Caden Barnett 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Chicago Bears IOL

The Chicago Bears are reportedly signing Wyoming IOL Caden Barnett as an undrafted rookie free agent, according to the school.

Caden Barnett is a barrel-chested, powerful in-line blocker without much wiggle who can dig out down linemen on angle-drive blocks, feeds on doubles, and pulls but will lean, overextend and be tardy to recover against slippery defenders. Barnett projects as a developmental guard with the right wiring and enough tools to have his best football come as a pro.

Barnett is a 6'4", 316-pound offensive line guard who entered the Wyoming program as a 3-star recruit in the 2021 class.

Barnett started 35 career games at right tackle (23) and right guard (12), including all 12 of those right guard starts coming in 2025. The former Cowboy trained for the combine at OL Masterminds and played in the Shrine Bowl.

Brandon Thorn: Brandon is the author of the Trench Warfare newsletter, which focuses exclusively on offensive and defensive line evaluation. He also contributes as an analyst to Establish the Run, serves as the scouting coordinator for OL Masterminds and is a selection committee member for the Joe Moore Award. 

Highlights

Caden Barnett Highlights

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Where He Wins

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— Good square power to deliver jolt at the point of attack and dig out defenders in the post on double-teams, pulls and down blocks.

— Has the lower body strength and firm base to eat power down the middle in his anchor.

— Will overwhelm and bury smaller targets that get caught on his track.

— Flashes an effective inside/drag hand to slow down and collect counter moves across his face.

Areas of Improvement

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— Sawed off build with inconsistent strike timing creates soft edges and short corners.

— Struggles to stay attached, re-leverage and keep his balance against slippery defenders late in reps.

— Will play short on base blocks exposing his chest and leaving him vulnerable against the push-pull technique.

Grade, Rank and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 6.0 (Developmental Prospect - Late 5th/Early 6th Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: KT Leveston (6.0 in 2024), Atonio Mafi (5.6 in 2023), Cordell Volson (5.7 in 2022)

OVERALL RANK: 223

POSITION RANK: IOL26

PRO COMPARISON: Discount Gennings Dunker

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 6'4"
Weight: 316
Arm: 33 ⅜"
Hand: 9 ½"

40-Yard Dash: 5.03
10-Yard Split: 1.73
Vertical: 31"
Broad: 8'9"
Shuttle: 4.63
3-Cone: 7.65
Bench: 22