounds)
From his NFL.com draft profile via Lance Zierlein:
"Rodriguez arrived in college as an offensive "athlete" and leaves Texas Tech as a bigger-than-life, stat-stuffing linebacker. He's uniquely productive, with elite tackle, interception and forced fumble production. He'll occasionally bounce out of a run fit when chasing action, but he has the burst to race back inside and finish. He's slippery working off blocks and navigating combo climbers. His lateral pursuit leaves the station on time and with a fast take-off. Rodriguez displays ballhawking instincts and outstanding hands but busted coverages were part of the package in 2025. His unbridled urgency and "make every play" mindset can inflate missed tackle totals, but the production should outweigh the occasional headaches. He projects as a long-term starting inside linebacker."
Film:
Strengths:
- Used time in college to prove that he could be an impact player by generating turnovers and consistently producing.
- Always moving and tracking the football.
- Will hit like a safety running at full speed.
- Has the necessary sideline-to-sideline speed to play in today's NFL.
- Anticipation skills show up on tape as a player who sees plays develop before they happen.
- Packs a punch and uses violence when shedding blocks to make plays.
- Motor is always humming and searching for the opportunity to make plays.
Weaknesses:
- Shorter arms may hinder him from being able to shed blocks effectively at the next level.
- Gets a little too aggressive, leading to missed tackles.
- Needs to improve in coverage. He lacks awareness when dropping back on pass plays.
- Teams may deem his frame to be a tad bit undersized for what he was asked to do in college.
Does Rodriguez fit the Bears defense?
Projecting Rodriguez's fit in the Bears is interesting. While he can be a true off-ball linebacker, a necessity in today's NFL, he lacks the awareness needed to drop back in coverage, and teams may not grade him out as being the fastest linebacker in this draft class. His athleticism is off the charts and is one of the best at his position, along with his production in college, but he cannot hold up in coverage to warrant covering tight ends and slot receivers.
Conclusion:
Projecting Rodriguez's ceiling, he will develop into a tough, scrappy player at his position, and the type of athlete who will create opportunities for the rest of the defense. It'll take him a full season to get acclimated to the rigors of the NFL game but he has a real chance of being a solid starter for any team, for at least a decade.
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