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Bears Zavion Thomas

Zavion Thomas ran a 4.28 second 40 at the combine and he thinks he left time on the table because he hit a slightly awkward step off the line.

That kind of speed doesn’t show up in the draft very often. It’s the reason the Chicago Bears spent a third round pick on a 5’10” receiver who caught just 41 balls last season. 

It’s the reason Ben Johnson has already sketched out plays specifically around him. And it’s the reason the Devin Hester comparisons started the moment Thomas walked into Halas Hall.

The comp isn’t just about the speed, either. Thomas scored touchdowns four different ways in college. He returned kicks for 94 and 95 yards and he broke through seven defenders on a busted route at Vanderbilt and still turned it into a 65 yard touchdown. 

His instincts with the ball in his hands are different from what most receivers bring to the table. And wildly enough… He and Hester are actually distant relatives.

Ben Johnson Already Has a Vision

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Zavion Thomas’ tape made the Chicago Bears’ front office stop and rewind. GM Ryan Poles described it as a “Get in here!” moment around the scouting offices. 

“This kid is special with the ball in his hands,” assistant director of college scouting Francis Saint Paul said. “He has the ability to make people miss.”

Head coach Ben Johnson already had the plan sketched out on how to use Zavion Thomas before the pick was in.

“He has a unique skill set, just in terms of him being a 4.2 guy,” Johnson said. “Those guys don’t grow on trees.” Johnson specifically noted Thomas’ college versatility, from lining up in the backfield to running routes outside to gadget action, and said the entire offensive staff aligned quickly. “Coach Randle El, myself, Press Taylor, we all have a vision of how this guy could really help us.”

Sure he’s still pretty raw. Dane Brugler graded him as a seventh round player and specifically flagged inconsistent hands outside the frame and limited production as a deep target as only three of his 64 catches at LSU came on 20+ yard targets.

Why the Devin Hester Comparison Keeps Coming Up

GettyBears Legend Devin Hester

Devin Hester was never an every-down receiver either. What made him generational was the combination of elite speed, natural instincts, and a competitive gear that didn’t fear anything.

Zavion Thomas checks every one of those boxes. He’s been tracking punts his whole life. “When I first started doing it at Mississippi State, it kind of was natural to me,” he said. “You just got to go catch the ball.” His catch radius showed up immediately in kick return drills at minicamp, with Clay Harbor noting that he looked “surprisingly natural catching the ball with his hands.”

He also has the competitive wiring. When he was asked about that Vanderbilt play where he broke through a crowd of seven, Thomas simply said: “If I got to break 10 tackles, that’s what I got to do. It’s just going to happen.”

The Chicago Bears haven’t had a returner who could change a game by himself since Hester walked out the door. Zavion Thomas has the bloodline, the speed, and the instincts. Now he just has to go prove it.