Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles and Head Coach Ben Johnson are set to embark on their second NFL Draft together. Things went well for that duo in Year 1, with the team drafting immediate contributors such as Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, Ozzy Trapilo, and Kyle Monangai. But even after a busy transactional period at the start of the new league year, the Bears still have holes to fill. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the more promising possible Bears fits in the NFL Draft.
Potential Target, School, Position
Info: Zion Young, ED — Missouri
Measurements: 6-5, 262 pounds, 33-inch arms, 9 1/2-inch hands
Stats, Rankings, Accomplishments
STATS
2025: 42 Tackles (20 Solo), 6.5 Sacks, 2 FF, 2 PD Career: 130 Tackles (50 Solo), 11.5 Sacks, 3 FF, 5 PDNOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
First-team All-SEC (2025) Led team with 16.5 TFLs, 2 FFs while starting all 13 games in 2025.Prospect rankings: ED-5, 29th overall (ESPN), ED-7, 40th overall (PFF), ED-13, 99th overall (CBS Sports), ED-8, 37th overall (The Athletic)
Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn ImagesExisting Rumors and Bears Connections
With Chicago needing help on the defensive line, Zion Young has been a natural fit/connection to the Bears throughout the pre-draft process.
Young has been mocked to Chicago multiple times by notable insiders, and ESPN’s Matt Miller recently called Young a popular name when it comes to what Chicago could do at No. 25.
Zion Young’s NFL Draft Profile
NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein said this about the Mizzou edge rusher:
Long, well-built edge rusher with the size, strength and temperament engineered for trench battles at the next level. Young is a fiery alpha who brings immense energy to the field and locker room. He majors in block destruction using base power and aggression to play through opponents. He extends and locks out as an edge-setter and sheds when needed, but his pursuit speed and range are average. He has the power to bull rush or drive through edges, but lacks instincts and variety in his rush approach. His NFL pressure production will lag behind without better go-to moves and counters. Young’s physical tools and rugged demeanor give him a chance to be an instant run-stopping upgrade with average rush.
You can read the complete profile here.
Highlights
The Fit
This is what the Bears’ edge rusher depth chart looks like right now:
Montez Sweat Austin Booker Dayo Odeyingbo Daniel Hardy Jonathan Garvin Jamree KromahChicago’s defensive line has been the most discussed need on this roster throughout the entire pre-draft process, and Zion Young’s profile fits the conversation the Bears have been having about that position better than almost anyone else available at Pick 25.
Young is a long, physical edge rusher at 6-5, 262 pounds with 33-inch arms, and the kind of size and strength that translates immediately to the run-stopping role Chicago’s defense needs filled. Bears Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen asks edge defenders to set the edge with discipline, disrupt blockers at the point of attack, and create problems for opposing offenses before a play can even develop. Young does all of that naturally. Lance Zierlein’s scouting report describes him as someone who “majors in block destruction using base power and aggression to play through opponents,” which is a fairly precise description of what Allen has been looking for on that defensive front.
The production at Missouri reflects a player who was asked to do a lot and delivered consistently. Young led the team with 16.5 tackles for loss in 2025, added 6.5 sacks, and started all 13 games while earning first-team All-SEC honors in one of the most physically demanding conferences in college football. His 11.5 career sacks came against SEC competition that included legitimate NFL offensive line talent every week, and the fact that he generated that production primarily through power and block destruction rather than an expansive pass rush arsenal suggests there is more in the tank as his technique develops at the next level.
© John Reed-Imagn ImagesThe Bears’ connection has been consistent and credible throughout this cycle. ESPN’s Matt Miller put it plainly, describing Young as “a popular name in Chicago.” That sentiment has repeatedly shown up in mock drafts as evaluators match his physical profile to what this defense needs most. The fit makes sense on paper, and it makes sense on film, and at Pick 25, the Bears would be getting a first-team All-SEC edge rusher with the size, temperament, and run-stopping ability to contribute from Day 1.
The honest question with Young is whether the pass rush production will hold up at the next level without a more developed rush arsenal. Zierlein flags the lack of instincts and variety in his approach as the area most likely to limit his ceiling as a pass rusher, and that is a fair evaluation of where his game currently sits. But for a Bears defense that needs a physical presence on the edge who can anchor the run game and generate pressure through effort and power, Young’s limitations in that area are a developmental footnote rather than a disqualifying concern.
2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profiles For Chicago Bears Targets
Jordan Tyson, WR — Arizona State Dillon Thieneman, S — Oregon Kayden McDonald, DT — Ohio StateTHE BN BEARS PODCAST IS HERE: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
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