Kayden McDonald Emerging as Bears' Top Choice to Fill Weak Defensive Interior

The Chicago Bears may target the Ohio State defensive tackle with their first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:50pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the forceful movements of a defensive tackle making a tackle, the player's form broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange.A fractured, cubist-inspired illustration captures the raw power and athleticism of a dominant defensive tackle disrupting the offense.Chicago Today

The Chicago Bears are reportedly leaning towards selecting defensive tackle Kayden McDonald with their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to several ESPN analysts. McDonald is widely viewed as one of the top defensive tackles in this year's class, along with Clemson's Peter Woods. However, Woods has seen his draft stock fall in recent months due to a down season and injury concerns during the pre-draft process.

Why it matters

The Bears had the sixth-worst run defense in the NFL last season, so adding a dominant run-stopping defensive tackle like McDonald could be a priority. While McDonald may not offer the same pass-rushing upside as Woods, his elite run defense skills could make him the better fit for the Bears' needs.

The details

ESPN's Field Yates, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid all believe McDonald, not Woods, will be the first defensive tackle selected in the 2026 draft. Miller says he doesn't have either player ranked in his top 40, but the "word around the league" is that McDonald will be the first DT off the board, potentially in the first round. Reid notes that McDonald has been the "most consistent defensive tackle" in the class and being healthy has helped his stock. McDonald also previously stated that he gets the feeling he's the Bears' "No. 1 guy" at the position.

  • The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in late April.

The players

Kayden McDonald

A defensive tackle prospect from Ohio State who is widely viewed as one of the top players at his position in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Peter Woods

A defensive tackle prospect from Clemson who was once considered a potential top-10 pick, but has seen his draft stock fall due to a down 2025 season and injury concerns during the pre-draft process.

Field Yates

An ESPN analyst who believes Kayden McDonald will be the first defensive tackle selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Matt Miller

An ESPN analyst who says the "word around the league" is that Kayden McDonald will be the first defensive tackle off the board, even though Miller doesn't have McDonald ranked in his own top 40 prospects.

Jordan Reid

An ESPN analyst who says Kayden McDonald has been the "most consistent defensive tackle" in the 2026 draft class and believes he will be selected inside the top 40 picks.

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What they’re saying

“Kayden McDonald has been the most consistent defensive tackle in this class, and being healthy has helped, also.”

— Jordan Reid, ESPN Analyst

“The word around the league is that Kayden McDonald will go first.”

— Matt Miller, ESPN Analyst

What’s next

The Bears will have the opportunity to select Kayden McDonald or Peter Woods with their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which takes place in late April.

The takeaway

By targeting Kayden McDonald, a dominant run-stopping defensive tackle, the Bears could address a major weakness on their defense and improve their run defense, which was one of the worst in the NFL last season. While McDonald may not offer the same pass-rushing upside as Peter Woods, his elite skills against the run could make him the better fit for the Bears' needs.