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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