As the 2026 NFL Draft gets closer, the focus for the Chicago Bears has been on using all or most of their picks to add young talent to a defense that needs help. But left tackle is a need to some degree in the wake of Ozzie Trapilo's ruptured patellar tendon, and depth at some spots on the offensive side of the ball is a concern.
During a pre-draft appearance on 104.3 The Score's "Spiegel and Holmes", ESPN analyst Matt Bowen offered his thoughts on some prospects he thinks are a good fit for the Bears. Co-host Laurence Holmes took things in a "wacky" direction, under a light protest from co-host Matt Spiegel, to wonder if the Bears could draft a wide receiver at No. 25 overall.
Bowen played along with a laugh, then took things toward a more serious evaluation of how a wide receiver would fit into the Bears' draft plans.
Matt Bowen names draft prospect Ben Johnson could pound the table for
"If we're gonna go receiver, again, I don't know at 25", Bowen said. "I think, once you get into the second round, ok, the Bears have two picks in the second round."
"A player I really like is Zachariah Branch, out of Georgia. You think about Ben Johnson's offense. You know, a lot of catch-and-run throws, crossers, unders, using the jet sweeps, using the wide receiver screens. I had him as my elusive pass catcher in that recent piece I wrote. He ran a 4.35 (40-yard dash). He is electric with the football in his hands."
After two nondescript years as a pass catcher at USC, Branch transferred to Georgia for what would be his final college season and broke through with 81 receptions (10th in FBS) for 811 yards and six touchdowns last season.
Branch led the FBS in punt return yards in 2023 as a freshman at USC, and in two of his three college seasons, he topped 1,150 all-purpose yards. As the Bears look to bolster their wide receiver depth and seek a dynamic return man option, the great-nephew of Pro Football Hall of Famer Cliff Branch looks like a nice fit.
The primary concern with Branch is a lack of size (5-foot-8 and 5/8-inches, 177 pounds), which drives a comp to a "gadget guy" like Curtis Samuel from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. But it's also safe to say Georgia's offense didn't maximize his talent, as Zierlien hinted in his full evaluation, and former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith took the opportunity to lament.
Legendary NFL receiver Steve Smith was talking about Zachariah Branch’s role in the UGA offense this season and called it “utterly pathetic” (swipe) 😳
— Recruits CFB (@recruits_cfb) April 11, 2026
Apparently Branch only ran a corner, comeback, or post route on 1% of his total routes run. He says that the Dawgs are not… pic.twitter.com/k7OJJBotuC
According to Pro Football Focus, 634 of Branch's 811 receiving yards last season came after the catch, and he had an average depth of target of just 3.6 yards.
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An offensive mind like Johnson would easily be able to expand/evolve Branch's route tree and create another dangerous piece for the Bears' offense that is already on a big-time upward trajectory.
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