By: Cole Negen
Today, I am continuing my look at this year’s upcoming NFL draft prospects. The next position I will talk about, is running backs.
Jonathon Taylor - Wisconsin
For sure, there is not a more productive RB in the draft. It is easy to see why. Taylor is constantly gaining positive yards. He has tremendous vision, and is able to squeak his way in and out of tight spaces. His hips are extremely powerful and slippery. I don't remember one guy bringing him down single-handedly around his legs. His receiving ability was also a focal point for Wisconsin this last year. The only problem people have with Taylor, is that his game is maybe too old-school. Taylor isn’t incredibly fast or elusive, so he really isn’t much of a big play threat. While some guys seem to take handoffs with the endzone in mind, Taylor takes handoffs with first downs in mind. Often times, he will opt to plunge his way for 3 or 4 yards up the middle instead of bouncing it outside for a potential 20+ yard gain. It is this mentality that makes him hard to stop. He is hard to wrap up, and he uses that to methodically slice his way through a defense. Because of this running style, he isn’t really an injury risk. So what’s the problem? Offenses today look for more versatility in their RBs. Guys like Christian McCaffery, Alvin Kamara, and Saquon Barkley are more favorable to NFL teams, as big play RBs are favored more over RBs who can control the pace of the game and take over over the course of the game. Taylor needs to go to an offense that wants to establish the running game first. If he is used in a shotgun offense that is built around speed and versatility, Taylor will get lost in the shuffle. An old-school, slow, methodical system is what he needs to be a superstar.
D’Andre Swift
Swift is a complete RB. His super strong between the tackles, he is incredibly bouncy in open field, and he catches the ball well. He fits into any scheme you want him to, and can do it at a high level. He is a super slippery runner, usually going for a few yards after contact, and in open space he is a constant threat to take it to the house. My major concern with Swift is that he hasn’t really ever been in the elite tier of RBs at the college level. He always seemed to cap off just below the best-of-the-best level. Whether it’s because he had to give up carries to a handcuff back, or that he really isn’t suited to be the focal point of an offense. Perhaps inconsistency is something that he will battle his whole career? I guess we’ll see. I don’t have any doubt, however, that he will be great in the NFL.
JK Dobbins - Ohio St
Dobbins, in my opinion, is being slept on too much. In terms of production, he vastly outdoes Swift. He is also much more of a big play threat than Taylor. Dobbins is a downhill bruiser with shiftiness to spare. He is a nice receiver of the football and a more than willing pass protector. The big drawback for Dobbins is the athletic potential. As it stands, Dobbins is close to, if not a finished product. His attributes as a runner are good, even great in some areas, but I wouldn’t anticipate Dobbins getting a whole lot better as he adjusts to NFL competition, unlike guys like Taylor and Swift who will only continue to improve their skill set as they get to the next level. Despite this, it still isn’t much of an issue, because as it stands, Dobbins would immediately be one of the best RBs in the league. Ideally, he’ll go to an already developed team where he can get a lot of carries and help push that team over the edge and be a contender.
Eno Benjamin - Arizona State
Benjamin is another RB who I believe is being slept on too much. In my opinion, people are ranking Benjamin lower than he should because of the dropoff in production. In 2018, Benjamin looked like a bouncy all-purpose back with the balance to run between the tackles consistently. In 2019, he had a dip off in production, making him look more like a high tier scat-back at best. I believe that the 2018 version of Benjamin is the one we will see more going forward. He was stuck with a much younger team, with a much younger QB. Add in the fact that teams were already keying in on him because of his successful 2018 season, and the drop in production begins to become a little more justified. Going forward, I think Benjamin is going to be a real star in the NFL. He has the strength and moxy to run in between the tackles. He also has no problem being in a spread formation and working in space. Any way you want it, Benjamin can do it. It is going to be interesting to see what his weight is at the combine, as I believe this could be one of the more important factors in Benjamins sustainability as a bellcow back. I’d love to see him weigh in at around 210, but more than likely he will weigh in around 205. I’d like to see him add weight so he can continue to run in between the tackles at the next level.
AJ Dillon - Boston College
Now, a lot of people will disagree with this placement. Personally, however, I don’t see why. Dillon is a super productive back with balance, size, and vision. A lot of people look at his size and immediately limit him to being a goal line back. I can partially see why. Dillon is what he is. He is a 6’1” RB who will weigh in around 250 at the combine. He doesn’t really have much shake to him, he isn’t a big play threat, and he isn’t a receiving threat. What he is is a straight ahead bowling ball. Again, because of those factors, people minimize Dillon’s potential. But the dude was a star at Boston College. He’s big, but that doesn’t make him unathletic, like some other RBs his size. The dude has incredibly slippery hips, and tackling him straight on is a nightmare. It literally takes about 2 or 3 guys to bring this guy down. Like Taylor, if you wanna spread the ball out, and be a team that is defined by QB play, then Dillon isn’t for you. But, I think Derrick Henry has proven that there is still a place in the league for teams who want to have a modern approach to old-school power run football. I really hope someone gives Dillon a chance.
Zach Moss - Utah
Moss is a fun watch for someone like me, who loves seeing power run football, but doesn’t like people who try to live in the past. Moss is another big boy running back, with balance, vision, and power. He is a consistent runner of the ball, usually always getting positive yards. He also has a knack for breaking off big runs thanks to his vision and commitment to breaking tackles. He is definitely not very elusive. Cut backs take a longer time for Moss than they do for other people. But, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t try. The dude is a gamer. He doesn’t care what he needs to do, he is going to get yards. I love watching this guy play, and there is no doubt he can be a great RB in the NFL. I don’t know if he will ever be an elite RB, but for sure he can be an upper level RB.
Cam Akers - Florida State
have mixed feelings about Cam Akers. On one hand, I see him as an incredibly talented RB who can run in between tackles while simultaneously having pretty good elusiveness and tremendous speed. Then there is the part of me that wonders why someone as talented as him wasn’t any better than what he turned out to be. Don’t get me wrong, the dude is a consistently good RB. He’s produced two 1,000 yard seasons, and has pretty consistently ripped off highlight worthy TD runs. The thing is, why isn’t a guy as talented as he is producing at the highest level? There isn’t really limitation to his game, so whay gives? Perhaps it is the lack of great talent and production he had around him. Perhaps he wasn’t given enough of an opportunity to fully dominate the way he potentially could. Or maybe he just isn’t cut out to be a #1 RB in the NFL. I am rooting for this kid to take the next step, because he will be in the league for a long time if he can.
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