Ryan Poles stated he felt the Chicago Bears did a great job accomplishing all of their objectives in the 2023 draft. They got bigger, longer, and faster at several positions. Now the goal is for the coaching staff led by Matt Eberflus to develop these young men into the players they can be. While Poles is satisfied with every pick he made, it’s only natural that he would have some favorites. He became a big fan of Darnell Wright in the months leading up to the draft. He also fell in love with 7th rounder Travis Bell after the team interviewed him.
However, it appears one name got the entire draft room buzzing when it happened. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog revealed a fun nugget on that. It appears the team was shocked that running back Roschon Johnson was still available in the 4th round and were beyond ecstatic to land him when they did.
“There is no reason to get overexcited about day three selections, but running backs tend to be the exception. And the Bears are wild about Roschon Johnson. Don’t be surprised if they give this kid an opportunity to be their starting running back.”
Several experts share that sentiment. It’s widely believed that if Johnson hadn’t had the tough luck to share the same backfield as Bijan Robinson, he would’ve likely become a 2nd round pick. The Bears probably understood this and knew they were getting a bargain when they took him in the 4th.
The Chicago Bears understand what Johnson brings to the table.
He can play the traditional running back role. His size, power, and decent speed allow him to be that guy who can get 20-25 carries and wear a defense down. What separates him from others is his versatility. Johnson caught 56 passes in his college career, so he can be a receiving threat out of the backfield. On top of that, he has a case for being the best pass-protecting running back in the entire draft. His ability to pick up the blitz was a constant benefit to Texas’ offense. It’s also something the Bears have lacked.
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When a player is capable of doing anything on the field, his odds of becoming the starter go up. The Chicago Bears already have two dependable runners in Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman. Neither offers much as pass-catchers and protectors. That means Johnson figures to get action right away. If he is the workout warrior everybody says he is, then the coaches won’t hesitate to get him involved. Eberflus talked about the H.I.T.S principle. Perhaps no pick in this draft class embodies it more.
