Zion Young — EDGE Missouri | 6’5”, 262 lbs
Zion Young — EDGE
Missouri | 6’5”, 262 lbs
Draft Projection: Late 1st / Early Day 2
Role: Power EDGE / Strong-side DE
Background: Team Captain, Vocal Defensive Leader
Overview:
Zion Young is one of the most physically imposing edge defenders in the draft and a major riser following his Senior Bowl performance. He brings a rare blend of size, length, power, and effort that consistently shows up against both the run and the pass. While he lacks elite bend and twitch, Young compensates with heavy hands, strong rush angles, and a relentless motor. His game is built on strength, discipline, and violence at the point of attack, and those traits translate cleanly to the NFL.
There’s a real chance we look back a year from now and ask why he wasn’t a first-round pick.
Strengths:
Young’s power is his calling card. At 6’5” with long arms and a strong, well-distributed frame, he consistently sets the edge, resets the line of scrimmage, and collapses pockets with effort and force. He plays with bent elbows and excellent leverage for his size, allowing him to win early in reps and dictate contact. As a pass rusher, Young is far more developed than he’s often given credit for. He shows strong hand timing when locked in, accurate strike placement, and a deep understanding of how to attack tackles’ sets. His inside moves are legitimately nasty, and his cross-chop flashed repeatedly at the Senior Bowl. He doesn’t just bull rush, he strings power moves together and knows how to counter once linemen overset.
Against the run, Young is disciplined and physical. He plays with a hot motor, maintains outside containment, and disengages with violence. He rarely freelances, making him a reliable early-down defender who won’t compromise the structure of a defense.
Production
Young’s disruption metrics back up the tape. In 2025, he posted:
56 QB pressures (2nd most in the SEC; Top 15 nationally)
42 total tackles
16.5 TFLs
6.5 sacks
2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
The sack numbers don’t fully capture his impact. Young consistently forces quarterbacks off their spot and creates opportunities for others by collapsing the pocket.
If the Bears are picking in the back half of Round 1, Young becomes a very real option:
The EDGE class thins out quickly after the top tier
Chicago values reliable three-down defenders
Young’s Senior Bowl performance has boosted his stock
His production and pressure numbers justify the grade
Weaknesses:
Young is not a high-end bend or twitch rusher. His flexibility and ankle flexion are average, limiting his ability to consistently win with speed around the corner. His agility in space is functional rather than dynamic, and his rush plan can become predictable when his hand timing slips.
There are also off-field considerations, including a DUI arrest, that teams will need to vet. While he is widely regarded as a strong locker-room presence and team leader, background checks will factor into his final grade.
Recap:
Concerns (From a Bears Lens)
Bend/twitch: Caps elite sack ceiling
Off-field vetting: DUI will be closely examined
Not a solo pass-rush solution: Needs help opposite him
Scheme Fit & NFL Projection:
Young projects best as a power EDGE in a four-man front, where he can play with his hand in the dirt, control the edge, and rush from wide alignments or reduced splits. He fits defenses that prioritize physicality, discipline, and pocket compression over pure speed — a profile that aligns well with Dennis Allen–style systems.
He can contribute early as a strong-side edge who plays all three downs, with upside to become a high-end starter as his pass-rush sequencing continues to improve.
Floor, Ceiling, and Risk
Floor: Reliable NFL starter who plays the run at a high level and generates steady pressure
Ceiling: Impact power rusher who flirts with double-digit sacks through strength and counters
Risk: Limited bend caps elite sack upside; off-field background must be cleared
Final Grade
He fits the Bears’ identity, helps solve their edge run-defense issues, and brings real pass-rush juice through power and intelligence.
Zion Young is an offensive disruptor built for the modern NFL trenches. He may never be a flashy speed rusher, but his power, intelligence, and effort make him a problem for offensive lines week after week. With his Senior Bowl performance accelerating his rise, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely he lasts deep into Day 2. At EDGE he also brings three-down value
Zion Young — Bears-Specific Fit
Why He’s on the Bears’ Radar
Zion Young checks a lot of the boxes Ryan Poles and the Bears have consistently prioritized on the defensive line:
Size, length, and power
Ability to play the run on early downs
Effort and motor
Leadership and toughness
At 6’5”, 262 with long arms and a strong base, Young fits the physical profile Chicago has targeted up front. The Bears aren’t just looking for sack numbers — they want edges who can hold the point, compress the pocket, and let the defense function as a unit. Young does exactly that.
Scheme Fit in Chicago
Young projects cleanly as a hand-in-the-dirt EDGE in the Bears’ four-man front:
Strong-side EDGE on early downs
Red-zone and short-yardage defender
Interior rusher on stunts and games
Power rusher opposite a speed-based EDGE
He’s especially valuable in Chicago’s scheme because he won’t be a liability against the run. He sets a hard edge, plays with discipline, and rarely gets washed out. That matters in the NFC North, where run-heavy offenses will test your edges every week.
How He Improves the Bears’ Pass Rush:
Young may not be a pure speed demon, but he helps the Bears’ pass rush in real ways:
Collapses the pocket vertically
Forces quarterbacks to step up or bail
Creates cleanup opportunities for others
Wins with inside counters when tackles overset
He possesses nasty inside moves and cross-chop that are perfect complements to a faster EDGE on the opposite side. Even when he doesn’t get home, the pressure is felt.
Why He’s in Play as Early as Round 1:
If the Bears are picking in the back half of Round 1, Young becomes a very real option:
The EDGE class thins out quickly after the top tier. Chicago values reliable three-down defenders. Young’s Senior Bowl performance has boosted his stock. His production and pressure numbers justify the grade. He might not be the flashiest name, but he’s the type of pick that looks better every week in the fall.
Concerns (From a Bears Lens):
Bend/twitch: Caps elite sack ceiling
Off-field vetting: DUI will be closely examined
Not a solo pass-rush solution: Needs help opposite him
That said, none of these are disqualifying in Chicago’s system. The Bears can live with power over flash if the player consistently wins reps.
Draft Slot Reality:
Could be top 50: Excellent value, borderline steal could just be a Bears miss in round 2
Late Round 1: Defensible pick if EDGE is the priority
Trade back scenario: Ideal outcome if possible
If Young is still there at 57 , he’d be one of the cleanest fits on the board for Chicago.
🐻Final Bears Take:
Zion Young feels like the kind of EDGE who doesn’t dominate highlight reels but quietly becomes one of the most dependable defenders on the roster. He fits the Bears’ identity, helps solve their edge run-defense issues, and brings real pass-rush juice through power and intelligence.
This is a Ryan Poles / Bears culture pick written all over it. 🐻⬇️
