Pros and cons of early-round RB prospects for Bears
The Bears find themselves in a position of need at running back heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Though D’Andre Swift had his moments in 2024, he didn’t live up to expectations upon signing with Chicago in free agency. With the addition of Ben Johnson as the team’s head coach — who saw significant success with backfield duos as the Lions’ offensive coordinator — it seems likely the Bears will look to follow suit.
It doesn’t hurt to mention that Swift overlapped previously with Johnson in Detroit in 2022, during which the former served as a rotational back in the latter’s committee. When you combine that with the fact that the 2025 draft figures to be one of the best running back classes in recent memory, it makes sense for the Bears to upgrade the position.
With four picks in the top 75 and three picks in the top 50 selections, the Bears are in a great position to add a highly-touted running back prospect early in the draft. Which one should they target, though?
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the Bears taking each of the top running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Pros
Jeanty is the consensus top running back prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. To put it lightly, his performance at Boise State last year will be talked about for years to come. He is an extremely well-rounded back with the speed, agility, vision, power and contact balance to instantly be an impact player at his position. The chance to select a blue-chip player at a position of need could be too enticing for the Bears to pass up, if he’s available.
Cons
There’s a pretty good chance Jeanty doesn’t fall to the Bears at No. 10. Even if he does, the pick will have its doubters. The main objection used is that he is a non-Power 4 player who plays a position that doesn’t necessarily have tremendous value. There have only been six running backs selected in the top ten in the last ten drafts, and only two of them spent more than five seasons with the team that drafted them. That’s a bold investment to make in Round 1.
Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Pros
With his combination of size, power and speed, Hampton might just be the most physically-gifted running back in the 2025 draft. He’s an aggressive downhill runner with a well-built frame and very good contact balance. In addition to that, he’s a 4.4 athlete with great burst hitting the open running lanes. He also brings considerable upside on passing downs, as he’s creative after the catch and is a high-effort pass protector out of the backfield.
Cons
You’ll face the same “running back in Round 1” arguments with Hampton that I mentioned with Jeanty. Adding to that, Hampton would generally be seen as more of a reach due to his inferior agility and vision to Jeanty. You could theoretically trade back for Hampton, but in a weaker draft class, it’s going to be tough for the Bears to find teams willing to give up high-end capital to move up to No. 10.
Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
Pros
There’s a lot to like with Judkins’ physical attributes. An explosive runner who’s quick out of the backfield with a well-built frame, he combines breakaway speed with raw power and good contact balance. I anticipate he goes Round 2 and would argue that drafting him at Nos. 39 or 41 would be much better value than Hampton at No. 10. For my money, he’s my top choice for the Bears as an early-round option, even if he’s not my top running back.
Cons
Though Judkins is a talented prospect, he’s admittedly a bit high-hipped for the running back position. He’s more of a running back who will run over defenders than run around them, which could provide for some durability concerns in the long run as he takes more hits than the average back.
TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Pros
In my opinion, Henderson is one of the most explosive players in this draft class overall. He’s an athletic running back with great acceleration out of the backfield and impressive lateral quickness with the ball in his hands. His creativity in space makes him a valuable home-run threat, as well.
Cons
Henderson is a bit undersized, and he’s not a very powerful back with ideal aggressiveness in the trenches. The fear with him for the Bears is that he’s arguably too similar to what they currently have in D’Andre Swift. He’s a talented back, but Chicago might need a player who can bring a more diverse skill set to their backfield.
Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
Pros
If the Bears want a true power back to add to their backfield, Johnson fits the bill perfectly. He’s a big runner with tremendous play strength and the contact balance needed to plow over defenders in between the tackles. His ball-carrier vision as a downhill runner is some of the best in this class, too.
Cons
Out of the consensus top running backs, Johnson is the slowest of the bunch, both in terms of Combine testing and in his game tape. He doesn’t have elite breakaway speed, and he’s a bit stiff in the hips. That could limit his big-play potential at the NFL level.
Best of the rest
Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
Tuten had fumble issues in college, but he’s a 4.32 athlete with elite speed and really good contact balance, especially for a player who’s not all that big.
Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
A shifty running back who can make defenders miss in the open field, Sampson is a smaller back who doesn’t have ideal physicality but could be a high-end rotational back in the pros.
Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
For what Skattebo lacks in breakaway speed — which limits his NFL upside — he makes up for with vision and elite balance. Whether that translates to the pros remains to be seen.
