Bears Hosting Top Defensive Prospects for Pre-Draft Visits

Chicago's draft plans come into focus with visits from Kayden McDonald and Zion Young

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:05am

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The Chicago Bears are hosting top defensive prospects Kayden McDonald, a defensive tackle from Ohio State, and Zion Young, a defensive end from Missouri, for pre-draft visits. This suggests the Bears are focused on addressing their defensive line needs in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, where they hold the 25th overall pick.

Why it matters

The Bears' defensive line was a weakness last season, so shoring up that unit through the draft is a clear priority for GM Ryan Poles. By bringing in McDonald and Young for visits, the team is signaling they are strongly considering using their first-round pick on a defensive lineman to help turn around the defense.

The details

McDonald is considered one of the safer defensive tackle prospects in the draft, projected to be selected in the 20s. Young is a more polarizing edge rusher, with some analysts projecting him as a first-round pick while others have him going later. The Bears could opt to select McDonald at 25 or potentially trade up in the second round to nab Young if he starts to slide down the board.

  • The 2026 NFL Draft is just four weeks away.
  • The Bears are hosting their Top 30 pre-draft visits with prospects.

The players

Kayden McDonald

A defensive tackle prospect from Ohio State who is considered one of the safest options at his position in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Zion Young

A defensive end prospect from Missouri who has received mixed draft projections, with some analysts viewing him as a potential first-round pick.

Ryan Poles

The general manager of the Chicago Bears, who is overseeing the team's draft preparations and roster-building strategy.

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What they’re saying

“While it's true that the Bears did not draft a single prospect with whom they held a Top 30 visit in Ben Johnson's first year as head coach, as Gene Chamberlin detailed in his analysis of Kayden McDonald's Halas Hall visit, one draft is a small sample size, and it would be premature to say that Poles has no intention of selecting these players. I see these first two Top 30 visits as an indication of the opposite intention.”

— Pete Martuneac, Author

What’s next

The Bears will continue their pre-draft visits and evaluations over the next few weeks as they finalize their 2026 draft strategy. Fans will be closely watching to see if the team ends up selecting either McDonald or Young, or potentially trades up to acquire one of them.

The takeaway

By hosting top defensive line prospects for pre-draft visits, the Chicago Bears are signaling that upgrading their defensive front is a clear priority heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. This could lead to the team using their first-round pick on a defensive lineman like Kayden McDonald or potentially trading up to land a player like Zion Young.