2025 Senior Bowl prospects who would thrive in Ben Johnson's offense

The NFL Draft season officially began as the 2025 Senior Bowl took place last Saturday.

I wrote last week previewing which players to pay attention to on the offensive and defensive lines, as they are both massive needs the Bears must address this off-season. Offensively, the Bears also need a leading back that they can rely on. D'Andre Swift has been traded before when Ben Johnson was an offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions. If he stays with the team, the Bears need to utilize his skills much better to get more production.

They could use another young tight end to develop and pair with Cole Kmet, and another receiver in the mold of Jameson Williams, who can stretch the field with his speed, which also ends Keenan Allen's tenure with the Bears after only one season in 2024.

Here are offensive players from the 2025 Senior Bowl who can help the Bears in April's NFL Draft.

Offensive Lineman-Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

When talking about a player who has helped himself tremendously at the Senior Bowl, many experts put Grey Zabel at the top of the list regardless of the position. His name was on the radar amongst draft experts for a while and he proved he belonged facing Power 4 conference defensive linemen in a 1-on-1 drills.

Since his arm length is under 33'', he will be moved inside, which is better for the Bears since they will have to replace both guards this off-season, with the hopes of landing a veteran free-agent guard like Trey Smith of Kansas City to fill one of the spots. Zabel could be available with one of the Bears' second-round picks. But he could totally dominate at the NFL Draft Combine and could become a mid-to-late first-round pick.

Offensive Lineman-Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

Another offensive lineman who is expected to move inside like Grey Zabel is West Virginia's Wyatt Milum. Having been a tackle in his career, he struggled to fend off edge rushers in pass protection drills largely due to his arm length. He fared better working out at guard, and that is his best position in the NFL moving forward as a run blocker, but he needs work as a pass blocker. Newly hired offensive line coach Dan Roushar could help accelerate Milum's development. A second-round pick candidate for the Bears with either the 39th or 41st pick.

Tight End-Elijah Arroyo, Miami(FL)

The Bears signed Gerald Everett to a two0year deal last off-season. But he failed to make an impact during the 2024 season, and many predict he will be cut this off-season. It is time for the Bears to draft another young tight end that they can develop and complement with Cole Kmet. He has the size(6'4", 254), speed, and is able to get open. However, he only has 46 career catches as he almost missed two seasons with a knee injury. The Bears will need to pay attention to his medical record.

Wide Receiver-Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

His fellow teammate Jayden Higgins gets more attention as an NFL prospect. But Neal is just as good on his own. While Neal is undersized(5'9" 196), he caught 80 passes for 1,194 yards and scored 8 TDs in 2024. Because of his size, he would have to be a slot receiver and must be better at dealing with physical defenders. But he is a tremendous route runner, who gets open and has strong hands. He could be available in the third round as a replacement for Keenan Allen.

Running Back-Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

Ollie Gordon II is a massive, 6'2", 220-pound running back with 4.45 speed. He has the speed to outrun defenders while also showing he is not afraid of contact. After rushing for 308 yards as a freshman, he led the nation in rushing with 1,732 yards and won the Doak Walker Award in 2023. However, his 2024 season was a nightmare as Oklahoma State crashed to a 3-9 record, which put them dead last in the Big 12, and he only rushed for 880 yards. Even worse, he was arrested for DUI on June 30, 2024.

The Bears need to upgrade the running back position since David Montgomery left to sign with the Detroit Lions. Both he and Jahmyr Gibbs thrived and helped propel the Lions offense under Ben Johnson. There is no doubt Johnson is looking to recreate the same magic in Chicago. I could see the Bears gambling on him in the third round(72nd pick) hoping they get a 2023 version of Gordon.