Why Bears Rookie Zavion Thomas Is Being Called "Jahmyr Gibbs 2.0"
The moment Zavion Thomas started talking about lining up in the backfield "naturally," the comparisons came flying in from every corner of Chicago Bears media.
Could this be Ben Johnson’s next Jahmyr Gibbs?
That is not a small comparison. Gibbs has evolved into one of the NFL's most feared offensive weapons since entering the league as the No. 12 overall pick in 2023.
Under then-Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Gibbs became the prototype for the modern "positionless" playmaker, a runner who can torch defenses between the tackles, split out wide like a receiver, motion across formations, and turn routine touches into defensive nightmares.
His best season to date came in 2024, when Johnson was still the OC, where Gibbs totaled 1,412 rushing yards and 16 rushing TDs on 250 attempts (5.6 yards per carry), along with 517 receiving yards and four receiving TDs on 52 catches (9.9 yards per catch).
He did all of that while sharing the backfield with former Lions’ running back David Montgomery, who finished that season with 775 rushing yards and 12 rushing TDs on 185 touches (4.2 yards per carry).
In three NFL seasons, two in Johnson’s system, Gibbs piled up over 3,500 rushing yards, nearly 1,500 receiving yards, three Pro Bowl nods, and a reputation as arguably football's most explosive back.
Now Johnson is in Chicago, and suddenly the Bears may have their own explosive new weapon.
Speaking with local reporters, rookie third round pick Zavion Thomas revealed he has essentially been playing running back his entire life. Asked why he looks comfortable taking carries from the backfield, Thomas said it feels "natural" because he has been doing it since he was six years old.
“It’s natural. I’ve been doing it my whole life, so I kind of don’t really second guess it. I just go out there and just try to put my team in the best position to win,” Thomas said.
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Comparing anyone to Jahmyr Gibbs sounds crazy, but the similarites are there.
Thomas measured roughly 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds at the NFL Combine.
Gibbs came into the league at 5-foot-9 and 199 pounds.
Thomas also ripped off a blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash, actually edging Gibbs' 4.36 time in 2023.
The overlap gets even more fascinating when you look at play style.
Thomas was never just a straight-line receiver in college. At LSU and previously at Mississippi State, he contributed to the run game as well as on punt and kick returns, totalling 106 catches for 1,213 receiving yards, along with 40 carries for 198 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns.
As a freshman at Mississippi State, he earned Freshman All-American honors as a punt returner after producing 202 yards on just 15 returns (13.47 yards per return), including a return for a touchdown against top-ranked Georgia in Week 11.
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In his final season at LSU, Thomas posted 41 catches for 488 yards and four TDs, along with 99 rushing yards and a rushing score, while becoming a more refined underneath separator and gadget option in motion-heavy packages.
Coaches consistently used him on jet sweeps, screens, slot motions, and misdirection concepts that forced defenses to account for his speed before the snap.
That sounds extremely familiar to anyone who watched Johnson weaponize Gibbs in Detroit.
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The Bears already have established backs in D’Andre Swift and rookie power runner Kyle Monangai, meaning Thomas will not immediately step into a full-time backfield role.
But Gibbs entered Detroit sharing touches too. The real value came from how Johnson layered him into the offense until defenses could no longer predict where the stress point was coming from.
That is where Thomas becomes fascinating for 2026.
Calling him "Jahmyr Gibbs 2.0" right now is premature. Gibbs was a first-round running back with elite college production at both Georgia Tech and Alabama before becoming an NFL star. Thomas is still an unproven third-round rookie learning a hybrid role.
But the opportunity is there.
Johnson spent years proving he knows how to maximize speed, versatility, and offensive multiplicity better than almost any play-caller in football. And if he truly views Thomas as a movable offensive weapon rather than a conventional receiver, the Bears may have quietly drafted one of the most intriguing experimental pieces in the entire 2026 class.
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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 3:25 PM.