The Chicago Bears don't know who they will take in the 2026 draft yet. They don't know when they'll be picking, for one. For another, it isn't clear who will declare and who will return to school. Until that happens, they must operate on who they think could be available next spring. Scouts for the team were spotted on hand for the big tilt between Notre Dame and Texas A&M. This came after others were noticed in attendance for an ACC showdown of Wake Forest and N.C. State. Obviously, all of those programs have plenty of draft prospects to evaluate.
However, there was a common theme between them.
Each team features a notable running back prospect. Demond Claiborne had 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns for Wake Forest last season. Hollywood Smothers of N.C. State has 380 yards and three touchdowns in three games already this year. Le'Veon Moss of Texas A&M had 765 yards and ten touchdowns in just nine games last season. Lastly is Jeremiyah Love, arguably the best running back in college football, who carried the Irish last year to the national title game with over 1300 total yards and 19 touchdowns.
The Chicago Bears' focus on running backs is not a surprise.
D'Andre Swift averaged under 4.0 yards last season and opened up this one at 3.1 against Minnesota. He never felt like a fit for the type of offense Ben Johnson runs. The Chicago Bears didn't have a clear replacement on hand. They would've probably drafted one last April, but the board didn't cooperate. Johnson and GM Ryan Poles seem determined to know which prospects to target going into next year. Running the ball is central to this offense. The past three years in Detroit proved that. Could it be as early as the 1st round? Most believe Love will go that early. He'd be an outstanding fit. If not, Moss, Claiborne, and Smothers could all be quality additions in the later rounds, depending on how they finish this season.
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