With the Chicago Bears losing center Drew Dalman to a sudden retirement, general manager Ryan Poles had to resort to an unforeseen Plan B. After Dalman retired, the Bears quickly traded for New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury as a stopgap.
But, Bradbury isn't the long-term answer, nor is he an elite answer for the center position. So, what's next?
A lot of Bears fans want Poles to address that position via the 2026 NFL Draft, and on later on Day 2, there could be a very strong option available: Kansas State's Sam Hecht. Recently, Hecht appeared on Kay Adams' show, Up & Adams, where he talked a little Bears with the NFL personality.
Adams asked Hecht about the Bears' staff being at his pro day along with his thoughts on protecting a quarterback like Caleb Williams.
"Protecting a quarterback of that caliber, that's super exciting for sure," said Hecht. "The staff, the O-line coach and assistant O-line coach were amazing. I feel like we grew a good relationship, just the short time that we had with each other."
Sam Hecht could be the perfect fit for Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears
Coming out of college, Hecht is viewed as one of the top interior offensive linemen in his class. By most accounts, he's not just top-10, but often makes the top five. And, in terms of center prospects, specifically, Hecht is in Mel Kiper Jr.'s top three, for example.
One of the reasons Hecht isn't the top-tier prospect at his position has to do with his length. He isn't as long-limbed as your prototypical center, but what he lacks for in length, he makes up for with his football IQ.
Hecht is known for having excellent technique and an ability to make adjustments on the fly. He is a player who's very aware at all times, which is especially significant when talking about him being placed directly in front of a quarterback who often enjoys making something out of nothing.
Williams is, of course, known for scrambling around and making plays when one might break down. Hecht fits the mold as a guy who will continually keep his head on a swivel and might see things that other linemen may not see coming until it's too late.
As noted in Hecht's draft profile by NFL Media's Lance Zierlein, the scouting report also notes Hecht's eyes working quickly. Within an offense where there can be an awful lot of movement at any given moment, that's a big selling point.
Read more: Bears could land a perfect free agent signing nobody’s talking about
As for Hecht's opinion of who might potentially be his future quarterback, in Caleb Williams, Hecht got straight to the point:
"Just the ability to make plays. He's a playmaker."