By John Sarianides
The running back position is loaded in this draft. The depth of this running back class is what is most impressive. Everyone knows Fournette, McCaffery and Cook but this draft is more than those guys. Teams could acquire a starting caliber running back well into day three.
Here are my top twenty running backs in the 2017 class.
1. Leonard Fournette, LSU, 6-1 228, NFL Comparison: Adrian Peterson
Strengths
– Physical tackle to tackle runner who runs square to the line of scrimmage and attacks the hole.
-Explodes into the second level and runs with good power and balance. Breaks tackles.
– Fournette has a third gear and can finish runs in the open field.
– Effective pass blocker who squares up defenders, punches and recoils. Moves well laterally in pass pro.
– Fournette has good hands. Can run a full running back route tree despite not being used much in the passing game at LSU.
Weaknesses
– Indecisive at times at the line of scrimmage. Tries to make too many cuts. Not an effective jump cutter.
– Fournette has the tools to be an effective receiver out of the backfield but he didn’t catch enough passes at LSU. Drops too many balls.
– Over extends at times as a blocker and misses. Needs to use his frame better by attacking defenders.
– Has had injury issues at LSU. Missed extensive time throughout his college career.
-Looks great now but he has had weight issues in the past.
Final Thoughts: Fournette has freakish athletic ability for his size. He has all the classic traits of a number one running back but he must stay healthy and improve in the passing game. A sure fire top five pick.
2. Dalvin Cook, Florida State, 5-11 220, NFL Comparison: Jamaal Charles
Strengths
– Shifty tackle to tackle running back who runs square and can make one cut and go.
– Explosive in the open field. Finishes his runs once he gets in the open field. Has an elite second gear for the position.
– Cook runs with good balance, vision and patience off- tackle. Allows his blocking to develop and makes a hard cut through the alley.
– Competes as a blocker. Stays square to a defender and has shown the ability to punch, recoil and mirror laterally.
-Cook has plus hands and catches the ball with ease. Runs a full running back route tree and shows good patience on screens.
Weaknesses
– Over cuts at times and gets hit in the backfield for a loss.
-Cook has struggled at times against defenses that pursue well and take away cut back angles.
– Has a lot of carries on his frame. Might be ideally suited on a team where he can split carries.
– Struggled at the Combine. Cook was projecting as a top twelve pick heading into Indianapolis. Now he will be lucky to go in the first round.
– Character issues off the field have come to light and are affecting Cook’s draft status.
Final Thoughts: Cook will fall in this draft, it is just a matter of how far. Pound for pound, he is just as talented as any other running back in this draft. If one team ends up being comfortable with his combine performance and does a through background check on him, Cook could still go in the first round.
3 Christian McCaffery, Stanford, 6-0 205, NFL Comparison: Reggie Bush
Strengths
– McCaffery is a shifty, fluid athlete who can make one cut and accelerate. He can pick and slide at the line and make a quick cut.
– Runs with good patience and balance on outside running plays. Allows his blocking scheme to develop.
– Can avoid tackles in space. Shows good change of direction. A finisher in the red zone.
– Lethal as a receiver. McCaffery has played receiver before so he understands how to run routes and set up defenders. A quick twitch athlete who can plant and drive to the ball. A weapon on swing and blade routes.
– Good blocker who can identify a defender, pick him up or chip off of him on a check release.
Weaknesses
– McCaffery is not built like a running back. Needs to add 10-15 pounds to his frame.
– Has played a lot of football. There are concerns about the amount of carries he has handled the last two years.
– Doesn’t run with a lot of power. Not a tackle to tackle pile pusher.
– Doesn’t have elite speed to break long runs. Gets caught from behind a lot.
– Skipping out on the Sun Bowl is still an issue for some teams. Needs to shake the label of being an introverted, selfish player.
Final Thoughts: McCaffery is a versatile weapon in the mold of a Reggie Bush, Brian Westbrook. The problem is, he doesn’t have their speed and shiftiness in space. I don’t think McCaffery is a top ten pick but given what we are hearing, he could very well go to the Panthers at 8.
4. Joe Mixon, Oklahoma, 6-0 225, NFL Comparison: Carlos Hyde
Strengths
– Arguably the most talented all around running back in a loaded class. Mixon is a three down back who can carry the ball 20-25 times a game.
– Posses good agility and lateral quickness. He can stick his foot in the ground and get to the second level quickly.
– Runs with good power and balance. Despite his slender frame, he is not afraid to stick his shoulder into a defender.
-Mixon has plus hands. Runs a full route tree, catches the ball well on the move and can make a defender miss in space.
– Good blocker who squares up, punches and controls defenders. Competes and is willing to match up against outside linebackers and defensive ends.
Weaknesses
– Needs to bulk up. Mixon has a slender build and needs to add 10 plus pounds.
– Runs high. Needs to learn to run with a lower pad level. Takes too many hits.
– Needs to do more to protect the football. Puts it away from his body too much. Prone to fumbling.
– Runs a full route tree but his route can be sloppy and rounded. Doesn’t have great footwork. Gets into his breaks high.
– Major character issues stemming from an incident in 2013. Most teams will take Mixon off their board as a result.
Final Thoughts: Mixon punched a women in the face. Despite not doing jail time, there is a video that clearly shows Mixon hitting a women. If an organization has the infrastructure in place to deal with the back lash that will comes with drafting Mixon, then they should draft him.
5. Alvin Kamara, Tennessee, 5-10 215, NFL Comparison: James White
Strengths
– Kamara is a balanced athlete who good feet and can through contact.
– A one cut runner who can pick and slide at the line of scrimmage. Smooth in the open field. Has a second gear to separate from defenders.
– Versatile. Can line up in the back field or in the slot. Kamara has plus hands and runs quick, fluid routes.
– Versatile. Can return kicks both as a punt and kick off returner.
– Offers big play potential in the screen game. Fits into blocks, reads defenders and can get vertical quickly.
Weaknesses
– Doesn’t run with a lot of power. Doesn’t push the pile.
– Dances too much at the line of scrimmage. Over steps and tries to bend plays too much.
– Kamara has fumbled seven times in the last two seasons so turnovers are a concern.
– Gets over powered at times in pass pro. Leans too much and stops his feet.
– Has had legal problems in the past. Kamara was suspended twice by Nick Saban in 2013. It lead to his dismissal.
Final Thoughts: Kamara is a first round talent but questions his size and off the field concerns will drop him into the second round.
Next Five
6. Marlon Mack, South Florida, 5-11 205, NFL Comparison: Jonathan Stewart: Mack is a compact, physical runner who runs square to the line of scrimmage and breaks tackles. Mack can break a defender down in space and cut away from him with consistency. He has good hands and runs fluid routes out of the backfield. Mack needs to protect the better, especially after contact.
7. Wayne Gallman, Clemson, 6-0 215, NFL Comparison: DeMarco Murray: Gallman did not test well at the combine but he has a productive body of work at Clemson and teams will lean on that when considering whether or not they should draft him. Gallman is a long, slender back who shows good change of direction at the line of scrimmage and breaks tackles. Gallman has good hands and runs a full running back route tree. Consistency has been an issue for Gallman. He needs to prove he can be more consistent, especially in big games.
8. Jeremy McNichols, Boise State, 5-9 210, NFL Comparison: Frank Gore: McNichols reminds me a great deal of Frank Gore. He is compact, runs with power and he can make defenders miss in the open field. McNichols is a patient off tackle runner who gives his blocks a chance to develop and he attacks the alley. McNichols is a good receiver and he can run a full route tree from various alignments. McNichols doesn’t break as many tackles as he should. Averaged only 2.1 yards per carry after contact.
9. James Connor, Pitt, 6-1 233, NFL Comparison: Derrick Henry: Connor is a great story after beating cancer. He is a big back who runs hard and pushes the pile after contact. Connor runs with good power and has quick feet for a big back. Lowers the boom in the open field but he also has the ability to stick his foot in the ground and make a defender miss. Connor has to prove he can be more than a change of pace back. Has a lot to work on as a receiver and blocker.
10. Brian Hill, Wyoming, 6-1 220, NFL Comparison: Jordan Howard: Hill was one of the most productive backs in the country last season rushing for more than 1,600 yards and 21 touchdowns. Hill runs with good power, balance and a low pad level. He needs to do more as a receiver out of the backfield. Offers very little in the passing game.
Next Ten
11. Corey Clement, 5-11 228, Wisconsin
12. Kareem Hunt, 5-11 225, Toledo
13. Joe Williams, 5-11 210, Utah
14. D’Onta Foreman, 6-1 250, Texas
15. Elljah McGuire, 5-10 212, La. Lafayette
16. Donnell Pumphrey, 5-8 170, San Diego St.
17. T.J Logan, 5-10 190, North Carolina
18. De’Veon Smith, 5-11 220, Michigan
19. Matt Dayes, 5-8 207, N.C State
20. Jamaal Williams, 6-0 211, BYU