Kayden McDonald Bold Message Bears NFL Draft News
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 27: Kayden McDonald #98 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on before the game against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears are still in the process of putting together their board for the 2026 NFL draft in less than four weeks, but one of the top interior defensive linemen in the class — Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald — feels strongly that the Bears could call his phone when they are on the clock with the No. 25 overall selection.
According to The Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, the Bears are officially scheduled to host McDonald for a top-30 pre-draft visit next Wednesday, April 1, after meeting with the 2025 unanimous All-American honoree at the 2026 NFL Combine in late February.
McDonald, an elite interior run defender, would be an ideal addition for a Bears defense that allowed the sixth-most rushing yards (134.5) per game and had the seventh-worst run-stop win rate (29%) in the league in 2025, per ESPN Analytics. He tallied the most run stops (30) and tackles for a loss/no gain (16) last year among FBS defensive tackles.
Throughout the pre-draft process, McDonald has also come away with the impression that the Bears are counting him as “their No. 1 guy” on their board for the first round.
“They’ve talked to me a lot,” McDonald told the Sun-Times. “I’m their No. 1 guy. That’s what I feel like. They seem very excited to get me up there. They say they like how I play and they like my motor. I play all four quarters, and I’m relentless.”
Will Kayden McDonald Be Available at No. 25 Overall?
McDonald put some high-quality defense on tape during his final season at Ohio State in 2025, stepping out of the shadow of 2024 first-round selection Tyleik Williams and using his otherworldly strength to emerge as one of the nation’s top run defenders. He also has enticing pass-rush tools as a power rusher who prefers to bulldoze blockers.
“I’m just a powerful player,” McDonald told the Sun-Times. “You know what you’re going to get out of me. I’m the strongest guy on the defense, and I’m a natural. Football comes easy for me.”
Will McDonald be available when the Bears are on the clock with the 25th pick, though?
Most mock drafts and draft projections seem to think that McDonald will come off the board in the later part of the first round, which would put him in the Bears’ range, but several teams higher in the order have reasons to consider selecting the interior mauler.
The Dallas Cowboys will have two opportunities to nab McDonald before the Bears with the Nos. 12 and 20 overall picks. The Minnesota Vikings (No. 18) and the Los Angeles Chargers (No. 22) could also realistically target him near the middle of the round, while the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 23) may consider it with Jalen Carter due for a new deal.
Now, the Bears could have multiple positions — edge rusher and safety included — on their mind in the first round, too. But if they decide that McDonald is “their No. 1 guy” and get a sense others are interested, they may toy around with trading further up.
Bears Could Default to Best-Player-Available Approach
McDonald is an enticing option for the Bears to consider with the 25th pick, but don’t be surprised if general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Ben Johnson and the rest of Chicago’s decision-makers default to taking the best available player in the first round.
The Bears could easily justify targeting a prospect at one of several other positions in the first round of the draft, even if McDonald is there for the taking. Defensive end is still a major need for their defense, perhaps even more so than an interior presence. The team also allowed both of its starting safeties to walk in free agency this spring, signing Coby Bryant to replace one of them but otherwise only signing depth pieces.
There is also a chance that the Bears select a defensive tackle other than McDonald at No. 25 overall. While McDonald seems to think that Chicago is high on his fit for their defense, they could pivot to another option, such as LSU’s Peter Woods or Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter, throughout the pre-draft process if they feel one stands out above him.
The opening round of the 2026 NFL draft will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 23.