The Chicago Bears took Logan Jones of Iowa in the 2nd round of the 2026 draft. Some felt that was too early, believing the soon-to-be 25-year-old should’ve gone a little later. Head coach Ben Johnson didn’t care. He’d been “smitten” with Jones for a long time and felt he was a perfect fit for the Bears’ offense and locker room. ESPN draft insider Matt Miller agrees. He is a big fan of Jones as a prospect. He even went so far as to say there are significant shades of former All-Pro Jason Kelce.
He explained his reasoning on 104.3 The Score.
Obviously, people will call that crazy. The Philadelphia Eagles legend was one-of-a-kind. Except no, he wasn’t. People forget Kelce was a 6th round pick. He just happened to land in the perfect situation to showcase his greatest strengths. If you line him and Jones up, the similarities run deeper than you think. They had the same exact athleticism score from NFL.com (86). Then you look at their measurables. The size, speed, and agility numbers are pretty close, further validating Miller’s assessment.
| Measure | Jason Kelce (2011) | Logan Jones (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 6’3″ | 6’2 7/8″ |
| Weight | 280 lbs | 299 lbs |
| 40-Yard Dash | 4.93s | 4.90s |
| 10-Yard Split | 1.76s | 1.75s |
| 20-Yard Shuttle | 4.14s | 4.59s |
| 3-Cone Drill | 7.22s | 7.46s |
| Vertical Jump | 30.5″ | 32″ |
| Broad Jump | 9’2″ | 9’2″ |
| Arm Length | 32″ | 30 3/4″ |
| Hand Size | 9.5″ | 9.5″ |
Jason Kelce dropped into a great situation like Jones has.
He was drafted in 2011, during the final years of head coach Andy Reid. Getting to learn from a future Hall of Famer set the tone for Kelce’s rise from late-round pick to starter. He also got to work with legendary offensive line coach Howard Mudd, which further helped his prospects. It will be much the same for Jones. He will fall under the guidance of Johnson, one of the NFL’s brightest young offensive minds, who just turned Drew Dalman into a Pro Bowler last season. In addition, he’ll work directly with offensive line coach Dan Roushar, considered one of the best in the business.
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Jones may not fit everywhere in the NFL, but he doesn’t have to. He just needed to find the right situation where the team would know how to handle him. That has happened. This offensive system is tailor-made for his skill set, and this coaching staff will put him in situations that utilize his strengths. There is a reason he sounded so fired up when the Bears called during the draft. He knew the possibilities in front of him, much like Kelce probably did when the Eagles called 15 years ago.
Jones doesn’t have to be the next Kelce.
If he is even 70% of what the future Hall of Famer became in Philadelphia, the Bears’ offense just took a massive step forward. Remember, this team has operated with average-to-below-average centers for the better part of the past 15 years. Cody Whitehair and Dalman are the only two who gave them some quality play, and that didn’t last long. Whitehair regressed shortly after his best season, and Dalman abruptly retired at age 27. Jones is the highest-drafted center the Bears have taken since Olin Kreutz. Whitehair was originally a guard, as was James Daniels.
The only question left to answer is how long it will be before Jones gets onto the field. Chicago made it sound like the plan is for veteran Garrett Bradbury to hold the starting job this season. It makes sense since Johnson prefers having someone experienced in the middle. However, there is an undercurrent of belief that if the door is left open, Jones could win the starting job in training camp. That would be another thing he’d share with Jason Kelce, who did the same with the Eagles.
