The NFL Draft is just two weeks away, so we wanted to kick off a roundtable asking some of our staffers to give us their favorite prospects at a few positions.
Today’s question: Who is the one running back you want the Chicago Bears to draft?
And here’s what a few of us had to say.
Jacob Infante: Ashton Jeanty feels like the easy way out, so I’ll go with another early-round running back in Quinshon Judkins. An elite combination of size and speed, Judkins has big-play potential written all over him with quick feet and the ability to hit the open running lane aggressively. He has 1,000-yard potential in the right system, which I think Chicago could be for him.
Josh Sunderbruch: DJ Giddens, who functions well enough as a receiver and is surprisingly agile for his size. I like his willingness to block, even if he’s not as skilled at it just yet. Ultimately, though, this answer is really “the best running back available at #72”, who, at this point, I think might be Giddens.
Bryan Orenchuk: This is a tough one, as I love so many backs in this class. That said, if my wishes come true and we hold off on drafting a running back until the 3rd round, give me Cam Skattebo! He plays with a chip on his shoulder and would be a terrific complement to Swift and be a fan favorite in no time. I’m good with double dipping with RJ Harvey or Jaydon Blue later on, too!
Mongo Peanut: While I would love Hampton or Jeanty, my dark horse pick is RJ Harvey. His biggest knocks are that he’s an older prospect and an underwhelming pass-protector. Other than that, the kid has an ideal size profile that is similar to Jeanty (5’8” 221 lbs), is fast (4.40 40-yard dash), productive (1,577 rushing yards, 267 receiving yards), and shifty. He would be a good 4th or 5th-round pick.
Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: I floated the option of Jaydon Blue yesterday in this article, but if the Bears come away with Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, I’ll be a happy fan. Henderson has speed, he’s a good receiver, can line up out wide, plus he can pass block. The versatile three-down back may not have the size (5’10, 202) to be a workhorse, but give him 15-20 touches a game and reap the benefits.
Now it’s your turn, which running back do you hope the Bears draft?