The Chicago Bears haven't taken a running back in the 1st round in 20 years. Cedric Benson was the last one, going 4th overall in 2005. That ended up being a major misfire by the organization. While Benson ended up having a good career, it was obvious he never wanted to be in Chicago. Since then, the Bears have shied away from going down that route again, trying to join the 21st century thinking of building around a quarterback. Sadly, they've struggled in that department due to several factors. However, this year could be different. GM Ryan Poles has addressed the quarterback concerns with Caleb Williams and added a viable future #1 receiver, Rome Odunze. The only skill piece missing is a running back. D'Andre Swift is a good player, but he's clearly not a feature guy. They need a three-down weapon. Enter Ashton Jeanty.
The Boise State superstar almost won the Heisman trophy last year and came a few yards away from breaking Barry Sanders' single-season college rushing record. He was almost unstoppable, even against far more talented teams. Some wonder if the Bears might be willing to break their drought for him next month. Bob McGinn of Go Long TD spoke to scouts about the running back.
Their responses pretty much confirmed it.
“It was honestly a crime he did not win the Heisman Trophy this year. Whoever takes this young man will be absolutely thrilled from the minute they draft him to the minute he retires. He is a rare human being and a rare player. I just don’t see how he fails. If he’s not something on the field he’s going to turn himself into that with his work ethic. Ashton’s rare trait is his contact balance and ability to break tackles.” His total of 2,601 rushing yards in 2024 was the second most in FBS annals behind Barry Sanders’ 2,628. He had 14 straight 100-yad games and averaged 7.0 per carry. “This guy’s a complete back,” another scout said. “He blocks, he can catch the ball; those are real big struggles for most running backs coming out. This guy will make two miss and run over the third. Great kid.” Compared by various scouts to Bijan Robinson, Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson. “He’s stout, he’s agile, he’s got big-play potential,” a third scout said. “He runs away from people. He’s got good hands. Everybody loves him, and it’s easy to see why.”
Ashton Jeanty is a rare specimen the Bears haven't had in years.
It is worth mentioning Chicago has never won a championship in their long history with a 1st round running back on the roster. In the 1940s, it was Bill Osmanski. In 1963, it was Ronnie Bull. Of course, it was Walter Payton in 1985. Running backs have been a central identity of this franchise for over a century. Yes, this era of football is catered to quarterbacks, but teams with good runners still tend to win a lot of football games. The Philadelphia Eagles are the most recent example. It sounds like Ashton Jeanty is in that same category as Saquon Barkley.
Then, you factor Ben Johnson into the equation. He wants to run the football, as proven over three years in Detroit. He never had a back of Jeanty's caliber at that time. One can only imagine what the Bears head coach thinks of the possibilities. It doesn't seem like a question of whether the Bears would take Jeanty. It is more about whether he'll be available. Many believe the Raiders (#6) and Saints (#9) have high odds of taking him in the 1st round. It wouldn't be overly surprising. If he does somehow slip through, the decision seems easier by the day.
