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Why Kayden McDonald's Halas Hall Visit Can Be Exception to Bears' Rule

The Bears last year didn't draft any players they visited with at Halas Hall but Ohio State's defensive tackle could very well be an exception to that rule.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald has had close scrutiny by the Bears in this run up to the draft.
Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald has had close scrutiny by the Bears in this run up to the draft. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The player most often named as an obvious Bears draft pick back in January has now visited twice with them, and it's worth wondering how he stands their eyes.

It should be apparent already that they have interest in Ohio State's Kayden McDonald but the real connection they have to him through other means could supply them with the knowledge on a player they really need for a decision.

McDonald had a 30 visit to Halas Hall, according to Justin Melo of NFL Draft On SI, and this follows upon the formal interview he had with them at the combine. He told Melo he has had visits with the Rams, Chargers, Ravens, Cardinals, Bengals, Broncos, Vikings, Panthers, Colts and Steelers besides the Bears.

McDonald's play style is something the Bears could definitely use, considering their defense finished 27th and 28th against the run in the last two seasons after they had been No. 1 in 2023.

"I'm that type of guy, I welcome double teams," McDonald told reporters at  the scouting combine. "I command double teams and I'm going to free up the linebackers and whatever team decides to get me, that's what you're going to get."

Ohio State's pro day is slated for Wednesday, although it's uncertain what McDonald will do there.

At 6-foot-2, 326 pounds, McDonald did the field drills at the combine but did not run the 40. He's not really prototype size for the Dennis Allen scheme, but that doesn't mean he lacks the combination of quickness and strength needed to play it.

The fact the Bears have had him to Halas Hall tends to suggest he wouldn't be drafted by them, based on last year. Bears offensive coach line coach Dan Roushar, appearing on the Foster Swift Sports Talk podcast, described the Bears' use of 30 visits as a way to check out issues they might have with players more than an indicator they might draft someone.  

“The more concerns there are, the less clean they are, the more work you have to do after the process," Roushar said.

The Bears did not draft a player who had a 30 visit last year.

Roushar said he prefers getting info on players from someone he might know at the college who worked with a player or was close to the player.

Ben Johnson, himself, has the connection to find out what they really want to know about McDonald's personality and approach to the game. The Ohio State defensive coordinator is Matt Patricia, the former Detroit Lions head coach who hired Johnson as an assistant prior to the Dan Campbell era. The two are good friends.

Regardless of this, there haven't been many complaints about McDonald reported by anyone. He sounds like a coach's dream.

"I believe I'm the best defensive tackle in this draft class," McDonald told the combine. "Really pride myself on being consistent, competitive, holding my teammates accountable and I put it all together working on my diet and just staying consistent. Just doing what I got to do."

In this case, with the Bears already able to gain as much knowledge as they need on this player, might they use the visit for other purposes and actually draft someone they brought to Halas Hall?

It's an unknown because one offseason of 30 visits is not much to go on. Perhaps they take a different approach this year because they already know plenty about McDonald.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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