The Chicago Bears are aiming to take a huge leap forward in 2025, and there’s one NFL Draft prospect they’re reportedly “praying” falls to them.
As of Monday, the Bears still hold the No. 10 pick in the draft, which begins on Thursday night in Green Bay. There have been no trades made within the first round of the draft, so the Bears may end up needing some luck to fall their way if they’re to get the player they truly covet.
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WATCH HEREAccording to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, there is a player the Bears are desperately hoping falls to them in the No. 10 slot, and that is Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
“Multiple personnel people believe the Bears are praying that Jeanty slips to them,” ESPN’s head NFL insider said.
It’s no wonder the Bears are hoping the talented running back falls. Jeanty was the Heisman Trophy runner-up during the 2024 season with Boise State, winning the Maxwell Award as the country’s best running back, and earning First-Team All-American honors.
Jeanty racked up an incredible 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last season on the ground, averaging nearly 186 yards rushing per game.
There are mock drafts that suggest Jeanty could become the first running back taken in the top-five of the draft since the New York Giants selected Penn State’s Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 selection in 2018.
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More recently, the Atlanta Falcons took Texas back Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 selection in the 2023 draft.
In that same draft, the Detroit Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 pick, and that could be the idea behind head coach Ben Johnson’s desire to have a player like Jeanty in the fold. He would be paired up with D’Andre Swift, giving Caleb Williams a star-studded tandem at the position to help open up other parts of the field.
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SIGN UP The Bears have focused heavily on improving their offensive line in free agency and via trade, and adding a running back to the fold would also take advantage of those investments.
The first round of the NFL Draft will get underway Thursday at 7 p.m., with coverage airing on ESPN and NFL Network.
