Chicago Bears: Mel Kiper predicts team will select Zion Young in first round of 2026 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears have the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. They have a wide variety of needs that they need to address early, and there are any number of players at multiple positions whom the team could select.
Among these needs is defensive end. Despite the fact that Chicago led the NFL in turnovers last year, their pass rush was one of the worst in the league. As such, many believe that the Bears will look to take a premier pass rusher early in the NFL Draft.
Mel Kiper, it appears, is one of them.
Mel Kiper predicts the Chicago Bears will select Zion Young in the 2026 NFL Draft

Early Wednesday morning, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper released his latest two-round mock. In it, he predicted that the Bears will take Missouri defensive end Zion Young with the 25th overall pick:
The Bears’ attempts to give Mon”tez Sweat a running mate off the edge have fallen short, but Young could finally be the answer. He piled up 6.5 sacks, 46 pressures and 18 tackles for loss last season, showing a mix of power and quickness. The Bears are suddenly legit contenders in the NFC, but their 35 sacks last season tied for seventh fewest in the league.
“I mentioned this in my last mock draft — in which I also had Young to Chicago — but it’s worth repeating: The Bears haven’t used a top-50 pick on an edge rusher since Leonard Floyd went ninth in 2016. It’s time to get a little more aggressive at the position during the draft.”
Last season, Young had a career-year at Missouri, racking up 42 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-bears-mel-kiper-zion-young-2026-nfl-draft/
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