The Chicago Bears made some surprising moves on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, when they went all-offense with their three selections. But one of the biggest surprises was the selection of LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas in the third round.
There were some draft analysts who had Thomas pegged as a seventh-round pick, and Chicago landed him late on Day 2. But when you look at Thomas, it’s not hard to see what might’ve intrigued head coach Ben Johnson. Thomas has impressive speed and playmaking ability, as well as special teams versatility, which should make him a weapon all over the field. But don’t take it from me. Listen to why Johnson just had to have Thomas on his team.
“He has a unique skillset, just in terms of him being a 4.2 (40-yard dash) guy,” Johnson said. “Those guys don’t grow on trees. It’s easy to look at because that flashes up and everyone sees it, but yet, when you turn on the tape, it’s more than just being able to run deep routes. The versatility that he showed both at Mississippi State and at LSU, from the backfield, whether it’s running routes or getting hand-offs.
“Then, the returning aspect of it. I think it all adds up. (Wide Receivers) Coach (Antwaan) Randle El, myself, (Offensive Coordinator) Press Taylor, we all have a vision of how this guy could really help us. As I talked about, it’s a compliment to what Rome does best, what Luther does best, Kalif (Raymond) does best. He’s a guy that we really feel like can play a key component in what we want to do this year.”
Thomas joins a young receivers room headlined by Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, as well as free-agent addition Kalif Raymond. With Raymond only under contract for one year, it’s possible that Johnson is looking to develop Thomas as his potential replacement both in the passing game and as a return specialist.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson explains why he had to have rookie Zavion Thomas
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
