5’10” – 216 lbs. – 4.62
Heavily involved in the rotation as a freshman, and then enjoyed a season with over 1,600 rushing yards despite missing three games with an ankle injury. Was limited by a two-game suspension and hamstring/ankle injuries as a junior, but still had a pretty successful season. Had a productive season as both a rusher and receiver as a senior. Plays in an offense which operates from the shotgun almost exclusively; had the luxury of running through some pretty wide holes against defenses which were spread out in response to receiver-heavy formations. Workload consists primarily of running sweeps off-tackle, but will take some inside handoffs as well. Able to bounce around in the backfield and find open lanes to rush through; capable of escaping from some dangerous looks and making something out of nothing. Flashes some burst when he’s able to find a lane but top-end speed is just average; was capable of picking up chunks of yardage in college but doesn’t project as a home-run threat at the pro level. Has outstanding balance and flexibility; capable of absorbing or wiggling out of tackle attempts which would bring down most runners. Spins out of a lot of attempts. Elusive player in space, with the moves to make defenders miss in the open field. Not the most powerful back in terms of driving his legs and taking defenders for a ride, but is nonetheless able to get low and punish would-be tacklers in the secondary. Doesn’t really run with authority between the tackles like you’d expect for a back with his bulk; won’t push the pile for tough gains. Works in a stiff-arm which looks effective. Outstanding ball security; no fumbles within the past three seasons. Wasn’t asked to split out wide, but on passing downs his responsibilities were fairly evenly-distributed between blocking assignments and delayed releases, serving as a safety valve for his quarterback. Appears to have pretty reliable hands and the ability to run short curls just beyond the offensive line or leak into the flat and pick up a handful of yardage; the type of player it makes sense to get in space against opposing linebackers and defensive backs. Stays on his feet and engages opponents high as a blocker; doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities, but could use his arms more consistently instead of being content to throw a shoulder. Will probably end up going in the mid-rounds as an agile, elusive runner who can create for himself and contribute in the passing game; reminiscent of Branden Oliver.
DRAFTEXAMINER 