After trading down nine spots, the Bears on Friday night selected Stanford tight end Sam Roush with the 69th pick in the third round of the NFL Draft.

A three-year starter for the Cardinal, the 6-6, 267-pounder appeared in 48 games over four seasons, catching 119 passes for 1,201 yards and four touchdowns. Last year he was named second-team All-ACC after establishing career highs with 49 receptions, 545 yards and two TDs.

The Bears dealt the 60th selection in the second round to the Titans in exchange for the 69th choice and a fifth-round pick (No. 144).

Roush joins a talented tight end room that features seven-year veteran Cole Kmet and second-year pro Colston Loveland.

General manager Ryan Poles described Roush as "really a good addition at the tight end spot for a team that runs a lot of 12 (one running back/two tight ends) and 13 (one running back/three tight ends) personnel."

"I think we're top five in both of those personnel groups," Poles added. "That was important to us to add a 'Y' (inline tight end) to the group. We'll have a really strong room there. Feel great about that."

In Ben Johnson's first year as coach in 2025, the Bears relied on three tight ends. Even with Kmet and Loveland both playing 16 of 17 games, third tight end Durham Smythe was still on the field for 293 snaps (25% of the season total).

"I think if you ask coach, the more the merrier in that tight end room," said Bears director of player personnel Trey Koziol. "The nice thing with Sam is that he's got the versatility to play both in-line and off the ball. So now all of a sudden you've got three versatile tight ends who can each do a little bit of everything.

"We always talk about adding competition to the room, but it really adds a lot of versatility into the offense. Now there's different packages that you could put in to combine the skill sets of all three, whether that's some 13 personnel or whether that's mixing it up in the personnel groupings that we use with 11 and 12.

"It gives you another option, and it's rare to find a tight end coming out of college that has the size and strength to hold up at the point of attack while also having the athleticism to be a threat in the pass game. If you can find one of those and then combine it with the intelligence and the football character that Sam has, adding competition and versatility to that room is huge."

Poles stressed that drafting Roush was not an indication the team is displeased with Kmet.

"Nothing changes for Cole," Poles said. "Our feelings for Cole don't change. Again, we're top five in 12 and 13 personnel. If something were to happen injury-wise to Cole or Colston, then all of a sudden you're changing a lot of game-plan stuff that is kind of your bread and butter. We feel good about that room and the guys that are in there."

The Bears certainly feel good about adding Roush to the mix.

"Coming from Stanford, [his strengths are] easy to see because they do run a lot of pro-style stuff," Koziol said. "You will see him with his hand in the ground, firing off at a defensive lineman, doing a lot of the things that translate to our level.

"He's a big man, and when you see him in person, he definitely looks the part. He runs off the ball. He's got physicality at the point of attack. He's another guy that looks to finish. You see the intensity where there's buy-in in the run game, which a lot of times at the college level can be hit or miss, especially for somebody who's been used in the pass game like he has."

Roush had contact with the Bears throughout the pre-draft process, describing his formal interview at the NFL Combine as "super cool." He also enjoyed talking to tight ends coach Jim Dray at the Senior Bowl. Dray was a tight end at Stanford from 2006-09 who played eight NFL seasons with the Cardinals, Browns, Bills, 49ers and Cardinals.

Roush is excited to join the Bears and work with Dray, Kmet and Loveland.

"I'm super fired up to be a part of what is an incredible tight end room," Roush said. "Those are guys that I can learn from, guys that have been in the league … They're veterans and there's a lot I can learn from them. Great tight ends coach as well; somebody that's played in the league and has been coaching for 10-plus years."

Asked what type of player the Bears are getting, Roush said: "I bring a physical presence to the field when I'm on it. I want to make an impact in every possible aspect of the game. Obviously, as a rookie coming in, I'm playing a lot of special teams. I want to make an impact doing that. I think in the run game, I can be a huge value. That's something that I pride myself in a lot, is my blocking and ability to kind of get on people and wear them down throughout the game."

Although tight ends generally receive more accolades for their receiving totals, Roush takes pride in his ability to block.

"I love blocking," he said. "The O-linemen are some of my favorite people on the team, and I love getting in the trenches with them and getting dirty. That's a huge part of my game that I take so much pride in and I never want to let that go. No matter how many catches you have, you've always got to come back to your roots. I feel like blocking is the gritty roots part of football; I feel like that's how you play the game the right way is putting your head down when you know you're not getting credit for it and taking one for the team."

Roush is part of a rich football bloodline. His maternal great uncle was Rams Hall of Fame defensive end Merlin Olsen. Maternal grandfather Phil Olsen played six NFL seasons, including four with brother Merlin with the Rams. And Roush's father, Luke, played safety at Duke.

Roush spent parts of his childhood living in Malaysia and Indonesia, where he played rugby. But he always felt he was destined to follow his dad, grandfather and uncle onto the gridiron.

"I lived in Asia for four years," Roush said. "It was interesting. It was different, just kind of being the odd man out. But football's in my blood and that's a big part of who I am, and I always knew it was something I was going to do."