The Chicago Bears have cleared the Senior Bowl, scouting combine, and now most of the pro days. Next on their agenda before the real action begins is bringing in key players for private visits. Every team is allotted 30 of them during the off-season. How they’re utilized can vary from team to team. Some use them to meet with players they plan to grab early in the draft. Others use them to recruit potential undrafted free agents. Either way, it offers a window into who they might be looking at for next month.
Here is the current list of names the Bears have spoken to or will in the near future. It will be updated as more news comes out.
The Chicago Bears are building their list of visits quickly.
Ashton Jeanty (RB, Boise State)
The consensus #1 running back in the draft, and for good reason. When you threaten a record held by Barry Sanders, you must be halfway decent. Jeanty has the full bag of tools. He’s built like a truck, has outstanding footwork, good vision, and enough speed to gash defenses if they’re not careful. Ben Johnson loves running the football. Pairing him with D’Andre Swift in the backfield has to be enticing.
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Josh Conerly (OT, Oregon)
Poles said he wants to bring in some competition for Braxton Jones, especially with the veteran looking at free agency next year. Conerly feels like an early 2nd round option. He isn’t quite a finished product but he made big strides down the stretch for Oregon. He’s a good athlete, strong where he needs to be and has that aggressive mentality the team looks for in its blockers.
Isaiah Bond (WR, Texas)
The Chicago Bears have their YAC merchant (D.J. Moore) and their imposing big body (Rome Odunze). The only thing missing now is a legitimate vertical threat. Bond has that kind of game-breaking speed. He averaged a whopping 15.9 yards per catch last year for the Longhorns. Though he’s on the skinnier side, he is tougher than he looks. He’s not afraid to get his nose dirty.
Breshard Smith (RB, SMU)
Until last season, Smith was a wide receiver in his college career. In his first-ever season as a running back, he explodes for over 1300 yards. The kid lacks instincts and vision, which is to be expected. Yet he managed to overcome that with speed, agility, and exploiting every single crease the defenses allowed. If you’re looking for a possible Swift replacement, this is the name to watch.
Nick Martin (LB, Oklahoma State)
An undersized player who missed most of last season with an injury. His ability to find the football runs hot and cold, but he is a heat-seeking missile once he locks on. Excellent tackler and at his best when allowed to attack as a blitzer. There is no question he fits Dennis Allen’s preferred style of defense, geared around harassing quarterbacks with exotic pressure packages.