The Chicago Bears are getting prepared to improve their roster in the 2026 NFL Draft. They were able to do so earlier in the offseason, but now they are looking for fits. One outlet found the best fit for the franchise, but who is it? Let’s take a closer look at who it is.

The Chicago Bears would be a great fit for Kayden McDonald

Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman wrote an article for The Athletic discussing draft fits for players and teams. Baumgardner listed the Bears as a fit for Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald. Below is what he wrote about the possible pairing:

“McDonald reminds me quite a bit of his former Buckeyes teammate (and current Detroit Lion) Tyleik Williams. He’s a versatile 6-foot-3, 330-pound run stuffer, with an ability to chase and find the ball outside his square. McDonald has better long-term pass-rush potential than Williams and could be a legitimate three-down three-tech, because of his ability to slide over to nose when the moment requires.

The biggest drawback with McDonald right now is his youth. He only had one season as a starter in college and hasn’t quite put it all together just yet, pass-rush-wise. Bottom line, though, is that McDonald is a disruptive presence capable of pushing the pocket. He would offer immediate help to a so-so defensive interior. A long-term duo of McDonald and Gervon Dexter Sr. in the Windy City sounds like a successful one.”

McDonald has been a pick in some mock drafts for Chicago to land. He’s an All-American and national champion in his three-year collegiate career. Throughout 34 games, he recorded 85 total tackles (38 solo, 47 assisted) with 11.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, three pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and a pair of fumble recoveries.

McDonald has certainly received interest, as he has a private visit with Chicago already scheduled. Their defensive linemen need to be able to create pressure in the trenches. It will be intriguing to see if McDonald will be part of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense in 2026 and beyond.

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With the NFL draft just a month away, the Chicago Bears will have some tough decisions to make. The team will have to find a way to fill multiple holes at defense, including at defensive tackle, edge rush, and safety.

More news: Chicago Bears select secondary help in Todd McShay’s latest mock draft

With four picks in the top 100 picks in the 2026 draft, the Bears’ front office have multiple routes they can go for their first round pick.

The most logical decision would be to boost the defensive line, at either edge rusher or defensive tackle. And now, it’s been confirmed that the team has met with one of the best defensive tackle prospects available.

The Chicago Bears have met with Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald

In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo, the Ohio State standout confirmed he has met with the Bears front office.

McDonald confirmed that Chicago was among the many teams he met during interviews at the scouting combine back in February.

He also confirmed that he has a visit scheduled at Halas Hall for a top 30 visit. The Bears are among numerous NFL teams that are bringing the defensive tackle in to visit their facility this offseason.

The All-American picked up three sacks and nine tackles for loss last season with the Buckeyes and has the potential to be a top defensive player in the NFL. With the right coaching and scheme, McDonald can turn into a game changer.

Per @JustinM_NFL , The Chicago #Bears will host top DT Kayden McDonald for a top-30 visit.

McDonald is one of the top DTs in the '26 NFL Draft. Last season at Ohio State

-All-American
-14 G
-65 TOT
-9 TFL
-3 SK
-2 FF
-1 PD
-1 FR

A top option for Chicago with pick #25 pic.twitter.com/SQEJm5RQxY

— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@JAYChi_Bears) March 24, 2026

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The Chicago Bears are in a position to improve the defensive side of the football during the 2026 NFL Draft. There are some significant positions of need for the franchise before Week 1 kicks off in September, but after the combine, they have some decisions to make with the 25th pick. Let’s take a closer look at who they could be seeing on the board when they are on the clock.

The Chicago Bears select Kayden McDonald in Yahoo’s NFL mock draft

Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice and Charles McDonald wrote a one-round mock draft following the NFL Combine. For the B\ears, they would improve in the trenches by selecting Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. Below is the rationale they gave for this selection:

“Left tackle is very live here for Chicago, but the Bears must look to add beef to their defensive interior. And what better person to add beef than someone with the last name McDonald. McDonald has good bulk and is a strong run defender who actually racks up tackles rather than just plodding in the middle with his quick feet and ability to consistently shed his block. He is just an average pass rusher, but can help shore up a run defense that was prone to leaks in 2025.”

This is one of the consensus players who continues to pop up on multiple mock drafts, as it is a position of need for Chicago. McDonald was an All-American in 2025 and finished the season with 65 total tackles (31 solo, 34 assisted) with three sacks, nine tackles for loss, one pass deflection, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. With the Bears having a need to improve on the defensive line, getting a talent like McDonald would certainly bolster the pass-rush.

The ability to stop the run is a bit of a concern for him, but the Bears could improve around him to get stops in the trenches against running backs. It will be intriguing to see how general manager Ryan Poles does this offseason to improve the defense specifically.

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The Chicago Bears could be about to overhaul the defensive line.

With Gervon Dexter’s name circulating in trade rumors just after the NFL Combine, along with a need to add quality depth up front to bolster Chicago’s run-defense, it wouldn’t be surprising to see general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears prioritize selecting a defensive tackle early in April’s 2026 NFL Draft.

Chicago Bears’ target Kayden McDonald opens up about what powers his game

Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald has frequently been linked to the Chicago Bears in various mock draft projections this spring, and he could be the kind of interior pass rusher who becomes a significant upgrade along coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense.

“I pride myself on being a complete player,” McDonald said, during an appearance on the Between The Hashmarks Podcast. “On early-downs, I gotta stop the run, and on third downs, I push the pockets. If I can’t get there, I get my hands up.

“The way I can take my game to the next level is turning my pressures into sacks, and give my offense the chance to get the ball, go down the field, and score to win. That’s how I’m going to turn my game up once I get to the league.”

McDonald, 6-foot-3 and 326 pounds, is the rare breed of player who is as dominant against the run as he is collapsing the pocket and generating pressure up the middle on opposing quarterbacks.

Last season, McDonald produced a career-high 65 total tackles with three sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

And, while McDonald takes significant pride in stopping the run, the former Ohio State standout says he boasts a deep repertoire of pass rush moves as he aims to become a “complete’ Player at the next level.

“I’ve got a couple,” McDonald said, of the moves in his pass rush tool box. “I’ve got a quick-swim move, and a power rush to my club rep.

“Just, really, I play off my effort. You watch the film, you know those four-quarter games, in the biggest games, I show up, and I show up at a high level.”

With the draft looming and the interior of the line in flux, McDonald’s ‘big game’ pedigree could be exactly what the Bears need to transform a weakness into a definitive strength in 2026.

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The Seattle Seahawks built a Super Bowl juggernaut with staying power, around a physical running game and swarming defense, but the Chicago Bears might be about to punch back.

Seattle’s power running game, behind the duo of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet opened up so much of what Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and A.J. Barner were able to accomplish in the passing game. The Seahawks, as well as Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles, Christian McCaffrey and the San Francisco 49ers, and Josh Jacobs and the Green Bay Packers could all factor into the Bears’ bid to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in the years ahead.

General manager Ryan Poles and the Bears have some major decisions to make this offseason, especially on defense, but few priorities rank higher on the list than fortifying the front seven and gearing up to be better against the run next fall.

Chicago Bears linked to Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald

Over at Pro Football Focus, analyst Gordon McGuinness released his latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft projection, with the Bears emerging with Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald at No. 25 overall.

“McDonald may never be an elite pass rusher,” McGuinness writes. “But he’s so good against the run that I’m not sure it matters. He earned a 91.2 PFF run-defense grade in 2025, and with run-heavy formations on the rise again in the NFL, it’s never a bad idea to draft an elite 326-pound run defender.”

At 6-foot-3 and 326 pounds, is more than a space eater, as he produced a career-high 65 total tackles last season in Columbus, with three sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery, as a disruptive force in opposing backfields.

Adding McDonald would be a huge tactical addition for Poles, coordinator Dennis Allen, and the Bears’ defense, given the types of schemes Chicago is going to have to navigate through in the postseason in the years ahead.

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A highly-rated defensive tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes has been linked to the Chicago Bears by the NFL’s analyst. This is ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Bears are looking to build on an impressive run in the 2025 NFL season under head coach Ben Johnson. In Johnson’s debut season, the Bears won their first playoff game in 15 years. They also finished with an 11-6 record, clinching the NFC North title for the first time since 2018.

With all that over, the Bears now turn their attention to the upcoming NFL draft, wherein they will be selecting No. 25 in the first round. One prospect that should be on their radar is Buckeyes defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.

Kayden McDonald, a potential draft pick for the Chicago Bears

McDonald, a 6-foot-3, 326-pound defensive tackle, is widely projected to be a late pick in the first round of the draft. He entered Ohio State as a four-star recruit and had a top-12-ranked DT from North Gwinnett High School in Georgia.

In high school, McDonald finished his prep career with 46 sacks and 131 tackles for loss. He also contributed offensively in short-yardage situations. With the Buckeyes, he worked his way into the defensive line rotation and played in all 16 games during the 2024 CFP championship run.

In Chad Reuter’s latest mock draft for NFL.com, he has the Bears picking McDonald 25th overall.

“The Bears are looking for a defensive tackle to control the line of scrimmage, so they are thrilled to see McDonald available here,” Reuter wrote.

The NFL describes McDonald as a talented run defender who plays with natural leverage. His overview also stated that he quickly locates ball-carriers, plays off blocks and rallies to the action. Aside from McDonald’s exploits on the field, he was also named OSU Scholar-Athlete twice. He also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

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The Chicago Bears are coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory, but that does not mean they can afford to make lateral moves this offseason. Addressing some major needs in the 2026 NFL draft is going to be critical. There are some intriguing players who could still be available when the Bears are officially on the clock, but one publication believes they should be targeting this defensive lineman when the time comes. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what he could provide Chicago.

The Chicago Bears draft Kayden McDonald in PFF’s latest mock draft

Pro Football Focus’s Max Chadwick has created a mock draft following the conclusion of Super Bowl LX. In the mock draft, he has the Bears selecting defensive linemen Kayden McDonald, which he writes the following as his reasoning for the selection:

“No Bears defensive tackle earned a 60.0 PFF overall grade this season. The front office addresses those woes by picking up McDonald, who led all FBS interior defenders with a 91.2 PFF run-defense grade in 2025. His 86.5 PFF overall grade was the best mark in the Power Four.”

McDonald has played three years with Ohio State, but not really seeing much action in his freshman season. Overall, he has 85 total tackles (38 solo, 47 assisted) with three pass deflections, three sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. The Bears have a few defensive linemen who are under contract for the 2026 season, but getting improvements there would certainly help. Getting to beef up the defensive line with McDonald and second-round pick in the 2025 draft, Shemar Turner, would certainly make it difficult for interior offensive linemen to stop them. It will be intriguing to see what general manager Ryan Poles believes he needs to do with his draft picks this coming April.

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The Chicago Bears might be on the cusp of a defensive overhaul this offseason.

While general manager Ryan Poles, the front office, and coaching staff have some major questions to answer in the secondary, with JaQuan Brisker, Kevin Byard, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson all set to become free agents, Chicago might sink some serious resources into fortifying the front seven.

After all, for all of the takeaway havoc coordinator Dennis Allen’s secondary was able to create and thrive in, the Bears’ pass rush left much to be desired, so it wouldn’t be the least bit shocking to see Poles and Chicago prioritize adding blue-chip talent along the defensive line and at linebacker during free agency and April’s NFL Draft.

Chicago Bears linked to Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald

Given that the Bears’ defense finished 25th in the league against the run in 2025, it’s easy to see why improving up front along the line of scrimmage could be a top organizational priority this offseason.

Over at NFL Media, analyst Bucky Brooks projects the Bears will plug the hole along the interior of the defensive line by selecting Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald with the No. 25 overall pick.

“Beefing up the interior will help coordinator Dennis Allen improve a porous run defense,” Brooks writes. “That ranked 29th in rushing yards allowed per carry (5.0) in 2025. McDonald’s disruptive presence as a supersized defensive tackle could quickly help the Bears solve their biggest defensive problem.”

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The Chicago Bears are gearing up for their NFC Divisional Round matchup at home against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night, but it’s never too early to look at the 2026 NFL Draft. While the team still has things they want to accomplish this postseason, there are needs that they are going to need to improve upon. Let’s take a look at what position one publication’s recent mock draft has them taking and which player they draft.

The Chicago Bears improve on the defensive line in PFF’s mock draft

Pro Football Focus’s College Football Analyst Max Chadwick wrote a one-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft. In that, he had the Bears with the 25th pick and selecting defensive lineman Kayden McDonald from the Ohio State Buckeyes. Below is the snippet he wrote for this selection:

“Every Bears defensive tackle has a 60.0 PFF grade or worse this year. McDonald leads all interior defenders with a 91.2 PFF run-defense grade, while his 86.5 overall PFF grade leads all Power Four ones.”

It seems that every mock draft has Chicago selecting a defensive lineman, as it appears to be the team’s biggest need this offseason. Daniel Hardy, Andrew Billings, and Dominique Robinson are all free agents following this year and the Bears need to figure out how to create pressure. With their offensive weapons from last year’s draft making an immediate impact, getting a player who can win battles in the trenches against some difficult interior offensive linemen will be critical.

McDonald spent three seasons with the Buckeyes and has tallied 85 total tackles (38 solo, 47 assisted) with three pass deflections, three sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. However, it was only this season that he was a starter and saw significant time on the field. He certainly has shown the talent ,and at 6-foot-3, 326 pounds, he has the body to succeed on Sundays in the Windy City.

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