NFL Scouts’ Surprise Center Rankings May Reveal Chicago Bears’ Draft Plans

The Chicago Bears are going to draft a center. We’ve already been seeing the signs for the past several weeks. Drew Dalman’s retirement really threw a wrench into their plans, forcing general manager Ryan Poles to swing a deal for veteran Garrett Bradbury. However, this is a temporary solution. Bradbury is in the final year of his contract and already in his 30s. The team must think about long-term options in the upcoming draft. They’ve already met with three projected centers in the 2026 class. That is a surefire sign they plan to draft one within the first four rounds.

What remains unknown is who they might be eyeing. Sam Hecht of Kansas State is a popular name making the rounds. Chicago has a strong presence at his pro day. Yet if you ask scouts around the NFL, he isn’t the one to watch. That name is Logan Jones. Iowa has a long-established track record of producing good offensive linemen over several years. Jones isn’t the most talented to come out of college, but many believe he has all the traits necessary to become a productive starter. It also sounds like he’d be a perfect fit in the Bears’ system under Ben Johnson. Bob McGinn of Go Long had more.

“He’s far and away the best center,” one scout said. “Third round.” Was a defensive tackle before moving to offense in spring 2022 after Tyler Linderbaum was off to the NFL. “He’s not Linderbaum,” said another scout. “He’s more like Luke Wattenberg who came out of Washington and who plays in the league (Denver). He’s not going to be the best ever but he’s got strong hands and he’s smart. His makeup is awesome. He’s got good enough size and power to be a starter. Typical Iowa guy.”

“Little bit of a poor man’s Linderbaum,” a third scout said. “He should find his way onto the field just because of who he is. The athlete, the hand strength. You want bigger and all that, but in the San Francisco (zone) scheme I could see him excelling.”

The Chicago Bears have not been mentioned around Jones at all.

That in itself is interesting. You’d think a player with his mental makeup and skill set would be somebody they’d have eyes on at all times. The Bears didn’t even attend his pro day. Are they really that disinterested? In truth, the lack of connection is more interesting because recent history suggests it is intentional. Keep this in mind. None of the reported top 30 visits from last year saw the Bears meet with players they eventually drafted.

That should tell you the absence of Jones’ name means the team isn’t interested in him. Last year showed they were very intentional about where they popped up, often using high-profile pro days to throw other teams off the scent of who they wanted. It later came out that Colston Loveland was one of their top targets from the outset, yet their only notable top 30 visit was with Tyler Warren, his biggest competition in the 1st round. There is a possibility that the meetings with Hecht and James Brockermeyer are intended to ensure that other teams don’t sense an interest in Jones.

Johnson wants good football players.

They don’t all have to be stars, but they all have to fit a certain criteria. They must be smart and must love the game. Anybody who has watched Jones since becoming the starter for Iowa knows that he embodies both. Every snap sees maximum effort, and he is somebody who does his homework. That is why he is rarely caught off guard. While he may not have the same talent as other alumni from that university, he has all the hallmarks of somebody who can play in the NFL for a decade.

Let’s not forget that one of the best centers in Chicago Bears history came from Iowa. Jay Hilgenberg anchored that great offensive line in the 1980s. It’s honestly surprising the team didn’t lean more into that university over the years, given how well it’s worked out for them. Here’s hoping they have eyes on Jones and are playing possum. This is somebody who embodies everything they preach. The only question is whether they can snag him in the 3rd round, as scouts believe.