Sportsvival continues its 2026 NFL Draft division-by-division breakdown, and this time we move to the NFC North. This was not one of our favorite divisions overall. Chicago came away with the best grade because of value, especially with Dillon Thieneman and Logan Jones, but Minnesota, Detroit, and Green Bay all left us wanting more.
The Bears found some real pieces. The Vikings had a lot of picks but did not do much that felt exciting for their 2026 roster. Detroit took players Sportsvival thought could have been available later, and Green Bay had a quiet class without a first-round pick.
Chicago Bears, Grade: B
Bears Draft Picks
Round 1, Pick 25, S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Round 2, Pick 57, IOL Logan Jones, Iowa
Round 3, Pick 69, TE Sam Roush, Stanford
Round 3, Pick 89, WR Zavion Thomas, LSU
Round 4, Pick 124, CB Malik Muhammad, Texas
Round 4, Pick 166, LB Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State
Round 6, Pick 213, DL Jordan van den Berg, Georgia Tech
The Bears had the best draft in the NFC North in Sportsvival’s eyes. Dillon Thieneman was strong value at pick 25 and gives Chicago a smart, physical safety who can help the secondary right away. He was one of the better defensive backs in this class and fits the type of tone-setting player the Bears needed.
Logan Jones may end up being the steal of this class for Chicago. Interior offensive linemen do not always get fans excited, but Jones has the toughness, movement skills, and football IQ to become a long-term starter. Chicago also added weapons with Sam Roush and Zavion Thomas, while Malik Muhammad gives them cornerback depth. This was not a flashy class from top to bottom, but it made sense and had enough value to earn a solid B.
Detroit Lions, Grade: C+
Lions Draft Picks
Round 1, Pick 17, OT Blake Miller, Clemson
Round 2, Pick 44, EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan
Round 4, Pick 118, LB Jimmy Rolder, Michigan
Round 5, Pick 157, CB Keith Abney II, Arizona State
Round 5, Pick 168, WR Kendrick Law, Kentucky
Round 6, Pick 205, DT Skyler Gill-Howard, Texas Tech
Round 7, Pick 222, EDGE Tyre West, Tennessee
Detroit added toughness, size, and defensive depth, but Sportsvival was not in love with the value. Blake Miller fills a need up front, and Derrick Moore gives the Lions another edge piece, but both picks felt like players Detroit may have been able to land later depending on how the board developed.
Jimmy Rolder, Keith Abney II, Kendrick Law, Skyler Gill-Howard, and Tyre West all bring traits, but this class lacked the true punch Detroit needed. The Lions are still a good roster, and some of these players could develop into contributors, but this draft felt more like depth-building than roster-changing. For a team trying to stay near the top of the NFC, Sportsvival expected more.
Green Bay Packers, Grade: C
Packers Draft Picks
Round 2, Pick 52, CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
Round 3, Pick 77, DL Chris McClellan, Missouri
Round 4, Pick 120, EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Round 5, Pick 153, IOL Jager Burton, Kentucky
Round 6, Pick 201, CB Domani Jackson, Alabama
Round 6, Pick 216, PK Trey Smack, Florida
Green Bay did not have a first-round pick, and that made this class feel limited from the start. Brandon Cisse was a solid second-round addition and gives the Packers needed help at cornerback. Chris McClellan and Dani Dennis-Sutton add size and depth to the defensive front, but neither pick completely changed the feel of the draft.
The Packers did add defensive pieces, but Sportsvival did not see enough impact value across the board. Jager Burton gives them interior offensive line depth, Domani Jackson is an interesting late corner, and Trey Smack gives them a kicker, but overall this class felt average. Green Bay addressed areas of need, but it did not feel like a draft that moves the roster forward in a major way.
Minnesota Vikings, Grade: C-
Vikings Draft Picks
Round 1, Pick 18, DL Caleb Banks, Florida
Round 2, Pick 51, LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
Round 3, Pick 82, DL Domonique Orange, Iowa State
Round 3, Pick 97, OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
Round 3, Pick 98, S Jakobe Thomas, Miami
Round 5, Pick 159, HB Max Bredeson, Michigan
Round 5, Pick 163, CB Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin
Round 6, Pick 198, RB Demond Clairborne, Wake Forest
Round 7, Pick 235, C Gavin Gerhardt, Cincinnati
Minnesota had nine picks, but Sportsvival did not come away excited about the class. Caleb Banks is talented, but taking him at 18 felt like a stretch. Jake Golday, Domonique Orange, Caleb Tiernan, and Jakobe Thomas all fill roster spots, but none of those picks felt like true difference-makers for the 2026 roster.
The Vikings seemed to be chasing needs instead of letting the board fall to them. Max Bredeson, Charles Demmings, Demond Clairborne, and Gavin Gerhardt could become depth pieces, but this class lacked the type of high-end impact Minnesota needed. Sportsvival sees a lot of “maybe” in this group, and not enough immediate help.
Final NFC North Thoughts
The NFC North did not have the strongest overall draft. Chicago came away with the best value and the clearest path to early contributions. Detroit and Green Bay added some useful pieces, but both classes felt underwhelming. Minnesota had volume, but Sportsvival thought they stretched too often and failed to add the type of exciting talent that could change their 2026 outlook.
Final NFC North Grades
Chicago Bears, B
Detroit Lions, C+
Green Bay Packers, C
Minnesota Vikings, C-