With the 2025 NFL Scouting combine wrapping up this weekend, the Chicago Bears' focus will shift to free agency. In addition, the Bears will now prepare to attend prospect Pro Days while also making a list of prospects they plan to host at Halas Hall.
A team is allowed to host up to 30 prospects at Halas Hall as part of the Pre-Draft process. While the importance of Top 30 visits can often be overstated, it does give some idea to where a team may be leaning toward in the draft.
For the Bears, they hold three picks within the first 45 selections of the 2025 NFL Draft. With recent rumors that the Bears may add center Drew Dalman in free agency and a guard such as Aaron Banks, the team could enter the draft in a position to truly draft the best player available.
In anticipation of such a scenario, the Bears are reportedly using one of their Top 30 visits on the best running back in this year's draft class. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the Bears will be hosting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty for a Top 30 visit Fowler also adds the Dallas Cowboys as one of the teams Jeanty is visiting with before the draft.
Chicago Bears aren't putting the Ashton Jeanty rumors to rest
Jeanty has been loosely linked to the Bears throughout the offseason. The connections seem to stem from the fact that the Detroit Lions used a first-round pick to select Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Given the importance of a running back like Gibbs in Ben Johnson's offense, speculation has suggested Jeanty could be a fit for the Bears.
Where the connection to the Bears seems to lack logic is the fact that the team needs at least three new starting offensive linemen this offseason. Given those needs, it would be a tough sell for the Bears to take a running back with the No. 10 pick.
Recent comments by Ryan Poles seemed to suggest that the Bears will be looking to add a running back this offseason, but it's worth mentioning that the draft class is deep at the position. It's possible, if not likely that the Bears will find their running back on Day 2 of the draft while using their first pick on an offensive lineman.