Patriots host potential Khyiris Tonga replacement on pre-draft visit

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 22: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (98) walks onto the field before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 22, 2025, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The New England Patriots’ list of pre-draft visits keeps growing, and its latest addition is one of the top defensive tackle prospects in this year’s class. Kayden McDonald, who spent his three-year college career at Ohio State, is the 10th confirmed player to visit with the organization.

McDonald projects as a fringe first-round selection. Standing at 6-foot-2, 326 pounds, he is a big-bodied lineman capable of holding his own against double teams and clogging run lanes up front. A fast-ascending player, who just recently turned 21, he had stretches of dominant play during his time with the Buckeyes but is a somewhat unclear projection beyond early-down work.

Nonetheless, the Patriots showing interest in him does not come as a surprise. The team, after all, recently lost a player with a similar profile in free agency: Khyiris Tonga, who appeared in 17 games with eight starts in 2025 and was on the field for roughly a third of defensive snaps on the year, signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Tonga was a role player — his roles also included special teams and even offensive work — but nonetheless a valuable presence along the Patriots’ defensive front.

At 335 pounds, he also was the team’s heaviest player at the position and somebody who has not been replaced in free agency. Maybe, the Patriots will try to do so in the draft. Hosting McDonald on a visit at least suggests that the team remains interested in that player type.