Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald is one of the most heralded prospects in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft class.
McDonald, 6-foot-3 and 326 pounds, profiles as a dominant run-stuffer with elite traits and the added benefit of consistently providing a disruptive interior pass rush, as well.
“I pride myself on being a complete player,” McDonald said, during a recent appearance on the Between The Hashmarks Podcast. “On early-downs, I gotta stop the run, and on third downs, I push the pockets. If I can’t get there, I get my hands up.
“The way I can take my game to the next level is turning my pressures into sacks, and give my offense the chance to get the ball, go down the field, and score to win. That’s how I’m going to turn my game up once I get to the league.”
There might be one team that’s picking in the perfect range to land McDonald without reaching, and where he’d fill a pressing need, in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Kayden McDonald could be Chicago Bears’ ideal NFL Draft pick
Chicago Bears, NFL Draft
Aug 26, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles looks on before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
Over at Pro Football Focus, analyst John Kosko put together a list of each NFC team’s ideal draft haul, including the Chicago Bears emerging from the first round with McDonald in tow.
“If the Chicago defense wasn’t generating turnovers, it struggled to stop opposing offenses [last season],” Kosko writes. “McDonald and his NCAA-leading 91.2 PFF run-defense grade provides a consistent run-stopping interior defender to help keep the defense on schedule. Meanwhile, Moore can finish at the quarterback on third downs, as showcased by his 11 sacks and elite 92.4 PFF pass-rushing grade.”
Last season, McDonald produced a career-high 65 total tackles and personal-best three sacks as a true difference maker.
As the Bears look to revamp the front-seven in coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense, adding a space-eater who can terrorize quarterbacks with interior pressure such as McDonald could significantly elevate the entire defense.