The Chicago Bears walked into Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft needing depth at wide receiver. By the end of it, they had their guy in Zavion Thomas as the 89th overall pick. But instead of optimism, the pick triggered a loud, familiar repelling reaction.
The focus lens shifted from Thomas, and it quickly became about Ryan Poles and a third-round track record that continues to raise eyebrows across the league.
Analyst Calls Out GM Ryan Poles’ Troubling 3rd-Round History After the Bears Picked WR Zavion Thomas
The criticism came mercilessly during PFSN’s “Football Debate Club” Draft Show live coverage when analyst Jacob Infante dissected Thomas to the Bears.
Cam Mellor pointed out: “Zavion Thomas, -186 on the big board from where he was drafted. All the way at the bottom left, that’s not where you want to be.”
It was a triggering statement that opened the floodgates for Infante’s criticism as he agreed, “That’s not where you want to be at all. And look, early returns make me believe that this pick is donkey a**.”
He further explained his reaction to the draft pick as he said: “This is Ryan Poles drafting in the third round since he became the general manager in 2022: Velus Jones Jr., Zacch Pickens, Gervon Dexter, Roschon Johnson, and now Zavion Thomas. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the Dillon Thieneman pick. I think Logan Jones might be a bit of a reach, but he can be a really good starter for the Bears in due time at center.”
“And I apologize to people watching who aren’t Bears fans and have to hear me go on this tangent. But as much as I like [Sam] Roush, as physical as he is as an inline blocker and as athletic as he is, there’s a lot to like on tape with him. Still, it’s your tight end room that was not good in 2025.
Then, Zavion Thomas, you’re talking about an unproven wide receiver who’s undersized and can’t run a full route tree. I don’t know. There’s speed, don’t get me wrong.”
The history, indeed, is not flattering at all.
Velus Jones Jr. became the cautionary tale. A 25-year-old gadget pick who never found a role, struggled with ball security, and was eventually cut.
Zacch Pickens followed a similar path, failing to develop into a reliable interior presence before being waived. Two swings, two clear misses.
To be fair, not every mid-round move has failed. Gervon Dexter, though often lumped into this discussion, was a second-round pick and has developed into a productive defensive anchor with 11 sacks over the last two seasons.
So, the point stands: hits have come outside Round 3. And now, Thomas doesn’t look like a hot pick either.
The upside, as Infante acknowledges, is the speed. A 4.28 40-yard dash, one of the fastest at the Combine, is not something one can ignore.
But the broader profile is less convincing. His PFSN CFB Wide Receiver Impact ranking sits at No. 105 overall. He is not a polished route runner. He is not a complete receiver yet. And for a team like the Bears, that’s a bear minimum at the moment.
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So this becomes less about what Thomas is today and more about whether Chicago is repeating a pattern. Betting on traits. Reaching relative to the board. And hoping development fills the gap.
Then, again, maybe this one hits. It is too early to call Thomas anything close to a failure. But given the history, Infante’s reaction was predictable. And for Poles, the margin for error in Round 3 is getting thinner by the year.
