The Chicago Bears continue to see one defensive theme in early 2026 mock drafts, and Mel Kiper Jr.'s Mock Draft 2.0 is no exception.
As for that them? It's all about the Bears fixing their defensive line.
In Kiper's mock draft, Chicago lands a familiar name at No. 25 overall: Ohio State's Kayden McDonald.
"It's probably a little early for Texas A&M's Cashius Howell, Clemson's T.J. Parker or Oklahoma's R Mason Thomas," Kiper wrote. "The Bears obviously need more edge rush support, but the board just isn't lining up. But with Gervon Dexter Sr. signed for only one more season and Grady Jarrett turning 33 in April, it would make sense to pad the defensive tackle group. McDonald is actually the DT1 on my Big Board, and he has a nose for the football. He had 17 run stops in 2025. Having him on the interior would be huge for a Bears team that allowed 5.0 yards per carry last season (fourth worst)."
Kayden McDonald rules. I love watching a nose tackle chase down a ball carrier pic.twitter.com/cgrn6nhco5
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) February 12, 2026
Kiper highlights two critical points worth paying attention to. First, this year's edge rushers are a tough group to assess. Sure, the Bears need to add a complement to Montez Sweat, but if they remain stubborn with that goal, they could end up reaching at No. 25.
Second, the interior defensive line is just as problematic for Dennis Allen. The Bears' run defense was a weakness. Plus, Gervon Dexter only has one season remaining on his rookie contract, making his long-term outlook unknown. Adding another top, young talent to the position group is critical.
Enter McDonald, whose production as a run defender reinforces why he'd be a good pick. As Kiper noted, he was a stud against the run and led FBS defensive tackles with a 91.2 PFF run-defense grade in his final season.
So, yeah, he'd address a huge weakness in Chicago.
Indeed, McDonald won't add much to the Chicago Bears' pass rush, but free agency and the second and third rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft should offer GM Ryan Poles plenty of options there.
Mel Kiper Jr. has McDonald rated as his DT1, and if the board falls this way, I'd be shocked if Poles didn't pull the trigger.