The 2025 NFL Draft class is stacked with top running back talent, with several rookies likely to make a splash in September. Chief among them is Boise State standout Ashton Jeanty, who has been projected to come off the board in the first half of day one in Green Bay.
With many analysts predicting the Dallas Cowboys to take Jeanty at 12th overall, NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah made an even bolder prediction during an appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show.”
Chicago Bears Improving on Offense With Trades
Jeremiah, making a guest appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show,” discussed the upcoming draft, some top prospects, and some offseason movement around the league. When asked about the Chicago Bears and their latest acquisitions of offensive linemen Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, Jeremiah answered positively.
“When you bring in players in free agency or trades, your odds of hitting on players is much greater when you have experience. Either they have experience in the scheme, or you have experience in the organization that knows the player really, really well.”
“So when you go out and get Jonah Jackson, who has experience with your head coach, that’s beneficial. He’s been in this offense; we know what he looks like in this offense. Joe Thuney, [Bears general manager] Ryan Poles was there when they selected him. So he’s been around Thuney. Obviously, Thuney’s play speaks for itself.”
Daniel Jeremiah Predicts Ashton Jeanty to the Bears
According to Jeremiah, not only will Jackson and Thuney’s additions help the team on the field, but they have also given the Bears the freedom to be aggressive in free agency and April’s draft.
“You’ve now freed yourself up a little bit in both free agency and the draft. Because you don’t want to be in this situation where you have just this glaring need where you’ve got to grossly overpay, just in terms of what you’re going to give a free agent. Or, you’re reaching for somebody with that tenth overall pick.”
And that’s where things get exciting, according to Jeremiah. Before the trades for Jackson and Thuney, the Bears would have likely needed to prioritize their offensive line with their first overall pick. While there are still some difference-makers in that position that the Bears could take, they now have the freedom to make an exciting move.
“Now it frees up some new names there, Rich. Jeanty is legitimately now in the conversation there if you’re the Bears.”
The idea of Jeanty alongside Caleb Williams in Chicago, with Ben Johnson calling the plays, would be a mouth-watering prospect for Bears fans. For the rest of the NFC North, the 2025 Bears could be yet another serious contender in what is arguably already the most challenging division in football.
What Does PFSN’s Latest Mock Draft Say?
PFSN’s NFL Draft analyst Ian Cummings agrees with Jeremiah. He, too, has Chicago drafting the Boise State running back and 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up tenth overall in his latest seven-round mock draft with trades.
Cummings explained, “The Bears were aggressive in acquiring Thuney and Jackson, and rumor has it they’re after center Drew Dalman as well. Once the line is complete, Jeanty is the perfect RB to be Johnson’s engine: a generational elusive force with a physical edge.”
After selecting Williams as the franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears made a number of moves early in the offseason to address their weaknesses from a disappointing 2024 campaign. Chicago has set itself up nicely to have the opportunity to take a game-changing running back so early in the draft.