Caleb Williams
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - NOVEMBER 16: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears warms up prior to a game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota."" (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Never count the Chicago Bears out of drafting more weapons on offense for quarterback Caleb Williams. Especially when Ben Johnson is the head coach. That said, the Bears could look to give Williams another weapon, scheduling a pre-draft meeting with Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling.
“The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Stribling ran a 4.36-second 40,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler added, who first reported his scheduled meeting with the Bears.
Jeremy Fowler
Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling has pre-draft meetings with the Vikings, Bucs, Bears and Eagles, per source.
The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Stribling ran a 4.36-second 40.
Stribling, 23, had 55 catches for 811 yards and six touchdowns last season and is projected to go in the second round, according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.
Bears to Meet With Caleb Williams’ Potential New Weapon Ahead of Draft
De’Zhaun Stribling
GettyDe’Zhaun Stribling #1 of the Ole Miss Rebels stiff arms Isaiah Wadsworth #8 of the Tulane Green Wave.
Here’s more on what De’Zhaun Stribling brings to the NFL from Zierlein.
“Long-striding, vertical-access wideout with steady play and production. Stribling has good size and early acceleration to climb over the top of coverage but lacks short-area quickness to gain separation underneath. His downfield ball skills are above average but he struggles to consistently carve out catch space and fight through contested-catch contact for tight-coverage wins. He has legit speed after the catch once he finds open grass. He’s also one of the most competitive run blockers in the WR class. Stribling projects as an immediate WR4 who could eventually work his way into a starting role.”
Ben Johnson loves to have wide receivers who are fearless in run blocking, and Stribling brings just that. The short-area quickness and struggles to create separation are noteworthy, but something he can fix over time.
Stribling also scored an impressive 9.54 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which measures a prospect’s athleticism using metrics such as their height, weight, vertical, broad, 40-yard dash, 20-yard split, and 10-yard split.
Is Stribling Someone Worth Using a Day 2 Pick On?
To summarize De’Zhaun Stribling using Dane Brugler’s words from his annual The Beast scouting report on over hundreds of prospects, “Not the most well-rounded route runner, but big-bodied with great hands and a pro mindset.”
Brugler also has him going somewhere in the second and third rounds, but it feels like the Bears should address other areas of need on Day 2.
Safety, defensive line, cornerback, center, left tackle all seem like better areas of investment with a premium draft pick than wide receiver, considering the Bears used a first and second-round pick, respectively, on Rome Odunze and Luther Burden.
However, Ryan Poles has emphasized he’ll continue to stick to drafting the best player available.
“You look at the draft, when I’ve been here, we’ve taken the right mentality and taken the best available. I think the biggest mistake you can make is forcing something just because that’s what you need.”
Stribling could be, in the eyes of the Bears’ front office, the best player available in the second round. However, this could go plenty of other ways.
PFF listed four prospects the Bears could target in Round 2, which include Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas, Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller, LSU safety A.J. Haulcy, and Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas.
Either way, Stribling could be on a short list of Bears’ preferred options for Caleb Williams on Day 2.