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Ben Johnson wanted speed.
Zavion Thomas can provide it. It’s not hard to see what the Chicago Bears coach likes in the rookie wide receiver, selected in the third round of the NFL draft.
With Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond and Jahdae Walker looking like the top options at receiver, it might be an uphill battle for Thomas to see touches as a rookie. But Johnson is intrigued by Thomas’ abilities as a returner and a unique piece within the offense.
Here’s what to know about the rookie before training camp begins.
The Bears drafted Thomas with the 89th pick after two seasons at LSU and two at Mississippi State before that. The Bears had three Day 2 picks, and Thomas was the third after center Logan Jones and tight end Sam Roush.
Wide receiver wasn’t necessarily a top need, but finding a returner was a priority after Devin Duvernay signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency.
Thomas grew up in Woodmere, La., and played at John Ehret High School, which has produced such NFL stars as Reggie Wayne and Kordell Stewart. Making it to the league was always Thomas’ top goal, so much so that in high school he tattooed the NFL logo on his arm as a constant reminder of what he was working toward.
Thomas was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. He chose Mississippi State over offers from Louisville and Memphis, among others. He was primarily a returner as a freshman in 2022 before catching 40 passes for 503 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore.
He then entered the transfer portal and landed back in his home state at LSU. Thomas made an immediate impact as a returner. Over four years of SEC football, he averaged 27.2 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns.
During the 2025 season, he contributed 41 catches for 488 yards and four touchdowns on offense and rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He was the second-leading receiver on an LSU team that went 7-6.
Thomas’ 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine says it all. The knock against him was his relatively low statistical output on offense. Draft analysts widely considered Thomas to be a Day 3 pick, but the Bears didn’t wait to grab him.
Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles were willing to look past production and see all the ways they could utilize Thomas’ speed.
“When you turn on the tape, it’s more than just being able to run deep routes,” Johnson said after the Bears drafted Thomas. “The versatility that he showed both at Mississippi State and at LSU from the backfield, whether it’s running routes or getting handoffs, and then the returning aspect of it, I think it all adds up.”
Johnson noted that Thomas complements the skill sets of Odunze, Burden and Raymond. The Bears sometimes used DJ Moore in atypical roles, occasionally lining him up in the backfield. Thomas, with his speed, can be a weapon in those exotic looks.
The return aspect shouldn’t be overlooked. Kickoff returns were up across the NFL last year. Before the recent rule changes, it was a play that was largely disappearing from the game. Now the Bears view it as an opportunity to put their offense in better positions. Thomas could have an immediate impact there.
Thomas already has latched on to the 31-year-old Raymond. A free-agent addition in March, Raymond made a name for himself in Johnson’s offense when both were in Detroit. He twice has been an All-Pro punt returner (2022 and ’24).
During the spring practice period, Raymond and Thomas made sure to spend an extra 30 minutes each day catching footballs from the JUGS machine.
“That’s what Zavion needs to watch,” special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. “As a young kid, watch what Kalif does. Because Kalif, he works his tail off and is a consummate pro.”
Thomas is approaching it all with humility. His latching on to Raymond is intentional. Hightower loves the approach Thomas is taking to his rookie season.
“One of his first questions was, ‘Why, Coach, do most rookies not succeed in the NFL? What holds people back?’” Hightower said. “So that told me right there about his mindset.”
Thomas did everything in college. He scored touchdowns receiving, rushing and on punt and kickoff returns. He even completed two passes for 33 yards last season.
“There ain’t nothing you could name that I ain’t do,” Thomas said.
That might be true, but it will take time for any rookie to learn an NFL playbook. The Bears are going to test Thomas to see how much he can handle. The rookie will have to earn his touches.
Johnson could see the ability out of the gate during rookie minicamp and OTAs.
“He tends to make a play almost every single day right now,” Johnson said. “That says, OK, if we can harness all of this energy and make sure that we can trust him and he’s going to align where he needs to and run the route the way we need him to, that we really could use him and he could be a big weapon for us this year.”
Johnson always has found varied ways to get his playmakers the ball, going back to his Lions days. Whether it’s lining up in the backfield, jet sweeps or an occasional wide receiver pass, Johnson will be tinkering all summer with ways to get Thomas involved.
If Thomas can grasp the offense and earn Johnson’s trust, he’ll see the football in his hands this season. The depth chart ahead of him is crowded, but if Johnson wants to make room for a weapon, he will.
On special teams, perhaps the biggest thing for any rookie returner is ball security. If Thomas can prove in the preseason that he can take care of the football, he could earn the kickoff return job as a rookie. Raymond has been primarily a punt returner. While the veteran has returned kickoffs in the past, the door seems open for Thomas to compete for the job.
The Bears haven’t had a lot of success drafting returners in recent years. Recent picks Velus Jones Jr. and Tyler Scott didn’t pan out. Thomas is trying to change that narrative.
He might not make a huge early impact, but Thomas seems like the type of rookie who could come on strong during the second half of the season if he can win the trust of his coaches.
Continue reading...
Zavion Thomas can provide it. It’s not hard to see what the Chicago Bears coach likes in the rookie wide receiver, selected in the third round of the NFL draft.
With Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond and Jahdae Walker looking like the top options at receiver, it might be an uphill battle for Thomas to see touches as a rookie. But Johnson is intrigued by Thomas’ abilities as a returner and a unique piece within the offense.
Here’s what to know about the rookie before training camp begins.
How did he get here?
The Bears drafted Thomas with the 89th pick after two seasons at LSU and two at Mississippi State before that. The Bears had three Day 2 picks, and Thomas was the third after center Logan Jones and tight end Sam Roush.
Wide receiver wasn’t necessarily a top need, but finding a returner was a priority after Devin Duvernay signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency.
Where did he come from?
Thomas grew up in Woodmere, La., and played at John Ehret High School, which has produced such NFL stars as Reggie Wayne and Kordell Stewart. Making it to the league was always Thomas’ top goal, so much so that in high school he tattooed the NFL logo on his arm as a constant reminder of what he was working toward.
Thomas was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. He chose Mississippi State over offers from Louisville and Memphis, among others. He was primarily a returner as a freshman in 2022 before catching 40 passes for 503 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore.
He then entered the transfer portal and landed back in his home state at LSU. Thomas made an immediate impact as a returner. Over four years of SEC football, he averaged 27.2 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns.
During the 2025 season, he contributed 41 catches for 488 yards and four touchdowns on offense and rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He was the second-leading receiver on an LSU team that went 7-6.
Why did the Bears draft him?
Thomas’ 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine says it all. The knock against him was his relatively low statistical output on offense. Draft analysts widely considered Thomas to be a Day 3 pick, but the Bears didn’t wait to grab him.
Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles were willing to look past production and see all the ways they could utilize Thomas’ speed.
“When you turn on the tape, it’s more than just being able to run deep routes,” Johnson said after the Bears drafted Thomas. “The versatility that he showed both at Mississippi State and at LSU from the backfield, whether it’s running routes or getting handoffs, and then the returning aspect of it, I think it all adds up.”
Johnson noted that Thomas complements the skill sets of Odunze, Burden and Raymond. The Bears sometimes used DJ Moore in atypical roles, occasionally lining him up in the backfield. Thomas, with his speed, can be a weapon in those exotic looks.
The return aspect shouldn’t be overlooked. Kickoff returns were up across the NFL last year. Before the recent rule changes, it was a play that was largely disappearing from the game. Now the Bears view it as an opportunity to put their offense in better positions. Thomas could have an immediate impact there.
What his coaches said
Thomas already has latched on to the 31-year-old Raymond. A free-agent addition in March, Raymond made a name for himself in Johnson’s offense when both were in Detroit. He twice has been an All-Pro punt returner (2022 and ’24).
During the spring practice period, Raymond and Thomas made sure to spend an extra 30 minutes each day catching footballs from the JUGS machine.
“That’s what Zavion needs to watch,” special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. “As a young kid, watch what Kalif does. Because Kalif, he works his tail off and is a consummate pro.”
Thomas is approaching it all with humility. His latching on to Raymond is intentional. Hightower loves the approach Thomas is taking to his rookie season.
“One of his first questions was, ‘Why, Coach, do most rookies not succeed in the NFL? What holds people back?’” Hightower said. “So that told me right there about his mindset.”
What he said
Thomas did everything in college. He scored touchdowns receiving, rushing and on punt and kickoff returns. He even completed two passes for 33 yards last season.
“There ain’t nothing you could name that I ain’t do,” Thomas said.
That might be true, but it will take time for any rookie to learn an NFL playbook. The Bears are going to test Thomas to see how much he can handle. The rookie will have to earn his touches.
Johnson could see the ability out of the gate during rookie minicamp and OTAs.
“He tends to make a play almost every single day right now,” Johnson said. “That says, OK, if we can harness all of this energy and make sure that we can trust him and he’s going to align where he needs to and run the route the way we need him to, that we really could use him and he could be a big weapon for us this year.”
Johnson always has found varied ways to get his playmakers the ball, going back to his Lions days. Whether it’s lining up in the backfield, jet sweeps or an occasional wide receiver pass, Johnson will be tinkering all summer with ways to get Thomas involved.
What he needs to prove during training camp
If Thomas can grasp the offense and earn Johnson’s trust, he’ll see the football in his hands this season. The depth chart ahead of him is crowded, but if Johnson wants to make room for a weapon, he will.
On special teams, perhaps the biggest thing for any rookie returner is ball security. If Thomas can prove in the preseason that he can take care of the football, he could earn the kickoff return job as a rookie. Raymond has been primarily a punt returner. While the veteran has returned kickoffs in the past, the door seems open for Thomas to compete for the job.
The Bears haven’t had a lot of success drafting returners in recent years. Recent picks Velus Jones Jr. and Tyler Scott didn’t pan out. Thomas is trying to change that narrative.
He might not make a huge early impact, but Thomas seems like the type of rookie who could come on strong during the second half of the season if he can win the trust of his coaches.
Continue reading...
