The Chicago Bears will be in unfamiliar territory in this month’s NFL draft in Pittsburgh.

General manager Ryan Poles will not have a draft pick in the top-10 for the first time since 2022 and for the second time in his tenure as general manager. But he will have plenty of draft capital, which includes the No. 25 overall pick.

Poles could address roster needs on defense or even some on offense in the first round. With a pick so late in the opening round, Poles will need to see who’s available when deciding which one of those holes he’ll want to fill first.

Shaw Local is taking a look at several prospects who could fit the Bears’ needs at No. 25. Here’s how Missouri edge rusher Zion Young could fit with the Bears.

Why is it a need

The Bears’ defense created the most takeaways and interceptions in the NFL last season. They did it despite not getting much consistent pressure from the defensive line.

Chicago struggled to get to the quarterback for much of the season. The defense finished tied for 22nd with 35 sacks last season despite blitzing 25.8% of the snaps, which tied for the 11th-most. The line also allowed opponents to average 134.5 rushing yards per game, which was the sixth-most last year.

Lead pass rusher Montez Sweat had one of his best seasons and finished with 10 sacks, which tied for 15th in the league. But Sweat hasn’t gotten much support opposite him. Last year’s top free agent acquisition, Dayo Odyingbo, didn’t make much of an impact before missing the second half of the season because of injury. Austin Booker flashed at times but showed that he might be more of a rotational option.

The need for a pass rusher is evident, whether that’s addressed in the first or second round.

Why Young would fit

Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen likes his edge rushers to be long and athletic. A player who can help stop the run as well as set pressure off the edge. Young might be exactly who Allen is looking for later this month.

At 6-foot-6, 262 pounds with a 33-inch wingspan, Young has the length that can make life difficult for opposing offensive linemen. Young also plays with speed and a fierce style, bringing energy to the field that the Bears would love to add to their locker room.

He recently turned 22 and started his career at Michigan State before elevating his game at Missouri over the past two seasons. Young played in 13 games last season for the Tigers and became a menace to stop. He finished with a career-high 6.5 sacks to go along with 16.5 tackles for loss.

Young has had a couple of run-ins with the law that he’ll need to clear up during the draft process. Police charged Young and six other Michigan State players with misdemeanor assault in 2022 after a video showed him and other Spartans players assaulting a Michigan player in a stadium tunnel after a game. He eventually entered a plea deal to have the charges dropped.

He was also arrested for driving while intoxicated and speeding in December and charged in January.

Will Young still be on the board at No. 25?

The answer for most of these prospects will likely be it’s hard to say for sure. With 24 other picks taking place before the Bears, a lot of different scenarios could play out by the time Chicago makes its first pick.

At this point in the draft process, the short answer is most likely yes. Young isn’t considered the best edge rusher in the draft and isn’t expected to be a top-10 or even a top-20 pick based on most mock drafts. Some mock drafts don’t consider Young to be a first-round pick, so it’s more than likely that Young will be there if the Bears want him.

But Young’s stock could rise quickly as draft night progresses based on how some teams choose to view what’s available in a deep edge rusher class. If more teams start to grab edge rushers earlier, Young could be a hot commodity sooner rather than later.