With the 71st pick in the third round, the Bears selected Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. giving quarterback Justin Fields another weapon to work with.
Jones began his career at USC before transferring to Tennessee in 2020. He was first-team All-SEC (all-purpose) and is a threat as a return specialist.
Right now, he’s more of an athlete than a receiver but is speedy and great with the ball in his hands (just look at his 4.31 40-yard dash). While he’s unpolished as a wide receiver, he can turn short routes into significant gains.
While he develops as a wide receiver, he’ll immediately fill the gap left by Jakeem Grant as the starting kick and punt returner. Jones will also serve as a deep threat in the offense, likely opening things up for other receivers underneath.
He’s a 25-year-old rookie that took advantage of his COVID year. In five years, he had 1,434 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He also had one rushing touchdown and two return touchdowns.