With the NFL Draft fast approaching, teams in the NFC North will be looking to add players who can help them dethrone the two-time defending division champion Detroit Lions.
One team within the division who is in an intriguing position in this year’s draft is the Chicago Bears, who hold the 10th overall pick. It has been an offseason of excitement for the Bears, with former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson taking over as head coach and the promise of growth with 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams at quarterback.
The team has devoted plenty of resources to bolster their lines on both sides of the ball, and in the draft they could look to add a skill position talent to compliment Williams and all the newcomers up front.
One option the Bears could target is Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who finished as the Heisman runner-up behind Travis Hunter and is the consensus top player at his position in thisyear’s class.
In a recent open letter to NFL general managers published via The Players’ Tribune, Jeanty outlined how his upbringing and background have built him into the player he is today.
Among the more cornerstone moments of his life came when his father was stationed in Italy for a year while he was in middle school, which forced him to miss a year of playing.
“And if I’m telling you as NFL GMs why you should draft me, I actually think that time in my life where I couldn’t play football is a part of it,” Jeanty wrote. “A lot of people, they might flourish when things are going according to plan. But then if they get thrown a curveball, they can’t adapt. Me, I feel like I’m the opposite.”
As it stands, many pundits believe that Jeanty could be in play for the Las Vegas Raiders with the sixth overall pick. However, if the Raiders go in a different direction then he could certainly be a target for the Bears.
Jeanty offers a solid blend of speed and physicality, with his imposing 5-foot-9, 215-pound frame allowing him to run with power along with his clear breakaway speed. As a result, his presence would present a new dynamic for the Bears’ offense.
During a recent appearance on ‘The Herd,’ NFL analyst Jordan Schultz explained that Jeanty is held in high regard by general managers across the league. Even though his talent is widely known, Schultz believes that some may not be comprehending just how talented the running back is.
“I had a GM tell me a couple days ago that Ashton Jeanty is being slept on. I said, ‘What do you mean? He’s gonna be a top-five, top-10 pick,'” Schultz said. “He said, ‘No, no. You don’t understand. This guy is a superstar. People are talking about him this really good player, maybe a great player. He is a superstar, he is a day one 1,500-yard guy.’”
With Johnson establishing himself as an offensive mastermind while coaching the Bears, he could find creative ways to utilize the Boise State product. As a result, the defenses of the Lions and others around the division would be put to the test.
“I’ve had all these moments as a football player where I’ve felt like I’m ready to go. Ready to be GREAT,” Jeanty wrote. “But then for one reason or another, I haven’t been able to get there immediately. So I’ve had to take the long way sometimes. And what I’ve learned about ‘the long way’ is — it didn’t keep me from being great. It just made it so when I got there, I’d be even greater.”
The Lions’ run defense was one of the best in the league last year, ranking fifth in rushing yards allowed. The group was successful despite a number of injuries to key players such as Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone.
McNeill is not expected to be back for the start of the season, but others such as Hutchinson, Anzalone and DJ Reader are all back and give the Lions a solid stable of options up front defensively.
How Johnson and Sheppard square off will be intriguing, and there will be new wrinkles within the Bears offense, but the Lions have the pieces in place to try and limit his impact.
A player motivated to that degree would be quite concerning for Detroit, but there is still hope he lands elsewhere.
