Dominant Senior Bowl standout Lee Hunter could plug holes and bolster the Bears' struggling defensive line at pick 25.
It's no secret that the defensive line has been an enigma for the Chicago Bears in the last few years.
Montez Sweat became the first Chicago player since Robert Quinn (2021) to finish with 10 sacks or more in a season. Quinn had a whopping 18.5 sacks that year, while Sweat finished with 10 in 2025.
The sacks have not come easily for the Bears. This past season, the Bears ranked 22nd in the NFL in sacks with 35.
It was also not very hard to run the ball on the Bears' defensive line. Chicago allowed the sixth-most rushing yards (134.5) per game in 2025.
There have been rumors that the Bears are interested in trading for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Even General Manager Ryan Poles smiled when asked about potentially trading for Crosby.
The possibility of a Khalil Mack reunion has also been discussed. Mack was last with the Bears from 2018-2021. His one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers has expired, and he is hitting the free agent market.
Aside from the veterans Chicago could bring in, there's a player who has been catching the eye of many scouts at the Senior Bowl. Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter has been impressing and could definitely help Chicago stop the run.
Hunter had 41 total tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble with the Red Raiders in 2025. He played for three teams in college, starting his career at Auburn in 2021. He then transferred to UCF in 2022 and Texas Tech in 2025.
He comes in at a whopping 6-foot-4, 325 pounds.
The Bears have the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This year it'll be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Bears secured that pick after reaching the Divisional Round in the playoffs.
Chicago lost 20-17 in overtime to the Los Angeles Rams, effectively ending their season.
Multiple mock drafts have already tabbed Chicago picking a defensive lineman.
Poles drafted Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Ozzy Trapilo, Shemar Turner, Ruben Hyppolite, Zah Frazier, Luke Newman and Kyle Monangai last April. Out of those rookies, Loveland, Trapilo, Burden and Monangai all had starting roles in some capacity.
Having that much production out of half the rookies you draft is never a bad thing.
We'll have to wait and see who Poles drafts in April, but if Hunter falls to Chicago, he should definitely consider taking him.