Official 2023 RB Thread

[tyler735]

Haven’t seen a thread yet for this years RB class (sorry if I missed it). Just been digging a little deeper into some of this years draft eligible RB’s. I feel like this could be a pretty good draft class for RB’s when all is said and done. Obviously Bijon Robinson is an elite RB prospect that should be an all pro caliber RB for years to come. Jahmyr Gibbs seems like he’s going to be an excellent versatile RB similar to an Alvin Kamara type.

 

A RB that I’m really intrigued by is Devon Achane. I know some will see his size and dismiss him as a viable NFL RB, but the more I watch him, the more I’m convinced he can be a very good RB at the next level. Sure a team may want to have a “thunder” type RB as well to handle some short yard type situations, but many teams are already utilizing multiple RB’s anyway, so I don’t view that as a big negative. I don’t see why he can’t handle 15+ touches per game.

Despite being undersized, Achane has shown a willingness to follow his blocks and get tough yards up the middle. He is probably the fastest guy in this draft class, despite that he doesn’t try to bounce every run outside like many other prospects with similar size and explosiveness.

He has great vision and patience to let his blocks engage and can find the smallest crease to explode though to pick up a lot of “hidden yardage”. He runs much stronger than his listed 185lbs (curious to see if he’s a bit bigger at the combine) would lead you to believe. He slips through a lot of arm tackles. A big part of that is due to his elite burst and quickness. He can string multiple cuts together in traffic and burst into the 2nd level with the best of them to break free for big plays. He’s a capable pass catcher that if he continues to work on that aspect of his game, should make him even more dangerous at the next level. Has occasional concentration drops more than you’d like to see, but I think the best is ahead for him in regards to him in the receiving game.

His final game against LSU was probably my favorite. In that game he ran the ball 38 times for 215 yards. He didn’t really break any “big runs” with a long of 29 yards. Anyone that has watched him play knows he is capable of scoring from anywhere on the field, so that box has been checked for some time, but to watch him dominate a quality team like LSU while having a massive workload was a thing of beauty. He created several positive plays that many other RB’s wouldn’t have been capable of pulling off in this game. This game made it very evident to me that he has the natural RB instincts (vision, patience, balance, etc) to go along with his rare explosiveness to be a top tier NFL prospect.

Here’s a game clip of all his runs vs LSU. 

Achane is a tough prospect to compare to another RB given his size, but I see a lot of Jahvid Best in his play style. This is a good thing as I always thought Jahvid Best was on the verge of a big breakout year before an unlucky injury cost him his career. Both have that rare elite track speed, while also possessing very functional football speed to make cuts at high speeds without losing much speed. Some top track athletes that play football are a bit robotic in their movements on the field. Achane is far from that. As it stand I see him going in the 2nd/3rd round. I have a feeling his hype will blow up at the combine as he should be around that 4.2 range in the 40.

Edited January 6, 2023 by tyler735

[diamondbull424]

I’m personally not the biggest fan of Bijan Robinson from what I’ve seen. I do think he’s an elite receiver as a RB, but I don’t see an elite athlete at RB or an imposing size guy.

I don’t dislike him, but I think he’s a little overrated. Certainly seems to be the best in this class, but when I compare him to the past recent drafts I’d have him below Barkley, Chubb, and Taylor for sure. I’d rank him below Najee Harris who I don’t see a wide gap in athleticism for Bijan, both were great receivers, though Najee is bigger and was even more of a workhorse. I’d have him ranked similarly though probably a little lower than JK Dobbins who I think had superior contact balance, vision, agility, and explosiveness. However Bijan is an elite RB receiver and makes up the difference as a pass catcher. So I figure it would be team/scheme dependent as to which RB I’d have ranked higher.

I would have Bijan above Deandre Swift as he’s a similar player IMO but with greater size, durability, and receiving skills. Probably similar athleticism as well.

Beyond that I may be forgetting someone but those are the guys I’d have above or directly below him as a RB prospect. I think he’s really good, but I think “elite” overrates him some from what I’ve seen. I was expecting to see gamebreaking speed, contact balance, etc considering people were mentioning him as someone that was a top 5 player in the draft.

edit: before words are put in my mouth I’d say he should go somewhere between 22-40 range based on RB value and how good he is. If he goes below this I’d say he was under-drafted. If he goes higher than I’d say he was over-drafted. If drafted within this range I’d say the team got fair value for him.

Edited January 1, 2023 by diamondbull424

[tyler735]

I really like Bijan. Love his versatility as a pass catcher. He doesn’t have the top end speed of a guy like Barkley, but he’s still plenty fast to gash teams for big gains. He also has rare lateral quickness for a guy his size and breaks tackles so many tackles with ease. Very similar to a guy like Marshawn Lynch in his ability to break tackles. This play still just has me in awe every time I see it.

I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t go in the first round.

[Daniel]

Bijan is the top RB, but I don’t think he’s like a generational talent. I’m guessing from watching tape, so I could be wrong, and the combine will clarify, but I don’t think he has elite speed or power.

I like Chris Rodriguez out of Kentucky way more than the consensus. Dude is a bell cow.

[diamondbull424]

8 hours ago, tyler735 said:

I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t go in the first round.

I think he’d be a perfect addition to the Chiefs or Bills. He reminds me somewhat of Larry Johnson, I don’t dislike him, I just think the talk of generational talent and/or top 5 pick/player in the draft is crazy. Especially when even a unicorn like Barkley made such a selection ultimately look foolish. Speaking of the Giants, that’s about the first spot where I could see him going for good value.

He’ll be a major threat outside of injury concerns developing; one of the better backs in football, but he’s not a unicorn. Yet he’d have enough star potential to truly replace Barkley and the team wouldn’t have to sink costs in on the RB position that I’m sure Barkley will demand.

Granted I’m sure the Giants have the cap to resign Barkley and utilize draft resources at a more premium slot.

[tyler735]

24 minutes ago, diamondbull424 said:

I think he’d be a perfect addition to the Chiefs or Bills. He reminds me somewhat of Larry Johnson, I don’t dislike him, I just think the talk of generational talent and/or top 5 pick/player in the draft is crazy. Especially when even a unicorn like Barkley made such a selection ultimately look foolish. Speaking of the Giants, that’s about the first spot where I could see him going for good value.

He’ll be a major threat outside of injury concerns developing; one of the better backs in football, but he’s not a unicorn. Yet he’d have enough star potential to truly replace Barkley and the team wouldn’t have to sink costs in on the RB position that I’m sure Barkley will demand.

Granted I’m sure the Giants have the cap to resign Barkley and utilize draft resources at a more premium slot.

Not going to argue it too much as we both feel he is going to be a very good NFL RB. I’m just a little higher on him than you.

[jrry32]

Curious what people's thoughts are on Sean Tucker vs. Chase Brown.

[Trojan]

Is Keaton Mitchell in this class? edit: he has declared, I like him. A lot of zoom in a little back.

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Trojan

[jrry32]

So I'm evaluating for the Rams, so I'm focus on ZBS runners who have explosive ability and can contribute in the passing game. Here are some thoughts I had on the HBs I've evaluated (didn't bother with Bijan Robinson because I don't see him lasting to the second):

1. Jahmyr Gibbs HB Alabama - Explosive as a runner with good contact balance. Very slippery. Good vision. Dangerous in space. Dynamic athlete. True weapon in the receiving game. I can see the Alvin Kamara comparisons. I feel like he's a blend of Kamara and Dalvin Cook. I don't think he's quite the tackle-breaker that Kamara is, but he has Kamara's passing-game upside. I think his explosive, slippery, slashing running style is more reminiscent of Dalvin.

2. Devon Achane HB Texas A&M - He won me over. Because of his size, I didn't take him as seriously as I should. Extremely explosive runner with track speed. Far, far better contact balance than you'd think a 185-190 pound HB would have. Very difficult to put on the ground. Runs hard for his size. Very sharp cuts as a runner. Soft, natural hands as a receiver. Gonna have a hard time in pass pro in the NFL. I am struggling to come up with a comparison because he runs so much bigger than his size. 

3. Chase Brown HB Illinois - You can see his track background. Explosive burst with beautiful technique as a runner. Great instincts and vision. Can and will cut on a dime when he sees a seam. Will be nasty in a good ZBS scheme. Contact balance is only average. Shifty, but he isn't powerful. Won't run many guys over in the NFL. Can contribute in the passing game, as he has solid hands, but I wouldn't call his hands natural. Can catch the easy ones, but he struggles with the tougher catches. Willing blocker. Reminds me of Raheem Mostert.

4. Deuce Vaughn HB Kansas State - I always fall in love with short HBs. Great burst, natural instincts as a runner, and very comfortable finding lanes in a ZBS. Runs hard for his size, but his size makes it hard for him to run over guys or push the pile. Very shifty. I think his greatest potential in the NFL is as a receiving HB. He's a talented runner, but if he lands in a scheme that heavily uses the HB in the passing game, he could do big things. He has soft hands, great smarts/instincts as a receiver, a ton of twitch, and a lot of burst. It's going to make him hell to cover on option routes. Like with Achane, pass blocking will be tough for him in the NFL. Think a much more durable Chris Thompson or even Darren Sproles.

5. Sean Tucker HB Syracuse - I felt like his 2021 film was superior. He has explosive ability and is very shifty. Doesn't cut as well as Achane or Brown. Didn't show the same instincts and vision that Chase Brown did this year. Doesn't run with a lot of power. The upside is there. But I was underwhelmed by the 2022 games I saw. On the plus side, he did show that he can be a good pass catcher. But I wasn't enthralled by his efforts in pass protection.

6. Roschon Johnson HB Texas - I think he's a very underrated player. Still developing his vision and rush instincts. That's not surprising for a guy who moved from QB and hasn't had a ton of carries over the years. But he's a very good athlete, he's big, he runs hard, and he is surprisingly agile for his size. He's also a very willing blocker, a very willing special teamer, and a good pass catcher. I'd take a shot on developing this kid. You know he's going to play his heart out for you on special teams, and if he continues to progress as a runner, he has the ability to be a good starting HB.

Did not like or not system fits:

1. Blake Corum HB Michigan

2. Zach Evans HB Ole Miss

3. Tank Bigsby HB Auburn

4. DeWayne McBride HB UAB

5. Eric Gray HB Oklahoma

[THE DUKE]

My dream scenario is the Bengals getting Deuce Vaughn on day 3.  I think there is a real possibility he's still on the board at the end of rd 4.

[fluhartz]

6 hours ago, THE DUKE said:

My dream scenario is the Bengals getting Deuce Vaughn on day 3.  I think there is a real possibility he's still on the board at the end of rd 4.

yes to this, he is dynamic. 

[Scoundrel]

I really like Tyjae Spears out of Tulane

[Scoundrel]

14 hours ago, jrry32 said:

So I'm evaluating for the Rams, so I'm focus on ZBS runners who have explosive ability and can contribute in the passing game. Here are some thoughts I had on the HBs I've evaluated (didn't bother with Bijan Robinson because I don't see him lasting to the second):

1. Jahmyr Gibbs HB Alabama - Explosive as a runner with good contact balance. Very slippery. Good vision. Dangerous in space. Dynamic athlete. True weapon in the receiving game. I can see the Alvin Kamara comparisons. I feel like he's a blend of Kamara and Dalvin Cook. I don't think he's quite the tackle-breaker that Kamara is, but he has Kamara's passing-game upside. I think his explosive, slippery, slashing running style is more reminiscent of Dalvin.

2. Devon Achane HB Texas A&M - He won me over. Because of his size, I didn't take him as seriously as I should. Extremely explosive runner with track speed. Far, far better contact balance than you'd think a 185-190 pound HB would have. Very difficult to put on the ground. Runs hard for his size. Very sharp cuts as a runner. Soft, natural hands as a receiver. Gonna have a hard time in pass pro in the NFL. I am struggling to come up with a comparison because he runs so much bigger than his size. 

3. Chase Brown HB Illinois - You can see his track background. Explosive burst with beautiful technique as a runner. Great instincts and vision. Can and will cut on a dime when he sees a seam. Will be nasty in a good ZBS scheme. Contact balance is only average. Shifty, but he isn't powerful. Won't run many guys over in the NFL. Can contribute in the passing game, as he has solid hands, but I wouldn't call his hands natural. Can catch the easy ones, but he struggles with the tougher catches. Willing blocker. Reminds me of Raheem Mostert.

4. Deuce Vaughn HB Kansas State - I always fall in love with short HBs. Great burst, natural instincts as a runner, and very comfortable finding lanes in a ZBS. Runs hard for his size, but his size makes it hard for him to run over guys or push the pile. Very shifty. I think his greatest potential in the NFL is as a receiving HB. He's a talented runner, but if he lands in a scheme that heavily uses the HB in the passing game, he could do big things. He has soft hands, great smarts/instincts as a receiver, a ton of twitch, and a lot of burst. It's going to make him hell to cover on option routes. Like with Achane, pass blocking will be tough for him in the NFL. Think a much more durable Chris Thompson or even Darren Sproles.

5. Sean Tucker HB Syracuse - I felt like his 2021 film was superior. He has explosive ability and is very shifty. Doesn't cut as well as Achane or Brown. Didn't show the same instincts and vision that Chase Brown did this year. Doesn't run with a lot of power. The upside is there. But I was underwhelmed by the 2022 games I saw. On the plus side, he did show that he can be a good pass catcher. But I wasn't enthralled by his efforts in pass protection.

6. Roschon Johnson HB Texas - I think he's a very underrated player. Still developing his vision and rush instincts. That's not surprising for a guy who moved from QB and hasn't had a ton of carries over the years. But he's a very good athlete, he's big, he runs hard, and he is surprisingly agile for his size. He's also a very willing blocker, a very willing special teamer, and a good pass catcher. I'd take a shot on developing this kid. You know he's going to play his heart out for you on special teams, and if he continues to progress as a runner, he has the ability to be a good starting HB.

Did not like or not system fits:

1. Blake Corum HB Michigan

2. Zach Evans HB Ole Miss

3. Tank Bigsby HB Auburn

4. DeWayne McBride HB UAB

5. Eric Gray HB Oklahoma

Great read. Check out Tyjae Spears from Tulane I’m interested in your thoughts on him.

[BetterCallSaul]

Roschon Johnson is going to be a great NFL player. Just got around to really watching him. He's got loose hips, great vision, and runs with elite pad level and violence. Has enough speed and wiggle to be more than just a "niche" power back.

[goldfishwars]