When looking at the
Chicago Bears' 2022 draft class, it is pretty easy to pinpoint which rookies are the most likely to contribute immediately.
Kyler Gordon and
Jaquan Brisker, their two 2nd round picks, are already in line to start before training camp begins. Velus Jones Jr. enters a wide receiver situation that is largely wide open aside from Darnell Mooney. Then there is
Braxton Jones, arguably the only pure left tackle on the roster. Hence why he is running with the first-team offense there. Outside of them, it becomes a guessing game. One name that isn't talked about enough is
Trestan Ebner.
Running back isn't considered a weakness for the Bears. David Montgomery is a proven starter, while Khalil Herbert was an excellent #2 option as a rookie in 2021. It might confuse people to hear Ebner is a breakout candidate. There are a few reasons to trust this possibility. The biggest is he fills a key niche in the offense. Few things are more valuable in today's NFL than running backs that can catch the ball. This is one of Ebner's specialties. He caught 127 passes for 1,515 yards and 11 touchdowns in college. It was a big reason the Bears drafted him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL-TddYFXRk&ab_channel=ChicagoBears
Trestan Ebner also has history on his side.
The draft has proven several times in recent years that running backs drafted early often have immediate success if they exhibit such versatility. Jamaal Adams, Nyheim Hines, and Tarik Cohen were 4th round picks. All were immediate impact rookies. Justin Jackson came out of nowhere as a 7th rounder for the Chargers in 2018. Ebner offers the same skillset, and new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy employs a system that loves to utilize running backs.
People talk about the wide-zone being a great way to run the football. That is true. It's done that for decades. However, it is often overlooked how good it is at getting the ball to them through the air. Not just the running backs but the fullbacks too. Trestan Ebner is the most explosive pass-catching weapon they have. Unless he bombs in training camp, he'll have a role to play this season.
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