The Bears on Friday night selected LSU receiver Zavion Thomas with the 89th pick in the third round of the NFL Draft.

A 5-foot-10, 190-pounder from Woodmere, Louisiana, Thomas spent his final two collegiate seasons at LSU after playing for two seasons at Mississippi State. With the Tigers, Thomas appeared in 26 games, including 10 starts, and recorded 716 yards on 64 catches and six touchdowns and earning Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2025.

Thomas stood out to the Bears thanks to his speed, including a 4.28 40 at the combine, making him a versatile receiver that can play on the outside or in the slot.

"Zavion, another versatile player, who brings a high level of speed, explosive speed," general manager Ryan Poles said. "it jumps off the tape. Another one that as a group, we watched over and over and over again … We can do a lot with him, and obviously when you pair that up with Ben and Press, exciting things can happen."

Thomas' talent as a kick and punt returner also caught the Bears' attention. Assistant director of college scouting Francis St. Paul described him as "special with the ball in his hand."

"This guy is going to be a weapon," St. Paul said. "This is one of the guys that Ben, when he saw the tape, started doing his little rocking and you could tell he was really excited about him. There's multiple ways we could get him the ball."

Being versatile is a trait Thomas takes immense pride in. Whether it be serving in a multitude of spots as a pass catcher, shifting to running back or even throwing passes, the receiver told reporters Friday that there is "nothing I can't do."

From an intangibles perspective, Thomas' energy and competitive nature added another layer of interest for the Bears. St. Paul added that national scout John Syty, who visited LSU last season, marked Thomas as one of his favorite players, specifically noting his willingness to compete every day in practice.

"That's something I've been having in me since I was a kid, since I fell in love with the game," Thomas said of his energy. "I play the game with a different type of aggression, with a different type of mentality. Because at the end of the day, this is my job, this is my life. So I put everything into this game of football."

For the Bears, that sentiment is reflected most in Thomas' return game. Starting his collegiate career at Mississippi State, he earned Freshman All-American honors as a punt and kick returner, returning 15 punts for 202 yards and one touchdown.

"He's fearless back there," St. Paul said. "He's the one that's not afraid to catch the ball and take it to the house. Obviously, he has the speed to take it the distance but he has the ability to make people miss. And even though he's a shorter guy, he's strong. I know you guys have seen that play against Vanderbilt where he broke those seven tackles and scored. He can do that in the return game as well."

While Thomas has not been to Halas Hall yet, he may have a prior connection to the Bears: He's been told he is related to Walter Payton. While he believes the relation is distant, it still feels full circle for him to be selected by the Bears.

"I can't even explain that feeling," Thomas said. "That's a feeling I never had before. First of all, just giving all the glory to God. Without him, I wouldn't be in this position. I'm just blessed to have my family behind me, all my loved ones who have watched me throughout this whole entire journey. Like I said, it was a feeling that I never felt before."