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What Zion Young's Visit With Bears Says About Ryan Poles' Draft Plans

The Bears may be targeting the Missouri defensive end, but maybe not in the first round.
Pete Martuneac|
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The 2026 NFL draft is four weeks away, and for the first time in several years, the Chicago Bears won't be selecting with one of the first 10 picks. They hold the No. 25 pick, and there's no shortage of opinions on who they should target with that slot. My latest seven-round mock draft sends the Bears a defensive overhaul, starting with Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, but a defensive lineman would also be a likely option.

That's what makes two of the Bears' first Top 30 visits with draft prospects so intriguing. Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald announced that he would be visiting the Bears earlier this week, and now we know that Missouri defensive end Zion Young will also meet with the Bears soon.

There is a method to Ryan Poles' madness when it comes to roster-building

General manager Ryan Poles has caught some heat from fans and analysts alike for a lackluster free agency period, but he seems to be operating on a specific plan. After addressing positions like left tackle and linebacker, two of the Bears' three most glaring weaknesses after free agency are defensive end and defensive tackle. Appropriately, the team's first two Top 30 visits are with a defensive end and a defensive tackle.

One can disagree with Poles' priorities or his specific personnel choices, but it's become abundantly clear that he's working off a blueprint, and he's sticking to it.

The Bears could be planning a trade-up in the draft

While it's true that the Bears did not draft a single prospect with whom they held a Top 30 visit in Ben Johnson's first year as head coach, as Gene Chamberlin detailed in his analysis of Kayden McDonald's Halas Hall visit, one draft is a small sample size, and it would be premature to say that Poles has no intention of selecting these players. I see these first two Top 30 visits as an indication of the opposite intention.

McDonald would be a solid choice at No. 25. He may not have as high a ceiling as other prospects, but he projects to be a good, safe starter. Most draft analysts expect him to be selected in the 20's, and at No. 25, he's very likely to be the best available player. As for Young, analysts are a bit more divided. ESPN's Field Yates recently published a two-round 2026 NFL mock draft, and he has the Bears selecting Young in the first round, while Chad Reuter of NFL Media has him going at No. 44 in his four-round 2026 NFL mock draft.

And that's where the draft could get interesting for Chicago. We saw the Bears trade up in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft for cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Could we see a similar trade from No. 57 if Young begins to slip down the board? McDonald certainly won't get into trade-up range for Chicago should they pass on him at No. 25, but Young could get there. While he needs some coaching up on technique, Young is built almost exactly how Dennis Allen likes his defensive ends, and you have to believe he'd be pounding the table for him in Round 2.

The Bottom Line

Trying to predict what any NFL general manager plans to do in the draft is a fool's errand, but it's possible to look at all the relevant facts and make some educated guesses. In this case, we know the Bears desperately need defensive line help, and McDonald and Young would both likely be immediate upgrades for Chicago. McDonald should be available at No. 25, and Young could potentially slide into range where the Bears could trade up without sacrificing too much draft capital.

Walking out of the first two days of the draft with both Kayden McDonald and Zion Young would be a masterclass for Ryan Poles, a defensive version of getting both Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III a year ago. That kind of haul would signal that the Bears are ready to compete for Super Bowls. Watch out, Bears fans. The 2026 NFL draft could get crazy.

Zion Youn
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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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