Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette is almost over—and so, as is customary in this rose-laden land of champagne and helicopter rides, it’s time for the “Men Tell All” episode. On Monday night, all of Hannah’s exes will gather to rehash old feuds, whine about how they thought they’d really connected with Hannah, and, most importantly, stage their final auditions to be the next Bachelor when the franchise returns next winter. Mike Johnson already looks like a front-runner for the role, thanks to his popularity among fans and the fact that he’d be the series’s first black Bachelor. And for those who want to see the Air Force veteran slash portfolio manager with the perfect smile assume the mantle, the show’s producers have some good news: he’s definitely being considered.

At the taping of Monday’s episode, Bachelor and Bachelorette host Chris Harrison told The Hollywood Reporter, “Everyone’s excited about Mike here tonight.... I love him. The smile, the charm, the sincerity, the maturity. He’s a great man and I feel like he’s a dear friend of mine already, so he’s a great candidate and he’s definitely going to be in the mix.”

Johnson told THR that no one from the show has officially approached him yet—but that makes sense, since it could be a while before a Bachelor is announced. (As THR notes, there’s a bit more time between filming Bachelorette and Bachelor than the other way around. That allows producers to select not only from the contestants popping on Hannah’s season, but also from those who appear on Bachelor in Paradise, which premieres in August.)

Plus, Harrison added, “I know that, having been doing this a while, when we get to After the Final Rose and have two nights of that, people are going to be clamoring for those guys as well. So we have to let the dust settle a little bit and then go back to the board and debate this whole thing.”

For what it’s worth, Johnson believes it’s “100 percent time to have a black Bachelor,” he told THR, adding, “They’ve never had a Bachelor that’s a veteran either, so I think that it’s time to have a veteran that served the country as well.”

Right now, the possible Bachelors are all over the map—so Monday’s episode might help narrow the playing field. Major contenders include John Paul Jones, the rambunctious contestant best known for saying his own name and being very excited about rugby; Peter Weber, who is one of Hannah’s finalists but might have to answer for allegedly dumping a long-term girlfriend to join the franchise; and Tyler Cameron, who is objectively Hannah’s best remaining option.

So, what should one look for on Monday night? If a potential Bachelor comes off too emotional over losing Hannah, that could be a deal-breaker. If they’re calm, cool and collected, that’s a checkmark in their favor. Also watch for how much screen time producers give each man, and any hint that one might be building a narrative that could be expanded in a season of Bachelor.

Truthfully, though, the road to be the next Bachelor could likely run through Bachelor in Paradise. As THR points out, both Colton Underwood and Nick Viall got tapped for their respective Bachelor seasons not after The Bachelorette, but a trip to the beach. One thing’s for certain, though: If Mike wants to be the next Bachelor, he better not let his recent flirtation with Demi Lovato get too serious.

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