Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson Scouting Report

Size: Ellington is weighed in at 5’9”, 199 pounds at the combine and weighed 194 pounds at his pro day. He lacks the size and bulk to be an every down back at the next level in my opinion as he looks skinny on film. To be drafted on the second day he will have to compensate for his lack of size with speed and quickness.

Speed: I expected this to be elite, but I was actually relatively disappointed. He ran slow at the combine, but he ran a 4.52 despite perhaps not being 100% at his pro day. I think he has sub 4.5 speed, but I don’t think he is a 4.4 flat guy when I watch him. He has good speed, but it is not elite speed and that hurts given that I think he has to compensate for his lack of size with terrific playmaking ability.

Quickness: Ellington has quality quickness and it’s obvious pretty quickly after you start watching him. He can make defenders miss in the open field, he hits the hole quickly once he sees it, and he has impressive change of direction quickness and burst.

Inside Running: I don’t think this is where Ellington is going to make the majority of his money at the next level, but he is a solid between the tackles runner. Because of his lack of lower body strength and overall bulk he doesn’t gain a lot of yardage after contact and doesn’t run through a lot of arm tackles (though he does drive his legs, he just doesn’t have the strength to consistently gain a lot of tough yards). He doesn’t seem to run as patiently between the tackles as he does on outside runs, but he doesn’t try to bounce runs outside when they aren’t there.

Outside Running: This was Ellington’s strength at Clemson in my opinion. He’s a faster back even though I don’t see sub 4.45 speed when I watch him, and his quickness certainly benefits him running outside. He is much more patient on outside runs as he allows his blocks to set up and seems to have good vision on outside runs and utilizes his blockers well in open space. While he may not have great lower body strength he does demonstrate impressive balance.

Receiving: Ellington may not have ever caught more than 22 passes in a year (22 as a junior, 14 as a senior) but I think he will be a quality receiver at the next level. He adjusts to less than accurate passes well, can catch the ball with his hands away from his chest, and his quickness will be beneficial on check-downs and swing passes out of the backfield. He’s not elite in this area, and I haven’t seen him make tough catches in traffic, but I think he’s good enough to contribute early on in this area.

Blocking: Ellington gives solid effort as a blocker but his lack of bulk and overall technique hold him back. I’ve seen him drop his head when he is picking up blitzers or occasionally blocking on a run play and that is a big no-no as a blocker. Additionally, his lack of strength and size make it hard to match up well with bigger, stronger defenders which is why despite stepping up and engaging them he struggles to sustain his blocks. With coaching and strength training he could be average or perhaps even solid in this area, but I don’t think he will ever be a great blocker.

Vision: I think Ellington has good vision when running outside, but I was not as impressed with his inside vision and that coupled with his lack of lower body strength and bulk makes me question how good he will be when given carries between  the tackles. He doesn’t have poor vision inside, but there are times he seems to drop his eyes and he runs into the backs of his lineman sometimes.

Ball Security: I haven’t seen Ellington carry the ball with poor technique when I’ve watched him as he frequently keeps the ball high and tight, not allowing the ball to flail away from his body. However, he did fumble a couple times in the games I watched of him despite seemingly correct technique. They could just be perfect punches from the defender, or perhaps he just needs to get stronger. Either way, I don’t have serious concerns about Ellington’s ball security.

Overall: Ellington isn’t a feature back in my opinion but I think he has the speed and quickness to be an effective change of pace back. I don’t think he’s going to be the electrifying player that CJ Spiller has proven to be when given touches in Buffalo, but I think he can be effective. His timed 40 yard dashes gave me a little pause, but after I revisited his games I realized that while he may not have elite speed like many might have proclaimed prior to the combine or his pro day, I think he has good speed. If he had been 100% healthy at his pro day I think he would have ran a sub 4.5 time, perhaps in the 4.46-4.48 range. Regardless, he looks fast to me when I watch him, just not as fast as many might have claimed earlier this year. His quickness is evident as well, and while he doesn’t have much power to speak of if he can improve his lower body strength he would be able to generate more tough yardage. As it stands he pumps his legs like you would want when he is being tackled, he just doesn’t generate much push. He is a reliable pass catcher out of the backfield, and with coaching and strength training he could be a solid pass blocker. He’s not going to be an electric home-run threat in my opinion, but I think he can be a pretty good change of pace back. I have a 3^rd round grade on him.

Projection: 3^rd round. I think he will likely end up in this range, but I’d be kind of surprised if he made it to the 4^th round.

Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford Scouting Report

Size: Taylor has the kind of size I really like in a running back. He’s short, but he’s compact and strong. He is 5’9”, 216 pounds and he has the lower body strength necessary for running through tackles and gaining tough yardage. He definitely has the size to be a feature back in the NFL.

Speed: This is definitely one of the weakest aspects of Taylor’s game. His lack of great straight line speed is more than evident when you watch him play, and his fastest time at his pro day was a 4.64 40 yard dash. That’s definitely not going to break any land-speed records, and it shows up when he gets into the open field and even when he is running in shorter distances. This definitely limits Taylor’s upside which is unfortunate because he is a well rounded back despite his lack of straight line speed.

Quickness: Taylor may not be a burner, but he definitely has quality quickness for his size. He is actually surprisingly shifty in the open field and made more defenders miss thanks to his shiftiness than I anticipated despite having seen him play for the last three years without taking notes on him. He definitely has enough burst to hit the hole though and to me that means he can be a productive back at the next level. You can get away with lacking elite speed, but lacking quickness is tough to overcome.

Inside Running: This is where Taylor is going to provide NFL teams value. He’s a between the tackles runner and that’s not going to change at the next level. He runs with good patience as well as good pad level which makes him tough to tackle initially. He has good acceleration and very impressive lower body strength so he generates tough yardage after contact and runs through arm tackles easily. Once he finds a seam he hits it consistently and typically doesn’t dance much behind the line of scrimmage (though on rare occasions I have seen him do this). I haven’t seen him try to bounce runs outside much, and he is reliable in short yardage situations.

Outside Running: Taylor leaves plenty to be desired as an outside runner. First and foremost he lacks the straight line speed to threaten the edge against faster defenders. That means he is largely forced to look for cut-back lanes and doesn’t often gain considerable yardage unless the defense vastly overpursues. He runs patiently outside as well, but running him outside just isn’t playing to his strengths as a running back. That won’t change at the next level either.

Receiving: Taylor is a very reliable receiver. In the last three years he has never caught less than 25 passes (last year as a junior) and this year he hauled in a career best 41 balls for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns. He’s not going to be a home-run threat out of the backfield, but he catches the ball well on check-downs and he has the quickness and power to gain some yardage after making the reception. He won’t be a game-changer in this phase of the game, but he will be an effective receiver in the NFL.

Blocking: Taylor isn’t great in this area, but he is definitely good. He usually picks up the right guy and thanks to his power and strength he can pick up bigger defenders and slow them down. He steps up to engage defenders “among the trees” and consistently  showed that he is an effective cut-blocker in pass protection.

Vision: Taylor’s vision actually isn’t quite as good as I expected it to be when I started watching him based on my preconceptions from watching him live or while scouting other Stanford players last year. His vision is good, but there are times when he seems a bit slow to see the hole or just doesn’t seem to see it at all (those instances are rare, however). His vision is good on both inside and outside runs and he uses his blockers effectively in the open field, but obviously he isn’t at his best when running outside.

Ball Security: I was surprised by this, but I actually have some questions about Taylor’s ball security. He fumbled a couple times in the games I watched but he generally runs with the ball high and tight and even covered it with two hands at times in the face of contact. I was surprised he fumbled especially since there were rarely instances where he let the ball get away from his body. I don’t have serious concerns about his ball security, but it was strange to see him fumble at all much less multiple times.

Overall: Taylor isn’t a flashy back but he is a guy that I definitely like. NFL teams aren’t going to be blown away by him because of his lack of great straight line speed and he doesn’t have an abundance of upside left. What you see at Stanford is what you’re going to get- a back who is quicker than fast with impressive power, reliable hands, good vision and trustworthy pass protection. He’s well rounded, but not explosive or dynamic. That means he is going to be a Day 3 pick, but I think he still offers plenty of value in round 4 and that’s where I have him graded. I like him plenty, but because he lacks upside I just can’t give him a round 3 grade. Taylor has gotten a lot of carries and touches at Stanford, but I don’t have concerns about him being a workhorse at the next level and he will likely be a rotational back initially anyway. On top of that he has proven to be durable, so as a well-rounded back I think he will be ready to contribute immediately even as a Day 3 selection.

Projection: Round 4-5. He could go even later than this due to the depth of this running back class, but I like him and think he warrants consideration in this range. He may not be a stud in the NFL, but I have no doubt that he can be an effective back from the get-go even if he doesn’t go day 2.

Mike Gillislee, RB, Florida Scouting Report

Size: Gillislee has solid running back size, but he looks slim despite weighing 208 pounds. I think he could pretty easily put on some weight, and at 5’11” he has the frame to do so.

Speed: In my opinion Gillislee has good enough speed to be a NFL running back. It may not have shown in his combine workout when he ran a 4.55 40 yard dash but when I watched him I thought he had about 4.5 speed. I didn’t think he looked like a blazer when I saw him, but he looked like he was adequate in this area. However, I’m not sure he has the speed to consistently get the corner at the next level, though I believe he will be able to gain chunks of yardage despite lacking elite speed.

Quickness: This is one of Gillislee’s strengths. He is quick and it is evident almost immediately when you watch him. He has more than enough burst to hit the hole, possesses enough shiftiness to make defenders miss in the open field, and changes directions well. He isn’t elite in this area, but he is certainly impressive.

Inside Running: Gillislee is solid in this area, but not spectacular. He is relatively tall and is not a thick runner, but he has good leg drive and can run through arm tackles. He consistently fights hard for extra yardage by running with good pad level and churning his legs upon contact, fighting until he is on the ground.

Outside Running: This was one of Gillislee’s strengths at Florida in my opinion, but I’m not sure he has the speed to replicate the same success at the next level. He showed good patience, found cut-back lanes well, and used his blockers well when he found himself in open space.

Receiving: I believe Gillislee is a good receiver out of the backfield even though he only has 23 career receptions (16 of which came as a senior). He seemed to catch the ball naturally out of the backfield when he was targeted and adjusted to poorly thrown passes well. Based off of the limited sample size we have, I think Gillislee will be a reliable pass catcher at the next level.

Blocking: Gillislee’s lack of bulk is evident as a pass blocker, but he puts forth quality effort and is surprisingly effective despite not having ideal size or bulk for pass protection.

Vision: I was not overly impressed with Gillislee’s vision, though I thought he showed better vision and patience on outside runs than he did when running between the tackles. I thought he was slow to see running lanes inside and occasionally would run into his offensive linemen while he was looking for a hole. He runs patiently when running outside and I thought he was effective when doing so, the only question is whether he will be able to get the edge as consistently in the NFL as he could in the SEC.

Ball Security: When I watched Gillislee I saw him carry the ball high and tight with appropriate points of pressure and he rarely, if ever, lets the ball get too far away from his body where it would be easier for defenders to knock it free. I don’t think I saw him fumble in any of the games I watched of him as a senior.

Overall: Gillislee looks like a solid but not spectacular back to me. I don’t see elite speed from him, but he does have quality quickness and good enough vision to be a contributing back at the next level. I am honestly not certain he’s going to be a front-line feature back because while he does a number of things adequately, I don’t think he does a lot of things exceedingly well. He has adequate speed, good quickness, projects to be a good receiver, and is a better than expected pass blocker despite his lack of bulk. There were just times I questioned his straight line speed when I watched him, and seeing him run a 4.55 didn’t exactly ease those concerns. To me he strikes me as a solid NFL Draft prospect, not a great one.

Projection: 4^th round. Perhaps he will go on day 2, but I personally think that he’s more of a Day 3 complementary back based on what I’ve seen.

DJ Fluker, OT, Alabama Scouting Report

Size: DJ Fluker has all of the size you could ask for in an offensive lineman. He weighed in at just under 6’5” and 355 pounds at the Senior Bowl. On top of that he has 10 ¼ inch hands and 36 3/8 inch arms, and that arm length aids him very well both as a run blocker and a pass protector. When you draw up the ideal mauling offensive lineman it’s hard to think of a better prototype than Fluker.

Athleticism: This isn’t one of Fluker’s strong suits, but he’s not a lead footed player either. He has some lateral agility to attempt to take away the speed rush, he can get to the second level and occupy linebackers, and while he doesn’t look natural in space he isn’t a liability there either. No one will mistake Fluker for Luke Joeckel or Jonathan Cooper, but he’s not a bad athlete given his size and bulk.

Pass Protection: This is the question mark for Fluker: How good will he be in pass protection at right tackle at the next level? I haven’t seen any indication he could consider a switch to the left side, and while I believe he will get a shot at right tackle he could need to move inside to guard at some point. I say this because he struggles with speed off the edge (see game versus Western Kentucky and Quanterus Smith this year) and isn’t a quick twitch athlete that recovers quickly. He doesn’t mirror well either in my estimation, and quicker defensive ends who can slap his hands away to keep him from locking on can have a lot of success against him. He doesn’t replace his hands very well when they are slapped away either, so unless he locks onto you initially there’s a good chance he’s going to be out of position at some point in pass protection. However, when he does get out of his stance and get his hands on the defender the play is usually over for that pass rusher. His massive arms really help in this area and he makes it hard (if not impossible) for defenders to get their hands into his chest and bull rush him. Considering that and his impressive lower body strength he’s tough to get off balance and bull rush, and honestly I don’t think I saw that in any of the games I watched of him. If Fluker is going to get moved inside to guard it’s going to be because he struggles in this aspect of his game, and this was made more obvious by the help Alabama attempted to give him at times with Eddie Lacy chipping or doubling his man in pass protection. He’s going to be an average pass blocker at right tackle, but that’s not why you are drafting him.

Run Blocking: If Fluker is high on your draft board this part of his game is why. He’s an absolute mauler in the run game and is one of the best run blocking offensive linemen in the entire class. He uses his length well, he has great strength to generate push off the line of scrimmage and rarely, if ever, loses ground on a run play. He is dominant in this area and generates very impressive movement off the ball as a man blocker, can reach linebackers at the second level, is absolutely lethal when down-blocking on defensive tackles, and has enough quickness to get in position and wall off defenders when asked. He doesn’t move very well when asked to pull or block in space on screens, but when asked to block one on one he is dominant enough to pancake his man regularly. He is going to be a very good run blocker whether he is outside at right tackle or inside at guard.

Overall: Fluker is an interesting prospect. He’s not very difficult to figure out- he has fantastic size, strength, length and is a dominant run blocker that leaves something to be desired in pass protection. I think he will get a shot outside at tackle, but if that doesn’t work out he will slide inside to guard. Either way he is going to be a very powerful guard that is either average (at tackle) or potentially above average (at guard) in pass protection. He’s going to struggle against great athletes that can keep him from engaging them with his heavy, powerful hands. Once he gets his hands on you he can control and take you out of the play in both phases of the game, but he struggles against speed and quickness in pass protection. That will be his problem no matter where he plays on the offensive line, but his length should keep shorter, squatty defensive tackles from getting into his pads and getting him off balance at guard. I have a late-1^st, early 2^nd round grade on him because even if he can’t stick outside he can be a pro-bowl caliber guard at the next level.

Projection: Late 1^st-Early 2^nd. For once my grade and my projection are the same. I expect Fluker to have a chance of going late round 1 to a team that values dominant run blocking in a man blocking scheme. He isn’t a good fit for a zone blocking scheme which means that if he doesn’t go late round 1 he could slip into the beginning of round 2. I expect he will be gone in the first 40-45 selections though.

Jawan Jamison, Running Back, Rutgers Scouting Report

Size: Jamison measured in at 5’7” ¾ at his pro day which is obviously short, but he tipped the scales at 207 pounds. Jamison is a great example of a player that is “short not small” because while he is just under 5’8” he weighs more than 200 pounds and it shows in his game. He may not be a game-breaker at the next level, but he can carry the load if asked to despite his shorter stature.

Speed: This is Jamison’s Achilles heel. He ran a 4.72 40 at his pro day and that is very slow for a NFL running back. You can see that he isn’t a burner when you watch him, but it was still disappointing to see him time that slow. He’s not going to win a lot of foot-races at the next level, but I still think he can be effective.

Quickness: This is one of Jamison’s strengths, he’s much quicker than he is fast and he has surprising shiftiness for a guy who packs so much punch as a runner. He is quick in and out of his cuts, changes directions well, and can make defenders miss in the open field at times. The quickness that Jamison has makes me believe that while he doesn’t have great straight line speed he can still get to and through the hole in the NFL.

Inside Running: Jamison’s between the tackles running is what is going to make him appealing to NFL teams. As I mentioned above he compensates for his lack of speed with impressive quickness and that is obvious when he runs between the tackles. He’s effective in short yardage and seems to know when he just has to get what he can. His strength and leg drive are both obvious when he’s running between the tackles as he runs through arm tackles with ease and keeps pumping his legs which helps him gain additional, tough yardage. On top of that his balance impressed me. He’s not going to rip off huge gains at the next level, but he can wear you down if you give him the carries.

Outside Running: This is one area where Jamison’s lack of speed really hurts him. He was able to get the edge at times when I watched him, but it often involved great blocking by his linemen or his tight end. At the next level he just isn’t going to be able to outrun defenders to the edge, and despite doing a good job of finding cut-back lanes running to the outside just isn’t playing to his skill set.

Receiving: Jamison is a very good receiver out of the backfield. He can make catches with his hands, and occasionally has made some catches in traffic. He is even used on downfield routes at times and he seems to track the ball well. I have no doubt that Jamison can contribute as a receiver early on in his NFL career.

Blocking: Jamison is a solid pass blocker but he could use some work. There are plenty of instances where he waits for the defender to reach him instead of stepping up and engaging him. His lack of elite size hurts him here, but he is strong enough to at least challenge bigger defenders. I haven’t seen him utilize a cut-block in pass protection at all, but that is something he could be taught in the NFL if he hasn’t been taught that yet. I don’t think he will ever be a great blocker, but I don’t think he will be a liability either.

Vision: I was impressed with Jamison’s vision. He didn’t dance too much in the backfield nor did he hesitate when running inside which was good to see. He still ran patiently and let his blocks set up, but seemed to run decisively once he found the hole. I don’t think Jamison will get a lot of outside carries, but he seemed to have a good feel for how to use his blockers to set defenders up on outside runs or in open space.

Ball Security: I don’t have many concerns about ball security with Jamison. He seemed to carry the ball high and tight and despite consistently fighting for extra yardage he never fumbled in the games I watched of him. He seems to protect the ball well and I wouldn’t anticipate problems with fumbles in the NFL.

Overall: Jamison doesn’t have a boatload of upside because of his lack of explosiveness and because he doesn’t have a lot of growing or developing to do outside of improving as a pass blocker. He is what he is, and that is a back who runs in the 4.7s in the 40 yard dash and is just under 5’8”. Those aren’t great measureables, but I do think he still warrants day 3 consideration and I think he will surprise some teams thanks to his quickness, vision and ability as a receiver. If he lands in the right situation he could be a good back-up right from day 1, and I think that if running back isn’t a big need but your team could use some depth at that position Jamison makes a lot of sense in the 4^th-5^th round range. He could even slip to round 6 because of the depth of this class. But I think he will be an effective NFL back, he just may never be a featured starter because of his lack of straight line speed.

Projection: 5^th round. I have a 4^th-5^th round grade on him because despite his lack of straight line speed I like his game. I think he will be an effective back-up as a rookie.

Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon Scouting Report

Size: Barner is 5’9”, 196 pounds and while that is a pretty respectable weight given his height I still think he could stand to get stronger in his lower body. He certainly looked like he had more lower body strength and better balance as a senior, so I’m wondering if he could continue to get stronger. I’m not sure he can be a feature back at this size given his playing style, but he projects as a quality complementary back right now.

Speed: This is one of Barner’s strengths. He is very fast and while he timed at 4.52 at the NFL combine he ran a 4.39 at his pro day and looks like a 4.45 guy (if not a little faster) when I watch him. He isn’t going to be the fastest man in the NFL, but he is certainly fast enough to rip off big chunks of yardage and get to the edge at the next level.

Quickness: Barner is very quick, and it’s obvious right away when you start watching him. He can make defenders miss in the open field due to his shiftiness, he hits the hole quickly and accelerates very fast. His quickness is very impressive and it’s one of my favorite parts about his game.

Inside Running: Barner isn’t going to be a great inside runner in the NFL in my opinion, but if he was drafted into a zone scheme he would be better than if he was in a man blocking scheme. He has a lot of experience on zone runs thanks to the scheme he played in at Oregon. As a junior I thought his legs went dead on contact too much and that he didn’t have very good balance, but both of those issues seemed to be less severe as a senior. His balance was better and he seemed to pump his legs a little better once contact was initiated. He also showed that he could run through arm tackles and bounce off defenders who went for shoulder stingers without going down and that was good to see. He’s never going to be a power back, but if he got stronger and continued to work on his leg drive I think he could get more yardage after initial contact.

Outside Running: This is where Barner shines. He has the speed to get the edge, the quickness to stop and start on a dime, and he is very comfortable running patiently and then planting his foot and exploding through the hole. He is very good running outside and that should continue at the next level.

Receiving: Barner may not have been a frequent target in Oregon’s passing game (50 receptions in the last 3 years, including 20 as a senior) but he showed soft hands and I think he will be an effective check down and screen player in the NFL. He should be ready to contribute as a receiver immediately.

Blocking: This is one of Barner’s biggest Achilles heels. His lack of great size and strength limits him as a blocker and on top of that he was very rarely asked to block at Oregon. He lacks the skill set and the experience to be a good pass blocker early in his career so he is going to need some time to get coached up in this area. Depending on the team that drafts him that could keep him off the field early.

Vision: Barner has good vision on outside runs and in open space, but I was less impressed by his vision on inside runs. When the hole was obvious he would hit it immediately, but when looking for cut-back lanes he often hesitated, stopped his feet and danced in the backfield before finding somewhere to run. I think that will be a problem in the NFL and while it didn’t happen on every inside run it definitely happened enough that it concerned me.

Ball Security: I have some questions about Barner’s ball security in the NFL as well. He didn’t fumble a lot when I watched him, but he didn’t seem to protect the ball when contact was coming and there were times that he let the ball get away from his frame when he was attempting to elude defenders or fight for more yardage. He has to be careful about that, but this is definitely coachable.

Overall: Barner is an intriguing player but he’s definitely not my favorite back in this class. He’s got the speed, quickness, hands and outside vision that you want, but he lacks power right now even though he was better in this regard as a senior. He just doesn’t strike me as a “tough” player and that cooled me on him a bit. He’s never going to have great power and he’s not going to be that type of back, but his relative lack of leg drive concerns me. Combine that with his inconsistent inside vision and I’m not sure he’s going to be much more than a change of pace back that gets carries to the outside, zone runs, screens and check downs in the NFL. If he was a tougher player I might be convinced that he could get stronger and become a more complete runner, but right now I don’t think that’s the case. He’s worth a pick in the 4^th-5^th round range, but he’s not going to be a feature back in the NFL in my opinon.

Projection: 4^th-5^th round. I think he will end up being a day 3 pick, likely before the middle of the 5^th round. He’s got enough big play speed that a team looking for a complementary guy will grab him in this range.

Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA Scouting Report

Size: Franklin has very legitimate NFL running back size. I don’t think he is maxed out, but being 5’10”, 200+ is more than big enough to be an every down back in my opinion. He isn’t an ideal fit for a power scheme, but I have no doubt that if he lands in the right scheme he could be the feature back at this size.

Speed: Franklin may not have 4.4 flat speed but his speed is obvious when you watch him. He isn’t a world-class athlete but he has more than enough speed to rip off big chunks of yardage and to get the corner on outside runs. He may not excel in timed drills, but his speed is obvious on the field.

Quickness: Once again, Franklin’s quickness isn’t obvious in timed drills but it definitely shows on the football field. He isn’t elite in this area, but he absolutely has impressive quickness, burst, acceleration and change of direction speed. He isn’t the most elusive back in this draft class, but he can make defenders miss in the open field and win in the open field thanks to his quickness. His elusiveness isn’t his strong suit, but it is there.

Running Inside: I was very pleasantly surprised by Franklin’s ability to run inside. He isn’t a power back, but for a guy that is just over 200 pounds he runs hard, runs  through arm tackles effectively, generates tough yardage after initial contact, and has good leg drive. I have seen some compare him to Maurice Jones-Drew, and I won’t go that far, but Franklin’s lower body strength was definitely a pleasant surprise. Franklin might not be elite as far as quickness but he is more than quick enough to hit the hole, runs patiently and I have no doubt that he can be successful running between the tackles at the next level.

Running Outside: Franklin has the speed to get the corner, the vision to find cut-back lanes on outside runs, the quickness to hit them, and the patience to let it all develop. He is very effective once he gets into the open field where he can hit the gas and outrun some angles. His game isn’t based off of making defenders miss in the open field, but he does have that ability. More than anything he can get defenders off balance and run through their poor arm tackles, and he does that effectively on outside runs. I love that Franklin doesn’t dance in the backfield and doesn’t hesitate once he finds a hole. I was also very happy with how good his balance was. His lower body strength and compact build help with this, but he is very rarely knocked down by a defender lowering a shoulder, and he regularly gains additional yardage when he isn’t wrapped up correctly.

Receiving: Franklin has soft hands and despite not being heavily utilized in the passing game at UCLA I have no doubt that he can be an effective receiver out of the backfield at the next level. He’d be a terrific fit for a team that runs a zone scheme and likes to integrate backs into the passing game. He can catch the ball away from his body and adjust to poorly thrown balls, and he will be very effective in the screen game at the next level. I didn’t see him run a lot of routes, but at the very worst he has shown he can gain significant yardage on underneath throws or swing passes in the flats at UCLA.

Blocking: Franklin’s lack of power-back bulk is evident in pass protection as he just doesn’t have the size or strength to pick up bigger, stronger front 7 defenders most of the time. Based on what I’ve seen he doesn’t have a lot of experience in pass protection and that might keep him off the field early depending on the team he goes to, but I think he can be coached up in this area. He flashes the willingness to step up and meet the defender and he showed that he can mirror and sustain at times. He needs work in this area, but he is such a potential threat in the passing game a smart team wouldn’t be keeping him in the backfield to pass protect constantly anyways.

Vision: I was thoroughly impressed with Franklin’s vision. He doesn’t dance around in the backfield waiting for a hole to open up, he finds cut-back lanes effectively both as an inside and outside runner, he uses his blockers effectively both initially and at the second level of the defense to gain additional yardage. Franklin definitely has NFL back vision and it’s one reason I think he could be a great fit in a zone-heavy running scheme.

Ball Security: This was a concern I’ve seen some voice about Franklin but despite that potential reputation I didn’t see anything that I red-flagged when I watched him. I saw him fumble one time and it was a result of a perfect punch as he was going to the ground from another tackler. From what I was able to see he carries the football with three points of pressure, keeps the ball close to his body through contact, and doesn’t drop it low when he is in the open field. I think a good running back coach could tweak anything that he thinks is wrong with his carrying style, but I didn’t see much that concerned me.

Overall: I’m a big Franklin fan and he is my #2 running back in this draft class. He may not be an elite back, but I think he is a terrific fit for a zone blocking scheme, particularly if the team running it passes the ball a lot and likes to involve their back in the passing game. Franklin has the speed to break off big runs, good vision, quickness, leg drive, balance and hands. He’s a complete back even though he may not be a 5’10”, 220 pound prototype. I think he definitely has the size to be an every down back and I expect that he will grow into that role if he is drafted into the right situation. Franklin does need some work in pass protection based off of what I’ve seen, but rookie running backs regularly need coaching up in that aspect of the game. Franklin looks like a very good zone scheme feature back to me and I would be surprised if he made it to the 3^rd round.

Projection: Top 64. I have a 2^nd round grade on Franklin and if he fell to the 3^rd round I would be very surprised. I think he is a PERFECT fit for the Packers and if they pass on him at the end of the 2^nd round then they deserve to have a mediocre running game. If he makes it to the middle of the 3^rd I will be surprised.

Le’Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State Scouting Report

Size: Bell has all the size you could want in a NFL running back. He is listed at 6’1”, 230 pounds and runs with surprisingly good pad level for a running back that tall. He is in very good shape and presents a tough frame to bring to the ground when he’s hitting the hole. His size can be a detriment when he runs too upright and when he is fighting for extra yardage, but overall I think it is a strong asset.

Speed: Bell isn’t going to win a lot of foot-races to the corner or when he breaks into the open field at the next level but for his size he is surprisingly fast. He ran a 4.60 at the NFL combine at 230 pounds which is no small feat. He’s not going to be a home-run hitter at the next level, but that’s not his game. I think he has more than enough speed to be an effective NFL starter.

Quickness: This is the part of Bell’s game that was most surprising to me. For being a big, 230 pound back he is shockingly quick. He has good acceleration, impressive burst, and is at his best when he can make one cut and go. He also has very surprising shiftiness in the open field which helps him gain additional yardage by getting defenders off balance. I really did not expect him to be so shifty and to make as many players miss as he did, but his shiftiness and his tight spin move serve him very well. He definitely has more than enough quickness and burst to be a NFL starter which you wouldn’t necessarily assume until you actually sit down and watch him. This is definitely one of the strengths of Bell’s game which I certainly didn’t expect.

Running Inside: This is where Bell is best and I don’t think that will change at the next level. He runs patiently, allows his blocks to set up, and is slow to the hole but quick to get through it thanks to his surprisingly acceleration for his size. You aren’t going to arm tackle him thanks to his sheer size and strength, plus he can get going pretty fast if you let him pick up steam. He doesn’t usually run very upright and that makes him tough to tackle in the hole, but there are times he stops his feet in the backfield and that makes him a sitting duck as he will be upright and have no head of steam. I actually think he could thrive in a zone scheme as he is very good at finding cut-back lanes and does a great job of planting his foot and hitting the hole once he sees it. He is definitely a lot more physical than I gave him credit for coming into the season and I was very pleased to see that. He has impressive leg drive as expected, but he lowered his shoulder and fought for tough yardage a lot more as a junior than I thought I saw as a sophomore. I loved how he was finishing runs this year, and having that mentality in addition to the quickness he possesses makes him a much more intriguing back than I previously gave him credit for.

Running Outside: This is one phase of the game where Bell leaves something to be desired. He simply doesn’t have the pure speed necessary to get the edge and running him outside simply will be playing against his strengths as a runner which lie between the tackles for the most part. Bell has good enough vision that he will likely be able to find cut-back lanes and salvage what carries he does get to the outside, but he’s not going to beat a lot of defenders to the corner at the next level. He doesn’t even do it consistently in college, and he seems to realize that he is better off finding a cut-back lane and getting upfield than trying to win by getting to the sideline.

Receiving: Bell isn’t a great receiver by any means, but he is above-average and should be good enough to catch passes out of the backfield if nothing else. I don’t see a good route runner that can make catches away from his frame or in traffic, but as a check down or screen option he should be reliable at the next level. He’s not a game-breaker in the screen game, but he has solid enough hands that if you don’t keep an eye on him he can make you pay as a receiver.

Blocking: Bell has all the size and strength you could ever want in a pass blocker at running back and while he is reliable in this phase of the game he only figures to get better with NFL coaching. He steps up to engage the defender “in the trees” and has the lateral agility to mirror defenders coming off the edge. The effort and skill set is all there, so I expect him to be a quality pass protector at the next level.

Vision: I was also pleasantly surprised by Bell’s vision. I don’t think he is elite in this area, but he is certainly good enough to be a quality NFL starter and that was encouraging to see. As I mentioned previously I think he would be a very intriguing fit in a zone blocking scheme and you can’t be an effective runner in that scheme without the vision to find cut-back lanes. He runs patiently as he allows his blocks to set up (almost too patiently sometimes, particularly when he’s running outside) and uses his blockers effectively to gain additional yardage at the second level and when he gets into the open field. He may not have blazing speed, but his vision helps him gain additional yardage when he gets into a crease.

Ball Security: From all that I have seen fumbling is absolutely not an issue for Bell. He keeps the ball high and tight even on his patented spin move and I didn’t see him fumble in any of the games I watched while writing this scouting report. I’d be very surprised if ball security is a problem for Bell in the NFL.

Overall: If you follow me on Twitter then you will know that I was not a Le’Veon Bell fan coming into the season and described him as a “finesse back trapped in a power backs body” at one point. However, I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong and in this instance I believe I am. Bell showed me a lot more toughness and physicality as a junior and I was very happy to see that. I thought he lowered his shoulder more, fought for the tough yards better and finished runs stronger than he did a year ago. Add on the fact that his quickness and shiftiness serves him very well and he’s a very intriguing running back. I don’t think he’s going to be much more than an average to above-average receiver in the NFL, but I don’t think he needs to be much more than that to be effective in the passing game. Add on the fact that he has good vision and pass protects well (especially considering he was really only “the guy” for one full year) and he’s quite the back. He’s not going to be a big home-run hitter, but he has a very unique and intriguing skill set that I think warrants 2^nd-3^rd round consideration without a doubt. I never thought I’d say that coming into the season, but like I said, I’ll admit when I’m wrong if I am proven to be so. In this case, I’m pleased to say that I am.

Projection: Top 75. I think Bell could very well end up in the 2^nd round, but if he doesn’t I don’t think he gets out of the top half of the 3^rd even in a deep running back class. But it’s very realistic that he could come off the board in the late 2^nd to team like the Packers or the Falcons. The Steelers also figure to be interested in him as well.

Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M Scouting Report

Size: Michael has nearly prototypical size for the running back position, at least in my opinion. He is listed at 5’10”, 220 pounds and essentially looks like a create-a-player on a football video game. He’s got a strong lower body as well as a strong upper body. When you draw up a NFL running back there’s a good chance he has the physique of Michael.

Speed: Michael may not have elite speed, but for his size his speed is more than good enough for the next level. He’s not a 4.4 flat guy, but running a 4.53 40 yard dash at 220 pounds is definitely impressive. He’s faster than you’d expect given his size, and you can see that when you watch him as some defenders expect to be able to take a lazy angle and all of a sudden he is by them. However, I don’t think he has the straight line speed to consistently get the edge at the next level and will have to make his money between the tackles.

Quickness: Michael has plenty of quickness, particularly for his size. He doesn’t stop and start as quickly as I would prefer, and his change of direction speed leaves a little to be desired, but overall his quickness is good and he accelerates quickly. He can make defenders miss or attempt poor tackles thanks to his agility, and that complements his strength and power effectively.

Running Inside: This is where Michael is going to have to thrive at the next level if he is going to be a feature back. Michael seems to be at his best when he can read the hole, plant and go. He runs with good pad level, has good leg drive and can spin off of defenders to gain extra yardage. He can “get small” to fit through holes and seams, and thanks to his burst and strength he is tough to bring down with arm tackles in the hole. He generates good leg drive and will gain tough yards. Seems to have good balance and a low center of gravity.

Running Outside: Michael’s lack of great vision holds him back a bit here, and when there isn’t an obvious hole I feel that he wastes steps and he tries to bounce things outside too quickly at times. Compounding  that is the fact that he doesn’t have the straight line speed to get the corner whenever he wants and I don’t think he’s going to be a great outside runner at the next level.

Receiving: Michael may not have been used very consistently as a receiver, but I think that he can be an effective receiver if given the opportunity. I don’t think he is especially strong in this area, but he has the potential to be a reliable receiver out of the backfield if given the opportunity despite the fact that he catches with his body more than I would like.

Blocking: I personally believe Michael needs some work in this area of his game. He doesn’t consistently give great effort as a blocker and you can tell he would probably prefer to have the ball in his hands. Whoever drafts him is going to have to coach him up in this area, and unless he has a progressive offensive coach this is going to keep him off the field early until the coach trusts him to keep the quarterback upright as a pass protector.

Vision: I am not 100% sold on Michael’s vision. I think he misses seams at times, isn’t as comfortable when an obvious hole isn’t opened up, and too often I just see him run head-first into a crowd in the middle of the field instead of patiently running to the seams the offensive line has created. Perhaps this can be improved upon, but right now I’m not totally comfortable with his vision as a ball-carrier.

Ball Security: This was an issue for Michael in 2011 and there are times when he carries the ball too low which makes him susceptible to letting the ball get punched out or stripped. This is correctable, but it’s certainly a bad habit.

Overall: Michael is a bit of a frustrating player to evaluate because when you watch him you can see how much talent he has. He’s an impressive physical specimen, he runs well, he has good speed and quickness (especially given his size), but despite his physical attributes the tape just doesn’t match up with how much talent he has. Part of that is injuries, but part of that is that I don’t think he does all the small things that good or great running backs do. He hasn’t proven to be an effective receiver out of the backfield (16 receptions the last two years combined), he isn’t a reliable pass protector, he has ball security issues and most importantly I don’t think he has great vision. He certainly has a lot of upside, but given his issues with the new coaching staff this year (essentially didn’t play in the Cotton Bowl) as well as the lack of polish to his all-around game I would be concerned with drafting him early. In the 3^rd or 4^th round range I think his talent outweighs the concerns surrounding him, but in the 2^nd round I would be quite hesitant to draft him. I think there is some bust potential with him because he has largely gotten this far based on his talent, and the only way he’s going to be a feature back is if he commits and works hard to improve as a receiver and as a blocker. Even then he might not live up to his potential because of his unfortunate injury history (season ending broken leg injury in 2010 and torn ACL in 2011). He unquestionably has talent, he’s one of the most naturally talented backs in this draft class, but it concerns me that so much of that potential has yet to be reached. That will intrigue some teams, but more conservative ones will likely knock him for that. If you roll the dice on him you are either going to get a steal that makes everyone who passed on him feel foolish or you are going to get a back who knows exactly how talented he is and either couldn’t stay healthy or never committed to polishing his game.

Projection: Top 100. I think he will likely come off the board in the 3^rd round. He’s got too much talent to fall much further than the beginning of the 4^th, but if he does it will likely mean teams were turned off by his interviews. If there is a team that loves him I could see him going as early as late 2^nd, but I would personally wait until the 3^rd.

Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama Scouting Report

Size: Lacy has fantastic size for a running back and he combines that with very impressive athleticism. He is listed at 5’11”, 231 pounds and he is an absolute chore to get to the ground. Thanks to his size and speed he is very hard to bring down, particularly if he has you one on one in the open field. His sheer size and strength alone is evident the second you start watching him as he is almost impossible to arm tackle, he displays extremely impressive leg drive and gains a lot of yardage after contact.

Speed: Lacy hasn’t been officially timed in the 40 yard dash at this point but it is evident when you watch him that he has impressive straight line speed for his size. I think he is in the 4.48-4.52 range in the 40, so I am interested to see what he is timed at when he works out later this month. He isn’t going to get the corner whenever he wants at the next level, but he definitely has the speed to break off chunks of yardage and he is extremely tough to bring down once he gets up to top speed. I personally think he is one of the best height/weight/speed backs in the draft and that isn’t often said about power backs as big as Lacy.

Quickness: Lacy’s quickness and agility jumps out at you almost instantly when you watch him. He is shockingly quick and agile for his size and it helps him hit holes quickly and with impressive force. His acceleration is impressive as is his ability to make defenders miss in the open field. Had I not already seen him play live I would have been shocked by his ability to get defenders off balance with his shiftiness. Combining that with his size and strength is a very potent product.

Running Inside: Lacy is fantastic at running between the tackles. This certainly had something to do with him running through some truly massive lanes thanks to his offensive line, but his quickness, ability to run through arm tackles like they are ribbons at the end of a marathon, and leg drive make him a very effective inside runner. He runs with good pad level and packs a punch if he is met in the hole after which he will either drive his legs for tough yards or occasionally spin off the initial hit for more yardage. He can absolutely wear you down by gaining tough yards after contact, then he can get you in the open field and make you miss on the way to a big run up the middle. He’s the complete package as far as running between the tackles.

Running Outside: I didn’t expect Lacy to be as good at running outside as he was, but obviously that’s not going to be his strong suit at the next level. Part of his effectiveness was undeniably the brilliant blocking by his tackles and tight ends on the edges, but his surprising ability to make defenders miss, plant his foot and burst upfield and his obvious strength and power make him a handful out on the edge. It’s possible to string him out and I think that will happen to him more at the next level than it did at Alabama but he has the vision and athleticism to at least get some carries outside at the next level in my opinion. He won’t be as effective as he is between the tackles, but I think he can do it because of how well he uses his blockers when he is in space.

Receiving: Lacy is a reliable receiver but I don’t think he will be anything more than an above-average to good receiver out of the backfield at the next level. He seems to have pretty soft hands, but he has dropped some passes that had a little heat on them (particularly outside of his frame or above his head). He hasn’t caught a lot of passes at Alabama, but he is more than reliable in the flats or in the screen game. Beyond that he won’t have a huge impact, but he likely won’t be asked to do much more anyway.

Blocking: This was one part of Lacy’s game that really disappointed me. He has all the size, strength and athleticism to be a potentially great pass protector but he leaves a lot to be desired in this area of his game. In all of the games I watched of him I only noted two “good” blocks in pass protection and those were both against smaller players. He will occasionally cut block effectively, but the vast majority of the time he shoulder stings the defender he is blocking or helping with and floats out into the flat. It’s incredibly frustrating to watch because he could potentially take the defender he is blocking out of the play completely, but instead he elects to essentially bump into them and that’s it. He needs a running backs coach that will light a fire under him and motivate him to play with better effort while also working on his technique in pass protection. He has all the upside to be a great pass blocker, but at this point virtually none of it has been realized.

Vision: I think Lacy has good but not great vision as a runner. At times he will be almost too patient when he’s running, but I would prefer a runner to err on the side of being patient and letting his blocks set up rather than forcing the issue too early. He does a good job finding the initial hole when running inside, and he finds cut-back lanes effectively in addition to using his blocks well when he runs outside or in the open field. His offensive line was so good that there are times when he attempted to be looking for a big lane to run through or he would try to bounce it outside instead of just taking what was there and moving on to the next down. I think that this will be coachable because he doesn’t try to hit the home run every carry, but it was a tendency I noticed when I was watching him.

Ball Security: This was another part of Lacy’s game that concerned me. He doesn’t have a lot of issues fumbling the ball, but he does carry the ball too low at times (only two points of pressure versus the three you are supposed to have). Additionally, when he spins or fights for extra yardage there are times he lets the ball get too far away from his body which makes him susceptible to getting stripped. Once again, this can be coached up a bit, but it’s still a red flag for me.

Overall: There’s no doubt that Lacy is an intriguing talent. He has all the size, strength, speed, quickness and power that you could want in a running back in my opinion. Combine that with pretty good vision, reliable hands and the potential to be a good pass blocker and it’s no surprise that he is at the top of most running back rankings. Personally I think he is a virtual lock to go in the top 50 picks depending on how his workout goes and if he interviews well. He would be a great fit for a team that likes to pound the ball such as the Steelers or the Falcons, but I don’t think he’s going to be an elite back at the next level. I think he could have a couple very good or even great seasons, but I don’t think he’s going to be “special.” There’s no reason he couldn’t be a very good back though, particularly if he lands on a team with a good offensive line and other weapons around him that will keep teams from stacking the box against him. Backs with his combination of size, 4.5 speed, leg drive, quickness, elusiveness and balance don’t exactly grow on trees.

Projection: Top 50. He gets a top 40 grade from me, and while I’m not sure he ends up in round 1 once in for all I would be shocked if he made it until the end of round 2, much less into round 3.