Bears the 'perfect fit' RB in draft, and it's not Ashton Jeanty

The Chicago Bears are expected to take a running back in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft and it might not be Ashton Jeanty.

The Bears have been linked to Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson who would be a good fit for the team, per ESPN's Matt Bowen.

“The Bears could target Johnson early on Day 2 to pair him with D'Andre Swift in the backfield. He's a linear glider with the north/south acceleration to create big plays,” Bowen wrote. “Last season at Iowa, he rushed for 21 touchdowns and added 43 carries of 10 or more yards.

Johnson would be a good fit for the outside zone scheme that new coach Ben Johnson has run in the past. And with an uptick in usage in an NFL pass game, he'd produce on screens and backfield releases for Chicago.”

Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns off 240 carries in 2024, making him one of college football’s most productive running backs.

Ben Johnson's playcalling earned him Bears job

Newly hired Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has a knack for playcalling. His coaches knew he was going to be a successful coach before his playing career even came to an end.

“Soon after I got into college, I started getting the comments from the coordinators, ‘Man, you’re going to be a great coach one day,’” Johnson said via The Athletic. “That’s a compliment, but it’s also a backhanded compliment because it means you’re not a very good player. I knew exactly where my future was going.”

Johnson is appreciative of the opportunity he never even expected to have.

“My approach has always been, whatever role I was currently in, how do I best at that particular role,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t necessarily looking at becoming a play caller — I didn’t think I’d ever have the chance to be a play caller, much less a head coach. For the longest time there in Miami, it was about, how do I break through and be a position coach in this league.”

The Bears are hoping to turn over a new leaf with Johnson leading the way.