The 2025 NFL Draft hype around Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is well-deserved. He's as talented a running back prospect to enter the league as the likes of Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley, and players with scouting reports like that usually don't fall out of the top 10 picks, regardless of positional value.
With the Chicago Bears a likely team looking to upgrade their running back room, the connection with Jeanty as a first-round target at No. 10 overall is easy to make.
But general manager Ryan Poles has made it clear throughout his time as the Bears' GM that he prioritizes premium positions in the first round. Running back isn't one of them. And if he stays true to his draft philosophy, he's more likely to add competition for D'Andre Swift in the later rounds.
According to Pro Football Focus' recent breakdown of a late-round target for all 32 teams, Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten could be that later-round option for Poles."For a later-round addition, Bhayshul Tuten offers explosive speed — he earned an 80.7 rushing grade in 2024 and ran a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash at the combine, the fastest among all running backs," PFF's Jordan Plocher wrote.
Tuten was the biggest 'winner' at running back during the 2025 NFL Combine, nearly sweeping the position group for the best test results across the board. He's the fastest running back in this year's draft, which, for a coach like Ben Johnson, who just rode Jahmyr Gibbs' explosive traits on a deep playoff run with the Detroit Lions, Tuten's field-flipping juice has to be appealing.
Tuten was productive for the Hokies, too. He's not just a workout warrior. He ran for 1,159 yards (6.3 yards per carry) and 15 touchdowns in 2024, finishing the season as a second-team All-ACC performer.
But there's more to being a good or even above-average pro running back than just running faster than college defenders. The best at the position have patience, timing, and an elite ability to read the flow of a defense and expose bad angles. That's where Tuten needs some work, but as a change-of-pace back for an offense that has a banger between the tackles, he'd be a really good value on Day 3.
Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears don't have that power back right now, which makes Tuten seem like a superfluous player. His style won't be all that much different than Swift, which, unless the Bears are set on moving off of the veteran as their RB1, would suggest Tuten might not be a match.
That said, if Tuten continues to develop in the nuances of the position, he could be a mid-round steal. For that reason alone, he'd be worth a dice roll.
