The Chicago Bears added a wide receiver to their mix with the selection of LSU’s Zavion Thomas with their third of three Day 2 selections. Let’s get to know the newest wide receiver on Chicago’s roster by learning about their past and where they project to go in the future.
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ZAVION THOMAS (ROUND 3, PICK 89)
Position: Wide Receiver College: LSU (2024-25), Mississippi State (2022-23) Measurables: 5’10”, 192 pounds, 30 1/2″ arms, 9″ hands Accomplishments: Third-team All-SEC kick returner (2024) © Maria Lysaker-Imagn ImagesWide receiver was a position we figured the Bears would want to add during the draft. While Zavion Thomas fits the positional billing, I believe Ben Johnson and Chicago were much more attracted to what he could do beyond simply running routes and catching passes. Thomas brings elite speed and experience to Johnson’s offense, which could make him a factor returning kicks and punts and working out of the backfield.
MORE: Instant Analysis of the Zavion Thomas Pick
HIGHLIGHTS
STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, NFL PLAYER COMP
via NFL Draft profile
STRENGTHS
Builds his speed for an adequate vertical push. Late leverage pushes coverage out of his downfield break. Sharp snap at the top of his comeback routes. Legitimate ball-carrying talent on scripted touches. Good vision, burst, and wiggle to create for himself. Return specialist with three career scores (two kickoffs, one punt).WEAKNESSES
Average early acceleration into his routes. Short/intermediate routes are gradual and rounded. Loses momentum in and out of slant stems. Needs to stack and control corners when tracking. Struggles to secure catches through contact.NFL COMPARISON: Kalif Raymond
From NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein:
Thomas lacks gaudy production as a receiver, but his athleticism, versatility and return talent could bolster his roster value. He has average size with enough vertical speed to stress defenses downfield. He’s average in beating man coverage underneath and struggles finishing catches through contact. His vision, burst and elusiveness as a runner makes the evaluation more interesting. Thomas is likely to be viewed as a WR5 candidate with value as a return man, but teams could dig a little deeper on his potential as a running back.
This is what colleague Luis C. Medina had to say about the Zavion Thomas selection with pick No. 89:
Two things stand out about Thomas’ pre-draft profile. Firstly, the athleticism. Thomas’ NextGen Stats athleticism score of 83 was the ninth best among receivers at the Combine. He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds, which is an eye-opening number. At first blush, you can understand why Chicago was interested in Thomas.
With that being said, I can’t shake the feeling that this pick comes off as a reach. NFL pre-draft prognostication had Zavion Thomas projected as a Round 6 selection. CBS Sports had Thomas listed as the 197th overall prospect and WR-30 going into the NFL Draft. ESPN had Thomas as WR-32 with a 222 overall ranking. Prospect rankings and team boards don’t always see eye-to-eye, but the selection of Thomas feels out of step when you consider higher-ranked prospects such as Skyler Bell (UConn), Chris Bell (Louisville), and Deion Burks (Oklahoma) still available.
Perhaps this is one of those “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” situations. Or maybe I’m just grasping for straws late into the night. Whatever it is, Thomas is Chicago’s newest wide receiver and figures to be in the mix to battle for the WR3 position this summer.
RELATIVE ATHLETIC SCORE
Relative Athletic Score grades player measurements on a 0-10 scale and compares them to their contemporaries. It is a unique way to provide some of these prospects with additional depth and perspective.
Zavion Thomas was drafted in round 3 with pick 89 in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 8.79 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 507 out of 4196 WR from 1987 to 2026. Posted as a correction, had some data that wasn't his that pulled his score down. ras.football/ras-informat…[image or embed]
— Kent Lee Platte (Mathbomb) (@mathbomb.bsky.social) April 25, 2026 at 6:37 AMWHERE HE FITS
Many have dubbed Thomas a “gadget” player since Chicago selected him in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Typically, that wouldn’t be a label I would be all that excited about — in Bears offenses past, that just meant someone who couldn’t do any one thing really well — but under Ben Johnson’s vision and direction, there is some intrigue.
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn ImagesI chuckled this morning while looking for an NFL comp for Thomas, and the name I found most was Kalif Raymond, who now plays for the Bears. Johnson loves multiplicity, but drafting a guy in the third round who is compared to someone on your roster? I suppose I can see the vision. After all, many have compared Sam Roush to Cole Kmet. If nothing else, Johnson has a type.
CHICAGO BEARS 2026 NFL DRAFT CLASS — EVERY PLAYER, EVERY PICK
But Raymond wasn’t the only comp I found for Thomas. He’s also been compared to Tyreek Hill, which is intriguing. Check this out:
MetricZavion Thomas (LSU)Tyreek Hill (W. Alabama)Height5’10”5’10”Weight192 lbs191 lbs40-Yard Dash4.28s4.29s10-Yard Split1.52s1.50sHand Size9.0″8.0″Wingspan73.25″72.5″THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
A Reddit user (DangerZone23) put together the table above, and an interesting thread comparing Thomas and Hill. The big takeaway for me is that Thomas and Hill are almost identical builds, with Thomas having slight advantages in most categories, and a more polished collegiate resume as a pass-catcher and returner.
When talking about how he fits into Johnson’s offense, beyond the obvious versatility factor, he can be a guy who wins quickly on short-yardage and horizontal routes, in space cleared by Chicago’s vertical threats, giving quarterback Caleb Williams a target underneath who can be dangerous in open space with the football.
On top of that, he’ll likely get a look at kick and punt return duties and some designed stuff out of the backfield.
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