Former Pro Bowler With Chicago Bears Ties Predicts 1st Round Stunner

The Chicago Bears are arguably the most unpredictable team picking in the top 10 this year. Thanks to their flurry of moves in free agency to boost their offensive and defensive lines, they could now go in almost any direction without sounding crazy. Even running back and tight end are on the table. That would've been considered sheer lunacy two months ago. Now everything hinges on what GM Ryan Poles, and more specifically, new head coach Ben Johnson, is looking for. Most of the projected picks to this point haven't been overly surprising.

That changed when former Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew, now working for NFL Network, released his mock draft. In it, he delivered an absolute stunner at #10.

"Pick 10
Chicago Bears
TreVeyon Henderson
Ohio State · RB · Senior

I know it would be a surprise to a lot of folks if Henderson is picked in the top 10, but he's my No. 2 RB in the draft and we saw how much success Detroit had with two running backs at the center of Ben Johnson's offense. Now the new Bears head coach adds a versatile and explosive back to pair with D'Andre Swift, giving Chicago a one-two punch in the backfield. Plus, Henderson excels in pass protection, making him an option on all three downs."

Wow.

Look around the NFL media sphere and not a single person has Henderson in the top 20 picks, never mind the top 10. Is it completely ridiculous? No. Fellow NFL.com colleague Lance Zierlein ranks Henderson as the second-best running back behind Ashton Jeanty. It is also important to remember Jones-Drew's perspective here. He has a relationship with Eric Bieniemy. They go way back to their days at UCLA together when Jones-Drew was mentored by the Bears' new running backs coach. There might be more to this projection than people realize.

Another reason this idea for the Chicago Bears isn't crazy?

Remember who is calling the shots now. Johnson was with the Detroit Lions a few years ago when they took Jahmyr Gibbs, an Ohio State running back, 12th overall. People thought they were crazy. Then Gibbs became a Pro Bowl player and a vital spark plug for their offense. Henderson is built much the same way: quick, fast, athletic, and endlessly versatile. He is a threat on any down. Not only can he take a hand-off to the house, but he's also dangerous in the passing game as a receiver and a blocker.

Even better, the reports on him in the locker room are glowing, as a scouting director pointed out.

“They LOVE, LOVE him in that program. He’s unselfish, really productive, can play on all three downs and is about the team first.”

Poles is a big character guy. He will undoubtedly factor those qualities into the decision heavily. Make no mistake. Henderson is not a favorite to be the 10th overall pick later this month. However, it would be wise not to dismiss the idea. There are plenty of factors involved that make it far more plausible than you think.