When the Chicago Bears made their final pick of Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft and selected LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas, the immediate reactions were not good.
In fact, that's an understatement. The immediate reactions were downright terrible. At no. 89 overall, the Bears selected a player who was a sixth-round talent at best by most experts' opinion. In fact, there were big boards out there that had Thomas as an undrafted free agent.
So, the confusion and anger were warranted, in a way.
But, if the man himself can help any of it at all, Thomas' words might help subdue a little of the angst from this fan base.
After the selection, NFL insider Jordan Schultz posted a prior interview he had with Thomas along with the caption "Bears fans are going to love new WR Zavion Thomas."
Zavion Thomas sounds like the type of player Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson wanted on the Chicago Bears
Schultz asked Thomas for three reasons why a team should draft him, and it's hard to argue with his answers:
"I'm always available. I got 48 career starts. I only missed one game ... my versatility. I'm able to impact the game from kick return, punt return, outside receiver, slot receiver and running back. I did it all this year at a high level.
"Third reason, I'd say my love for the game. The love, joy and pride I bring to the game is unmatched."
Let's take all of the pre-draft rankings and big boards out of the picture for a moment, can we?
By now, any educated football fan is aware that there are several players, each year, who get drafted much higher than anyone anticipated. And, in time, some of them don't work out. The pre-draft opinions were, in fact, correct.
But, there are also a lot of players who buck the trend and prove all of those experts wrong. Judging solely on Thomas' words, he is certainly the type of player the Bears want on this team.
You cannot argue with availability. Having him healthy and ready, at all times, is an invaluable trait.
His versatility is also a valid reason to be excited about him. Make no mistake: this is not Velus Jones Jr.
All you have to do is watch the tape. Thomas is far more polished as a wide receiver than Jones ever was coming out of Tennessee. For goodness sake, Thomas played at LSU. He comes from an NFL wide receiver factory. Let's remember that part of the equation, too.
Thomas' tape shows a player who can play both outside and inside receiver at times. His speed jumps off the screen whether he's returning on special teams or lining up in the backfield. His on-field speed is legitimate.
And, lastly, who doesn't want a guy who loves football? We've seen first-round picks leave the game far too early because they simply don't love football. That's not a trait you can coach.
Read more: Even Ryan Poles knew Vikings gifted Dillon Thieneman to the Bears
So, before we rush to judgment and call for Poles' head, let's let this all play out and trust that he and Ben Johnson know what they're doing.
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