There are a lot of positions of need for the Chicago Bears going into the 2026 NFL Draft, but the defensive line needs a lot of work.
The Bears have already done some work in free agency at defensive tackle with James Lynch, Neville Gallimore, and Kentavius Street, but none of them are seen as legit starters. Even at edge rusher, outside of Montez Sweat and Austin Booker, the Bears don't have the best options there and haven't really addressed the position.
A to Z Sports reporter Kole Noble shared an Instagram image from Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald at his visit with the Bears. McDonald had 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery last season with the Buckeyes, resulting in a first-team All-American selection.
Kayden McDonald officially takes his visit with Bears
A lot of mock drafts have the Bears taking a defensive tackle in the first round, with either McDonald or Clemson's Peter Woods being the common names. McDonald might not even make it to the Bears at 25, as he has been projected to go sooner than that in some mock drafts.
Chicago wouldn't mind having McDonald on their team as he would be seen as an instant starter. Grady Jarrett might be hitting the end of his career after a massively disappointing first year with the Bears. Gervon Dexter would make a good partner with McDonald, as Dexter is more of the pass-rushing tackle, while McDonald's strength is in stopping the run.
A big advantage for McDonald is that he has been playing out of a pro-style defense over the last year with Matt Patricia as his defensive coordinator. That will make the transition to the NFL a lot easier.
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If McDonald is sitting there at 25 for the Bears, it might be hard for general manager Ryan Poles to pass up the chance to get him, as he would be seen as the best available there.