The Chicago Bears’ defensive line is sure to get some attention in free agency and the NFL Draft, and we’ll get a clearer picture of draft needs after free agency, but the defensive line is a position
you can never have enough talent. A good d-line should come at you in waves with fresh players coming in on a four-man rotation at end and tackle.
The Bears need better depth at both positions, so they can’t go wrong doubling down in the defensive trenches.
Most of the recent mock drafts floating around have had the Bears going with 6’3”, 326-pound defensive tackle Kayden McDonald from Ohio State, but this one has the Bears selecting an end.
Here’s how ESPN’s Field Yates had the Bears going in his first post-Super Bowl mock draft.
25) Chicago Bears – Zion Young, Edge, Missouri
Pass rush is an obvious need after the Bears posted the NFL’s second-worst pass rush win rate in 2025. Young would help improve the unit in a hurry with his power and heavy hands off the edge. He also brings versatility, having played some at defensive tackle during his first two collegiate seasons at Michigan State. Young’s upper-body power and 33.5-inch arms allow him to power through the anchor of opposing tackles. That was on full display during a rock-solid Senior Bowl week. I could see him pairing with Montez Sweat really well.
The 6’5”, 262-pounder just racked up 42 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 passes defended in his senior season for Mizzou, where he served as a team captain.
While the Bears need pass-rush help, they also need to be better against the run, and Young has been good at setting the edge with the Tigers.
What are your thoughts on Young at 25 if the real NFL draft fell as Yates’ did in his mock?
