If there was ever an NFL Draft to be needing a running back, this looks to be the one. ESPN's Adam Schefter divulged in his latest news and notes ahead of the draft that this spring's crop of running backs is the best we have seen since 2008. That year gave us the likes of Jamaal Charles, Matt Forte, Chris Johnson and Darren McFadden. Highlighting this year's running backs has to be Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty propelled the Boise State Broncos to a Group of Five championship and the No. 3 overall seed in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff. While his team was no match for the Penn State Nittany Lions, there is reason to believe that Jeanty's game will translate marvelously to the NFL. It is why he is projected to be a top-10 pick, probably going no further than the Dallas Cowboys picking at No. 12.
Unfortunately for America's Team, Schefter has a hard time seeing Jeanty still being available when the Cowboys are on the clock. He thinks that if Jeanty is available at No. 10 that the Chicago Bears will do everything in their power to take him. Incoming head coach Ben Johnson benefited mightily from implementing a two-running back attack when he was coordinating the Detroit Lions' offense.
Dallas could reach for North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, but should wait until day two.
Chicago Bears can ruin Dallas Cowboys' dreams of landing Ashton Jeanty
During Monday's episode of False Start, my FanSided.com colleague Cody Williams and I conducted our 2025 NFL mock snake draft. He had the first pick in the first round. I had the second and third. He had the fourth and fifth, and so on. At No. 6 overall, I had Jeanty going to the Las Vegas Raiders. Cody agreed with me that this was probably the likeliest spot where Jeanty could conceivably be drafted.
To be fair, Cody understands what Schefter knows and realizes that his beloved Cowboys could get a high-quality running back in day two or three of the draft, as opposed to reaching on his UNC guy in Hampton, or hoping that Jeanty could fall to the Cowboys at No. 12. He is also more of the belief than I that the Bears will end up selecting Jeanty if he is still on the board when they are picking at No. 10.
While I think it may serve the Bears more to take whatever bookend tackle is still on the board at No. 10, whether that be Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr., LSU's Will Campbell or Missouri's Armand Membou, I can understand the idea behind Johnson wanting to make his mark leading his new team. The question is if going with a running back, even one like Jeanty, is the right idea for general manager Ryan Poles.
Either way, Chicago must go with an offensive player at No. 10 to get the most out of Caleb Williams.