Every team in the NFC North finished with a winning record in the 2025 NFL Season, and with the NFL having seven teams per conference making the playoffs, it is possible for an entire division to get into the postseason.
With Minnesota adding Kyler Murray, they may have just filled one of the biggest positional needs in the NFL this offseason and could build on their nine-win season in 2025. All of Chicago, Detroit, and Green Bay are in solid spots and have the ability to also make the postseason.
But the 2026 NFL Draft could tell us a lot about the direction of these teams for 2026. Let's outline the ideal first pick for each team in the NFC North.
Ideal first NFL Draft picks for every single team in the NFC North
Detroit Lions - Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
The Detroit Lions, ideally, should kick right tackle Penei Sewell to the left side, let him be an All-Pro on the blindside, and snag a right tackle prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. This would be the ideal situation for the offensive line, as Sewell is still going to be a top-tier tackle and will have the ability to continue his dominant play over on the left side, protecting Jared Goff's blindside.
Detroit should then target someone like Spencer Fano, an interesting prospect from Utah. He has played both tackle spots but might be just barely undersized for the position, but he is a first-round prospect and is largely seen as someone who can hold up at tackle. Fano can be a solid right tackle and would insert into a very solid situation in Detroit, as they sport one of the best offenses in the league and one of the most well-coached offensive lines in the NFL.
Minnesota Vikings - Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
The Harrison Smith situation is not currently finalized at this point, but you can find a million mock drafts with the Minnesota Vikings selecting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, and it makes sense. Thieneman is one of the best defensive back prospects in this year's draft, and the Vikings do have a burning need at the position, even if the legendary Smith were to return for one more season.
He ran a 4.35 forty-yard dash at the NFL Combine, jumped 41 inches in the vertical, and had a broad jump of over 10 feet. The atheticism jumps out on tape, too, and he's such a well-rounded player that he can play any role on the backend of the defense, perhaps developing into a swiss army knife for Brian Flores, the team's defensive coordinator.
Chiago Bears - Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
Another NFC North team with a need at safety, the Chicago Bears signed Coby Bryant to a big-time deal in free agency but did let all of Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, and CJ Gardner-Johnson sign with new teams. Cam Lewis is the other projected starter at the position, but he's not a slam-dunk solution.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, though, would be. He's a big, physical safety who can help out as a run defender, and that's one area where the Bears struggled big-time in 2025. Despite the secondary forcing a ton of turnovers in 2025, it's obvious that General Manager Ryan Poles wants to find a more well-rounded, complete solution. McNeil-Warren can help that idea come to life for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Green Bay Packers - Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Simply put, the Green Bay Packers have a burning, obvious need at cornerback, but do not have a first-round pick this year. Trading for linebacker Zaire Franklin did cover up the linebacker need for the time being, and there is enough younger talent on the offensive line to justify not using their first pick, in the second round, on a lineman prospect.
Chris Johnson is a Round 2 cornerback prospect and is simply filling a need here. Many front offices operate on a best player available basis, but that isn't always smart to do, as other positions could then be neglected. Johnson had four interceptions and eight passes defended in 2025, so the ball skills are there.