2025 NFL Draft Chicago Bears prospect profile: Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
The Offseason: Why Ashton Jeanty could be a steal at No. 10 in the NFL Draft
Boise State beat writer, B.J. Rains says you’d be foolish to pass on RB Ashton Jeanty is he's available at 10 in the NFL Draft. More on the running back's career and character.
With the 2025 NFL Draft one week away, the Chicago Bears hold the No. 10 overall pick. They'll have a chance to get one of the best players in the NFL Draft.
Here's a profile on potential draft prospect Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, and how he fits with the Chicago Bears.
NFL Draft Prospect: Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty
2024 Stats: 374 carries, 2,601 rushing yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, 6.95 yards per carry
The NFL has been split on the positional value for running backs for years. What no one is split on is how Jeanty had one of the best seasons in college football history for a running back.
Jeanty rumbled into the spotlight with his incredible highlights, where it was clear he was nearly impossible to tackle. He also has speed to pair with it, having scored five touchdowns of 70 yards or more in 2024 and recording runs of 50-plus yards in nine games. He was the 2024 Heisman Runner-up, behind Colorado do-it-all player Travis Hunter.
What helps Jeanty's cause is how Saquon Barkley's 2,000-yard season led to a resurgence in running back value. Whether that value remains high remains to be seen. However, there's no doubt Jeanty is the best running back draft prospect in years. His biggest issue is ball security, having nine fumbles across the past two seasons, but running backs coach Eric Bieniemy would be able to help with that.
The Bears are currently looking for a running back who can be the thunder to D'Andre Swift's lightning in first-year head coach Ben Johnson's offense. Roschon Johnson might not be the long-term answer, but he has proven to be a capable goal-line back and special-teams player.
Don't be dissuaded by his status as a star from a Group of 5 program. The Bears took backs from smaller programs like Jackson State and Tulane. In those two instances, Walter Payton and Matt Forte turned out to be all-time greats at the running back position for the Bears.
Jeanty would not only check the box, but could rise to professional prominence like David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs did with Johnson's offense in 2024. The Bears did bring him in for a top-30 visit, meaning they are interested in Jeanty.
Projected Draft Range: Top-10. There is a chance the Bears might not have a shot at drafting Jeanty, depending on how high the Raiders and Jaguars have him on their draft board.
Chicago Bears 2025 Draft Needs
Three biggest needs: OT, S, EDGE
The Bears could also use: Backup QB, TE, RB
Running back isn't the biggest need for the Chicago Bears in 2025 with Swift and Johnson in the backfield. But, when a player as talented as his position is available like Jeanty could be, it would be foolosh not to consider him.
Chicago Bears 2025 NFL Draft picks
Here is where the Bears will pick in the 2025 draft. The Bears did not receive a compensatory draft selection for this draft.
First Round: 10
Second Round: 39 (from Panthers) and 41
Third Round: 72
Fifth Round: 148
Seventh Round: 233 (from Bengals) and 240 (from Browns)