Grote breaks down his Bears mock draft (Hour 2)

In this second hour of the Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show, Mark Grody presents his 2026 NFL Draft mock draft for the Chicago Bears, revealing a bold strategy centered on addressing the team's defensive weaknesses. At pick 25, Grody selects safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren from Toledo, citing his run-stopping prowess and fit within the Bears' defensive scheme. He then trades up from 57 to 36 with the Raiders to secure Ohio State defensive tackle Caden McDonald, emphasizing McDonald’s elite run defense as a critical need after the Bears ranked 27th against the run in 2025. For his final pick, Grody selects Iowa center Logan Jones with the 60th overall pick, prioritizing experience and positional purity over draft stock. The segment is punctuated by playful banter, including a fictional return of Drew Dahlman from retirement and a humorous jab at the Bears’ stadium negotiations. The show then pivots to a heated discussion on the Bears’ stadium stalemate, with Mark Gannis suggesting Illinois Speaker Chris Welch is blocking progress—only for state rep Cam Buckner to strongly deny the claim, calling it a 'willful mischaracterization.' The episode closes with a lighthearted 'Halftime' segment where the hosts share personal food aversions, including Grody’s definitive retirement from eggplant, Tyler’s dislike of mushrooms, and Ray Diaz’s aversion to butternut squash.