This
running back class lacks the studs that previous classes have had but it is
deep in a number of unique ways: The best is that there are a bunch of talented
different types of players, the worst is that most of them, as I alluded to in
my QB column, have a flaw which could keep
them from fulfilling their potential in the league.
Name
| School (Conference) | Height Weight | My Grade
Adj.
Yards per Rush (Rushes) | Adj. Yards per Target (Targets) | 40 time, 10 yard
split, 3-cone, Short Shuttle, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump | Production Score
Note:
A
quick reminder, the grades are on the 20-80 scale stolen from baseball scouting
and the grade groups are Starter (S), Expected Starter (ES), Potential Starter
(PS), Backup (B), and Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA).
Top
15 (16 with the tie)
Darrell
Henderson | Memphis (American) | 5’ 8 3/8” 208 lbs | Grade: 7.0 (ES)
Stats:
10.81 AY/R (214 Att.) | 15.34 AY//T (23 Tar.) | 40: 4.53, 10: 1.42, 3C: 7.03,
SS: 4.41, VJ: 33.5 BJ: 121 | 19.98
Josh
Jacobs | Alabama (SEC) | 5’ 10” 220 lbs | Grade: 7.0 (ES)
Stats:
7.02 AY/R (120 Att.) | 11.73 AY//T (26 Tar.) | 40: 4.64, 10: 1.60 3C: INJ, SS: INJ,
VJ: 35, BJ: 112 | 8.24
Henderson
is my favorite guy in the draft. He has home run ability, moves smooth, and has
burst for days but he’s undersized and as much as I think mass matters more
than pure height or weight the NFL has shown a propensity to not trust smaller
backs with big workloads and that hurts his upside. Jacobs is a good player but
he doesn’t wow in his stats or his workout numbers but when you put on the tape
it’s easy to see why people fell in love with him he runs hard, he’s quick, and
Alabama did it’s best to put him in space. Alabama, however, also didn’t use
him as a primary back and that worries me as we should all hold Nick Saban in
much higher regard than Butch Jones who underutilized Alvin Kamara a few years
back. That said I think they’re clearly the best backs in the class and should both
be good additions in a backfield.
Alexander
Mattison | Boise State (Mountain West) | 5’ 10 5/8” 221 lbs |
Grade: 6.6 (ES)
Stats:
5.71 AY/R (302 Att.) | 5.24 AY//T (33 Tar.) | 40: 4.52, 10: 1.61, 3C: 7.13, SS:
4.29, VJ: 35, BJ: 127 | 13.21
Trayveon
Williams | Texas A&M (SEC) | 5’ 8 1/8” lbs | Grade: 6.3 (ES)
Stats:
7.72 AY/R (271 Att.) | 7.62 AY//T (39 Tar.) | 40: 4.51, 10: 1.58, 3C: 7.44, SS:
4.44, VJ: 33, BJ: 121 | 16.45
Our
next pair of backs are very different. Alexander Mattison from Boise State is
solid back with good feet, a bit of speed and good vision he knows when and
where to hit the holes but doesn’t have the breakaway speed to always bust
runs. He’s powerful and may be able to come close to his college efficiency at
the next level. Williams is an exciting player from A&M who seems to sip
through opposing defenses, but he does get stalemated too often and needs to
use better pad level and add a bit more bulk to be truly fearsome at the next
level.
Miles
Sanders | Penn State (Big Ten) | 5’ 10 5/8” 211 lbs | Grade: 6.0 (PS)
Stats:
6.54 AY/R (220 Att.) | 4.09 AY//T (34 Tar.) | 40: 4.49, 10: 1.57, 3C: 6.89, SS:
4.19, VJ: 36, BJ: 124 | 10.38
Devin
Singletary | Florida Atlantic (Conference USA) | 5’ 7 1/2"
203 lbs | Grade: 5.9 (PS)
Stats:
6.72 AY/R (261 Att.) | 2.4 AY//T (15 Tar.) | 40: 4.66, 10: 1.63, 3C: 7.32, SS: 4.40,
VJ: 35, BJ: 117 | 10.80
Damien
Harris | Alabama (SEC) | 5’ 10 1/8” 216 lbs | Grade: 5.9 (PS)
Stats:
6.94 AY/R (150 Att.) | 7.29 AY//T (28 Tar.) | 40: 4.57, 10: 1.61, 3C: N/a, SS: N/a,
VJ: 37, BJ: 121 | 8.68
Ryquell
Armstead | Temple (American) | 5’ 11 1/4" 220 lbs | Grade: 5.8 (PS)
Stats:
6.37 AY/R (210 Att.) | 4.00 AY//T (13 Tar.) | 40: 4.45, 10: 1.57, 3C: 7.02, SS:
4.29, VJ: 30, BJ: 114 | 9.04
Bryce
Love
| Stanford (Pac-12) | 5’ 8 7/8” 186 lbs | Grade:
5.8 (PS)
Stats:
5.12 AY/R (166 Att.) | 3.81 AY//T (26 Tar.) | 40: INJ, 10: INJ, 3C: INJ, SS: INJ,
VJ: INJ, BJ: INJ | 6.39
Darwin
Thompson | Utah State (Mountain West) | 5’ 8” 198 lbs | Grade: 5.7 (PS)
Stats:
12.99 AY/R (153 Att.) | 12.16 AY//T (30 Tar.) | 40: 4.55, 10: 1.58, 3C: 6.93,
SS: 4.30, VJ: 39, BJ: 126 | 12.16
Justice
Hill
| Oklahoma State (Big XII) | 5’ 9 5/8” 198 lbs | Grade: 5.7 (PS)
Stats:
6.88 AY/R (157 Att.) | 4.00 AY//T (17 Tar.) | 40: 4.40, 10: 1.56, 3C: N/a, SS: N/a,
VJ: 40, BJ: 130 | 7.52
I
wasn’t sure how to split up the last 12 players, so I split them in half (almost).
Let’s start with Sanders who was overshadowed last season by Saquon Barkley and
this year by Saquon Barkley’s shadow. Sanders is a good player who dances a bit
too much behind the line and wasn’t as productive as you’d like through the air
(maybe a bit on the QB) but he’s athletic as all get out and productive enough to
be a solid prospect. After him Devin Singletary has the best vision of any RB
in this draft but he’s not a great athlete and at the next level he’s going to
find those exploitable mistakes and holes tougher to hit even if he sees them.
Damien Harris carries the same grade but is the “safe” back from Alabama. He’s
a big back who was super productive behind what was at worst the 3rd
best offensive line in college football. For a big back he was more efficient
out of the backfield then on the ground. The flaw for Harris is that he’s less
dynamic than Jacobs, less efficient than Jacobs, and (unfairly) is following in
the footsteps of multiple big backs from the same school and scheme that turned
into the proverbial frogs when they looked to be princes. Of the players at 5.8
let’s start with the better-known Bryce Love. Love had a dynamic breakout
season two years ago after the departure of Christian McCaffrey however injury
has worn some of the luster off Bryce as a prospect. Although he came back from
his knee injury this season, he was clearly either uncomfortable or not his
former self and wasn’t nearly as productive or explosive. There were flashes
but they were few and far between, and recently there have been rumors of
concerns surrounding stiffness in the knee that could limit his return to what
he had been. Without these concerns he would have challenged for RB1 this year
but with all this he gets knocked to mid-pack of my top 16. His counterpart at 5.8
is one of my biggest surprises in my studies. Temple’s Armstead had that wiggle
in constricted space that I didn’t see as often as I would have liked in this
class. There were guys who flashed here and there but Ryquell Armstead had and
utilized it in spades in the games I watched. His balance when making sharper
cuts needs to improve and he runs into the back of his linemen a bit too often
but ultimately, he represented a type of player I didn’t see too much in this
class. Next, I really wanted to put Darwin Thompson so much higher than this
but past mistakes on how much teams will utilize smaller players has caused me
to be a bit tepid. Thompson was explosive at Utah State. He sets up runs well,
he has twitch and had a crazy pro day outside of a fine but unspectacular 40. His
production on the field match that with his TD adjusted yards per rush and attempt
both north of 12 yards per he was more productive per touch than just about
anyone in both phases of the game. His mate at 5.7 is the same weight with a
couple extra inches of height. Oklahoma State’s Justice Hill was flashed a bit
more in 2017 than 2018 but he still showed the wiggle that should make NFL
officials drool. A powerful player he was underutilized at Oklahoma State but
has upside and the profile that suggest he will be more useful at the next
level.
Benny
Snell Jr. | Kentucky (SEC) | 5’ 10 3/8” 224 lbs | Grade: 5.6 (PS)
Stats:
6.03 AY/R (289 Att.) | 4.77 AY//T (22 Tar.) | 40: 4.66, 10: 1.65, 3C: 7.07, SS:
4.33, VJ: 29.5, BJ: 119 | 12.56
Alex
Barnes | Kansas State (Big XII) | 6’ 0 3/8” 226 lbs | Grade: 5.6 (PS)
Stats:
6.14 AY/R (256 Att.) | 6.26 AY//T (31 Tar.) | 40: 4.59, 10: 1.57, 3C: 6.95, SS:
4.10, VJ: 38.5, BJ: 126 | 12.22
Rodney
Anderson | Oklahoma (Big XII) | 6’ 0 3/8” 224 lbs | Grade: 5.6 (PS)
Stats
(2017): 7.45 AY/R (188 Att.) | 17.98 AY//T (27 Tar.) | 40: INJ,
10: INJ, 3C: INJ, SS: INJ, VJ: INJ, BJ: INJ | 14.83
Tony
Pollard | Memphis (American) | 5’ 11 5/8” 210 lbs | Grade: 5.5 (PS)
Stats:
8.49 AY/R (78 Att.) | 8.19 AY//T (63 Tar.) | 40: 4.41, 10: 1.53, 3C: 7.00, SS: 4.37,
VJ: 36.5, BJ: 125 | 7.07
David
Montgomery | Iowa State (Big XII) | 5’ 10 1/8” 222 lbs | Grade: 5.5 (PS)
Stats:
5.66 AY/R (257 Att.) | 6.28 AY//T (25 Tar.) | 40: 4.58, 10: 1.61, 3C: 7.12, SS:
4.23, VJ: 33.5, BJ: 121 | 222
This
last group contains some archetypes. Snell and Montgomery are bruisers. Both
lack top speeds to wow but both were productive and should be the hammer half of
an NFL backfield. Barnes and Pollard on the other hand are taller backs that
are comfortable in space. Barnes was the only exciting point of the Kansas
State offense and a solid performer. Pollard was stuck behind Henderson at
Memphis and had nearly as many targets as rush attempts and was used as a blocker
and a decoy more often than as the primary rusher at Memphis. But he was good
in his minimal attempts and worked incredibly hard in a thankless job for the
Tigers. All in all, not a man I’d bet against. Lastly is my other injured
player, Rodney Anderson. Anderson blew out his knee early in the season against
UCLA marking the 3rd time in 4 years that he has had a season ending
injury and the second straight time he’s had a major knee injury. When healthy
in 2017 he was electric and showed in the playoff game against Georgia that he
could torch even SEC speed when he got in space. He’s not just speed, however,
he’s a big back and packs a wallop when he takes on a defender in between the
tackles or in space. Like Love, he’d be a challenger up top without the known
concerns but ultimately well-known scenarios need to be acknowledged.
That’s
running backs, all have flaws but there is excitement to be found if you look.
Below are the rest of the players in my potential starters category as the list
all the way through those that qualified production-wise was just too long.
Player
|
Team
|
Height
|
Wt
|
Tou
|
AY/R
|
Prod.
|
40
|
SS
|
3C
|
Role
|
Gr
|
Travis Homer
|
MiFL
|
70.375
|
201
|
183
|
6.45
|
8.80
|
4.48
|
4.25
|
7.07
|
PS
|
5.4
|
James Williams
|
WSU
|
69.5
|
197
|
205
|
6.40
|
9.79
|
4.58
|
4.25
|
7.01
|
PS
|
5.4
|
Myles Gaskin
|
WASH
|
69.25
|
205
|
280
|
5.75
|
10.28
|
4.56
|
4.27
|
7.19
|
PS
|
5.4
|
Dexter Williams
|
ND
|
71
|
212
|
174
|
7.69
|
9.19
|
4.57
|
4.16
|
7.00
|
PS
|
5.3
|
Devine Ozigbo
|
NEB
|
71.75
|
222
|
178
|
8.41
|
9.76
|
4.54
|
4.27
|
6.95
|
PS
|
5.3
|
Qadree Ollison
|
PITT
|
72.625
|
228
|
205
|
7.30
|
9.48
|
4.58
|
4.25
|
7.13
|
PS
|
5.3
|
A.J. Ouellette
|
OHIO
|
69.375
|
208
|
234
|
7.17
|
13.60
|
4.50
|
4.09
|
6.87
|
PS
|
5.2
|
Mike Weber
|
OSU
|
69.625
|
211
|
193
|
6.08
|
7.89
|
4.47
|
4.32
|
7.34
|
PS
|
5.2
|
Kerrith Whyte Jr
|
FAU
|
70
|
197
|
144
|
7.56
|
9.53
|
4.37
|
4.37
|
7.20
|
PS
|
5.1
|
Karan Higdon
|
MICH
|
69.125
|
206
|
231
|
6.08
|
9.05
|
4.49
|
x
|
x
|
PS
|
5.1
|
Wesley Fields
|
GaSo
|
69.25
|
202
|
210
|
6.08
|
15.65
|
4.64
|
4.41
|
7.25
|
PS
|
5.0
|
Nick Brossette
|
LSU
|
71.125
|
209
|
254
|
5.40
|
9.16
|
4.72
|
4.44
|
7.38
|
PS
|
5.0
|
Elijah Holyfield
|
UGA
|
70.375
|
217
|
164
|
7.21
|
7.84
|
4.78
|
x
|
x
|
PS
|
5.0
|
Tevin McCaster
|
YSU
|
68.375
|
194
|
246
|
7.79
|
15.15
|
4.63
|
4.01
|
6.81
|
PS
|
4.9
|
Lexington Thomas
|
UNLV
|
68
|
175
|
234
|
5.99
|
10.31
|
4.42
|
4.27
|
6.95
|
PS
|
4.9
|
Nico Evans
|
WYO
|
69.5
|
199
|
210
|
7.25
|
10.88
|
4.56
|
4.38
|
7.41
|
PS
|
4.9
|
Bruce Anderson
|
NDSU
|
71.25
|
210
|
136
|
8.79
|
10.35
|
4.58
|
4.47
|
7.23
|
PS
|
4.9
|
Jordan Scarlett
|
UF
|
70.625
|
208
|
141
|
6.63
|
6.66
|
4.47
|
4.63
|
7.37
|
PS
|
4.8
|
Darnell Holland
|
KENN
|
68.625
|
199
|
89
|
13.93
|
9.61
|
4.42
|
4.38
|
7.09
|
PS
|
4.8
|
Reggie Gallapsy Jr
|
NCSU
|
70.375
|
230
|
236
|
6.24
|
10.13
|
4.75
|
4.50
|
7.38
|
PS
|
4.7
|
Patrick Laird
|
CAL
|
71.5
|
205
|
274
|
4.72
|
9.86
|
4.56
|
4.14
|
6.90
|
PS
|
4.7
|
Jordan Ellis
|
UVA
|
69.5
|
229
|
222
|
5.63
|
10.16
|
4.76
|
4.35
|
7.16
|
PS
|
4.7
|
Travon McMillian
|
COLO
|
71.25
|
210
|
215
|
5.66
|
9.67
|
4.50
|
4.46
|
7.22
|
PS
|
4.7
|
Jalin Moore
|
APP
|
70
|
212
|
69
|
8.10
|
3.56
|
INJ
|
4.39
|
x
|
PS
|
4.6
|
LJ Scott
|
MSU
|
72.375
|
227
|
89
|
3.29
|
2.96
|
4.63
|
4.34
|
7.27
|
PS
|
4.6
|
Khari Blasingame
|
VAN
|
72.125
|
233
|
121
|
5.14
|
5.58
|
4.55
|
4.18
|
6.94
|
PS
|
4.6
|
Darrin Hall
|
PITT
|
71.625
|
217
|
168
|
8.68
|
8.84
|
4.52
|
4.03
|
6.94
|
PS
|
4.6
|
Damarea Crockett
|
MIZZ
|
69.75
|
225
|
159
|
5.70
|
6.68
|
4.50
|
4.32
|
7.43
|
PS
|
4.5
|
Jeremy Cox
|
ODU
|
71.625
|
223
|
127
|
5.29
|
4.79
|
4.42
|
4.19
|
6.90
|
PS
|
4.5
|
Charlie Volker
|
PRIN
|
70.875
|
213
|
97
|
9.61
|
5.02
|
4.54
|
4.13
|
6.82
|
PS
|
4.5
|
Matt Colburn II
|
WAKE
|
67.75
|
204
|
169
|
5.35
|
6.95
|
4.47
|
4.27
|
6.72
|
PS
|
4.5
|
James Madison
|
IDSt
|
70.75
|
215
|
209
|
6.06
|
9.03
|
4.72
|
4.46
|
7.10
|
PS
|
4.5
|
Tyrone Owens
|
UNM
|
68.625
|
200
|
193
|
4.29
|
7.63
|
4.59
|
4.33
|
7.18
|
PS
|
4.4
|
Steven Peoples
|
VT
|
69
|
220
|
179
|
5.79
|
7.66
|
4.75
|
4.51
|
7.22
|
PS
|
4.4
|
Maleek Irons
|
OHIO
|
72
|
216
|
132
|
7.76
|
7.10
|
4.59
|
4.21
|
7.20
|
PS
|
4.4
|
Warren Wand
|
ArSt
|
64.75
|
181
|
165
|
6.23
|
7.62
|
4.65
|
4.57
|
7.57
|
PS
|
4.4
|
Jamauri Bogan
|
WMU
|
66.625
|
190
|
172
|
6.26
|
8.68
|
4.73
|
4.51
|
7.02
|
PS
|
4.3
|
D.J. Knox
|
PUR
|
67.125
|
211
|
184
|
6.56
|
8.62
|
4.75
|
4.46
|
7.54
|
PS
|
4.3
|
Olamide Zaccheaus
|
UVA
|
68.25
|
188
|
109
|
5.19
|
4.88
|
4.49
|
4.19
|
7.00
|
PS
|
4.3
|
Marcus Outlow
|
CoCa
|
70.375
|
202
|
144
|
6.08
|
5.88
|
4.53
|
4.24
|
7.28
|
PS
|
4.3
|
Trai Sharp
|
JMU
|
68.875
|
203
|
131
|
5.33
|
5.28
|
4.64
|
4.38
|
7.02
|
PS
|
4.3
|
Derrick Gore
|
ULM
|
69.125
|
206
|
152
|
5.90
|
5.77
|
4.63
|
4.32
|
7.14
|
PS
|
4.3
|
Ausitn Walker
|
RICE
|
68
|
202
|
177
|
4.79
|
7.20
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
PS
|
4.2
|
Wes Hills
|
DEL
|
74
|
205
|
89
|
9.74
|
6.90
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
PS
|
4.2
|
Ty Johnson
|
MARY
|
70.75
|
210
|
72
|
8.50
|
3.55
|
4.40
|
INJ
|
INJ
|
PS
|
4.2
|
Jonathan Hilliman
|
RUT
|
71.375
|
216
|
94
|
5.39
|
3.63
|
4.49
|
4.26
|
7.12
|
PS
|
4.2
|
Tony Brooks-James
|
ORE
|
68.75
|
190
|
60
|
6.66
|
3.46
|
4.49
|
4.27
|
7.06
|
PS
|
4.2
|
Kenny Young
|
MiOH
|
66.625
|
177
|
101
|
7.47
|
5.61
|
4.49
|
4.40
|
7.14
|
PS
|
4.1
|
Alonzo Smith
|
MiOH
|
69.75
|
219
|
151
|
6.47
|
6.42
|
INJ
|
INJ
|
INJ
|
PS
|
4.1
|
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