The NFC North race could come down to more than established stars in 2026. A few newcomers from the 2026 NFL Draft could play a major role in deciding which team comes out on top.
With Week 1 of the 2026 NFL schedule set to kick off, NFL Mocks continues the most important rookie series on the first-year players who could play key roles, whether filling roster holes or adding depth in areas of need.
In a competitive division featuring the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, here is a look at the first-year talent that could make the difference in who comes out on top.
Which rookies could make the biggest impact in the NFC North?
Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon (No. 25 overall)
With the selection of Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bears didn’t just get a player considered one of the top safeties in the draft. They got a complete football player and a leader who can take command of the defensive backfield.
After securing the starting strong safety role coming out of training camp and the preseason, Thieneman is expected to play an important role on the Bears’ defense. What makes him most important is his scheme versatility. As he showed at Oregon, he’ll be a defensive chess piece in the Bears’ defense due to his ability to adapt to whatever role he is put into.
Not only does he offer the versatility to play deep safety as well as slot nickel, but he also makes an impact with his physicality inside the box, giving the Bears another defender who can help limit an opposing team’s run game.
In all, I don’t know if Thieneman will be among the top rookies in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year race, but he’ll be a big reason for the Bears’ success in 2026.
Detroit Lions: Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State (No. 157 overall)
The Detroit Lions enter the 2026 NFL season light at the cornerback position. In need of depth, the Lions will be counting on fifth-round pick Keith Abney II to provide it and become a key rotational player in the secondary.
As a mid-round pick, the Arizona State product doesn’t have high expectations, but he has the talent to be much more than the Lions expect. Quite frankly, they are going to need it. With D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin leading the unit, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard will look to utilize Abney II as a rotational nickel cornerback who can also play on the boundary if either Reed or Ya-Sin goes down with an injury.
What also makes Abney the most important rookie for the Lions is his ability to play special teams. That’s where his tackling and instincts will stand out. Along with his versatility as a secondary defender and special teams contributor, the Lions will welcome his overall physical nature as a cornerback.
That is what will earn him more snaps and perhaps a bigger role in the Lions’ secondary by the end of the season.
Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina (No. 52 overall)
The theme in the most important rookies series as we explore the NFC North is teams needing help in the secondary. The Packers addressed their need at cornerback with the selection of Brandon Cisse with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Unlike Abney II, Cisse does come with higher expectations given where he was drafted by the Packers.
As a cornerback projected as a late Day 1 pick, the Packers getting him with their top pick in the draft could and should be considered a steal by season’s end. The Packers believe so, too, as Cisse will be a starter alongside veteran Keisean Nixon. That makes him the most important rookie for the Packers, not just because he was their highest-drafted player, but because of the need and fit.
In a division that features top wide receiver talent like Justin Jefferson and Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Packers will depend on Cisse’s ability to play press coverage and match up one-on-one with those elite talents. Can he grow into that guy for the Packers? If he does, the Packers will have a good chance to take the division crown.
Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida (No. 18 overall)
The Vikings moved on from veteran defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen in the offseason and will depend on younger players to secure the middle of the line in 2026. While Levi Drake Rodriguez and Jalen Redmond are expected to step into larger roles, the future at the position, as far as potential star power, is Caleb Banks.
Selected with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Banks has the size, athleticism and upside to be a major factor on the defensive line in his rookie season. The question surrounding Banks is his injury history, as he has undergone three surgeries on his left foot.
When healthy, however, the Florida product is an absolute disrupter in the middle of the line due to his large frame and power as a run stopper, along with his quickness and explosiveness in getting after the passer from the interior.
While the Vikings aren’t solely depending on Banks to be a Year 1 game wrecker in the middle of the line, the ability is there. If he can stay healthy, he can be a big factor in the Vikings’ defense in 2026.
The NFC North should be one of the more competitive divisions in the NFL in 2026, which makes the impact of these four rookies even more important. Whether it’s Thieneman and Banks making an immediate impact or Cisse and Abney strengthening areas of need, each could have a say in which team ultimately comes out on top.
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