One of the top interior defensive line prospects has a visit to Halas Hall on the horizon.
In an exclusive with Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo, Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald says he has a Top 30 visit scheduled with the Chicago Bears. To be clear, the Bears aren’t the only team McDonald plans to meet with in the near future. The Ohio State product lists the Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Washington Commanders, and Baltimore Ravens as teams he will meet.
“Every team that needs a physical defensive tackle has been in touch with me,” McDonald said.
And if you look at his profile, you can understand why McDonald is a popular prospect right now.
© Joseph Maiorana-Imagn ImagesKayden McDonald has a Top 30 visit lined up with the Bears
When the Bears host Kayden McDonald on a Top 30 visit, just know that it won’t be the first time the two have gotten together. McDonald says he had formal interviews with the Bears, Steelers, Colts, Panthers, Vikings, Broncos, Bengals, Cardinals, Ravens, Rams, and Chargers. Given his profile, college production, and future projection, it doesn’t take a football genius to see why McDonald is seemingly on every wish list of a team that has to address needs along the interior of the defensive line.
Unless something unexpected happens, Kayden McDonald will be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. McDonald is one of the most accomplished defensive tackle prospects in this class. He was a unanimous All-American, first-team All-Big Ten performer, and the conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2025. After watching McDonald collect three sacks, pick up nine tackles-for-loss, and force two fumbles in 14 games for the Buckeyes last year, you can see why voters (and fans … and NFL talent evaluators) are digging his game. But will he make it to the Bears at pick No. 25? That is a fair question to ask at this stage of the pre-draft process.
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Given the performance of returning interior defensive linemen and the offseason additions of depth players at the position, things are setting up nicely for Chicago to select someone like Kayden McDonald in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft. To that end, ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. had Kayden McDonald going to the Bears in each of his first two mock drafts of the 2026 calendar year. However, Kiper’s most recent mock draft has Chicago choosing Missouri edge defender Zion Young. Perhaps what is more stunning regarding that particular mock is that McDonald falls out of Round 1 altogether. Hmmm. I find that to be odd.
We are less than a month away from the 2026 NFL Draft. At some point, we will get clarity regarding the best prospects and fits for the Bears with pick No. 25 (and elsewhere). I fully expect we will hear more chatter connecting Chicago and Kayden McDonald between now and when the team goes on the clock with its first pick. And while the Bears could go in a number of different ways, I would not be opposed to this front office hitching its wagon to the Ohio State star.
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