Matt Miller of ESPN wrote in a recent article that the Chicago Bears are among several teams expressing serious interest in Missouri defensive end Zion Young. Remember, this is the same person who had them targeting Colston Loveland with the 10th pick last year. His connections are pretty good. Besides, it’s not hard to see why the Bears might like him. Young is described as a big defensive end with length and loads of power. Historically, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has preferred players of this type.
We saw that for years in New Orleans with Cameron Jordan and again when the Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo and drafted Shemar Turner last year. He likes size, power, and violence. The interesting part of this is whether the Bears are barking up the right tree. Both Odeyingbo and Turner flopped last season, both because of injuries and underwhelming play. Is this really the right path to tread again? Bob McGinn of Go Long spoke to multiple NFL scouts about Young. Their assessments were promising.
Zion Young has the building blocks of a good player.
“Young is a pretty player,” one scout said. “He has the look of an NFL player when he steps on the field. My main concern is his production against the best competition. He occasionally has reps where he relies on his length and athleticism thinking ‘I will win,’ followed by many reps where he doesn’t know, or understand, how to get past a blocker. The same things happened at the Senior Bowl. In the one-on-one’s, he had some success but, overall, there were not enough impactful plays.”
“He’s a much better player than that Darius Robinson (of Missouri) who got taken in the first round by the Cardinals (No. 27, 2024) and hasn’t done much,” said a third scout. “He’s tough, plays hard. They move him all up along the front because he’s so damn big. Not a top, top athlete but good enough for his size. He gets off, gets his arm out and controls people. His pass rush is more as a stunt kind of guy. They put him inside, too. He’s just not your edge guy. He’s a big power rusher. He’ll be in a 4-3, and some teams will even look at him as a 5-technique.”
This NFL template has worked plenty of times in the past.
While he might not be as explosive as other prospects, he has two key ingredients that always play at this level: power and quickness. Hall of Fame defensive tackle Merlin Olsen said NFL defensive linemen must be part buffalo and part ballet dancer. In other words, they need the strength to power through blockers and the foot quickness to change direction. Young has both. When you look at players throughout recent history who exhibited similar dimensions, you often find some pretty good names.
| Player | Era/Current Team | Key Scouting & Stylistic Similarities |
|---|---|---|
| Za’Darius Smith | Detroit Lions | Shared frame and “heavy-handed” power; both rely on relentless physicality and high motors over elite speed. |
| Cameron Jordan | New Orleans Saints | The “gold standard” for Young’s ceiling; elite at “stacking and shedding” blockers to dominate the run. |
| Preston Smith | Green Bay Packers | Primary NFL comparison for Young; both use elite length (6’5″+) to keep blockers out of their chest and set a hard edge. |
| Richard Seymour | 2000s (Patriots/Raiders) | Built with legendary length and power; the ultimate “stack-and-shed” specialist who could anchor a 4-3 base or kick inside. |
| Justin Tuck | 2010s (Giants) | Shared Young’s massive frame and versatility; known for brute strength that allowed him to hold ground against double teams. |
| Brandon Graham | 2010s (Eagles) | Despite being shorter, Graham’s scouting mirrors Young’s high motor, technical hand usage, and elite run-defense grades. |
| Dayo Odeyingbo | Indianapolis Colts | Mirrors Young’s movement profile—powerful and technical, but lacking the high-end “bend” of pure speed rushers. |
| Charles Omenihu | Kansas City Chiefs | Similar length and versatility to play as a heavy edge or reduce inside on obvious passing downs. |
Everybody wants that edge defender who has all the tools in the box: size, speed, power, first-step quickness, and bend. The problem is there aren’t many of those guys in any given draft, and they almost always go in the top half of the 1st round. Since the Bears don’t pick until the 25th, they’ll have to decide what they’re willing to settle for. What can they live without? Do they want more size and power or more speed and explosiveness? This scenario has played out many times over the years. Los Angeles opted for the former, Jared Verse, in 2024 over Chop Robinson. Buffalo went with Gregory Rousseau over Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in 2021.
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Perfect is the enemy of good.
One of the big mistakes teams often make is being so enamored with hitting home runs with their draft picks that they pass up good players. Sometimes it’s okay to hit a double. Zion Young doesn’t come across as a “special” player. That is fine. There aren’t many special players in a draft. The key for a team is to find good players. Coach Johnson has alluded to this on several occasions. His goal is to add good football players to his roster. Young has all the makings of a good football player.
A trio of him, Montez Sweat, and Austin Booker should create challenges for any offensive line. Running the ball will be much tougher against the Bears, which has been a big issue for them. His ability to move inside would be something Allen exploits frequently. If Young can improve his technique as a pass rusher, he can become a well-rounded player for a long time.
