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2022 NFL Draft: Best of the Rest - Running Backs



By Doug Orth | 4/28/22 |

It is much better to have an idea of where you stand on an incoming talent before he is drafted, if only the public tends to cater to popular opinion and "fit" after he is selected. Evaluating the incoming rookie class before the draft gives us a more stable ground with which to base our opinions and helps us avoid some of those "popular" pitfalls.

The goal with this piece (and the position-by-position ones to follow) is to provide a slightly quicker but still very thorough overview of some of the top prospects that were not covered in my draft profiles. The hope is that this exercise will give readers all the information that could ask for as they began preparing for upcoming rookie drafts.

Brian Robinson

Brian Robinson Jr. Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Alabama
Height/Weight: 6'2"/225
Hands: 9 3/4"
Age: 23 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.53
Vertical Jump: 30"
Broad Jump: 9'11"
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.59 (pro day)
3-Cone: 7.33 (pro day)

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Gus Edwards
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Jamaal Williams

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Burst/Explosiveness 7.5 10.0
Contact Balance 9.5 10.0
Instincts/Patience/Vision 8.0 10.0
Power/Tackle-Breaking Ability 10.0 10.0
Quickness/Elusiveness 8.0 10.0
Route-Running/Hands 6.0 10.0
Ball Security 6.0 6.0
Pass Protection 5.5 6.0
Durability 3.0 4.0
Long Speed 2.5 4.0
Film Grade 66.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 41.0

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For running backs, a player needs to be a three-down option as well as a realistic threat for 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

Every inside run is a test of manhood for defenses when Robinson is carrying the rock. There may not be a more physically imposing running back in this draft; he is powerful and he knows it. What he lacks in natural quickness, he tends to make up for by keeping his feet moving at all times. While he mostly relies on power, he occasionally flashes a jump cut in the open field to augment his ability to run through second- and third-level defenders. In his one season as the featured back in Tuscaloosa, he did not lose a fumble despite handling 306 touches (271 carries and 35 catches). He churned out 891 yards after contact and forced 79 missed tackles (per Pro Football Focus), illustrating just how much of a menace he was for defenses. Robinson also proved in 2021 that he could be an effective pass-catcher if/when necessary, finishing with 35 catches (versus two drops). The Tuscaloosa native also proved to be much more adept in pass pro than anyone should have expected for a power back in his first full year as the starter; Robinson is very good at identifying the most immediate threat and punishing him for trying to enter the pocket.

Negatives

While Robinson's muscular build serves him well, he is a bit on the tall side for a running back and does not help his cause by running too upright. The first-team All-SEC selection was able to get away with that in 2021, but his large strike zone could lead to durability concerns down the road in the NFL. While his top-end speed is good (4.53 was a surprising result for him), he is mostly a one-speed back who rarely showed off a second gear (he churned out 22 runs of at least 15 yards in 2021, but only three of his 545 career carries went for more than 25 yards). Robinson was not asked to do much more than catch the occasional swing pass or serve as a dump-off option last season; he probably should not be asked to do more than that, as he catches with his body a fair amount and doesn't always seem to trust his hands.

Bottom Line

Robinson is not getting the credit he deserves this spring. While he is already 23 years old and his running style is not conducive to a long career in the NFL, his battering-ram approach figures to be one that immediately makes him a favorite of the coaching staff. He should immediately find a place as his team's top short-yardage and goal-line option, but he has the upside to be more than that if he can learn to trust his hands more in the passing game. He is unlikely to ever be a true workhorse because of the lack of big-play ability, but it should come as no surprise if he carves out a career similar to the one Edwards has established for himself in Baltimore.

Tyler Allgeier Draft Profile

Vitals

College: BYU
Height/Weight: 5'11"/224
Hands: 9 5/8"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.60
Vertical Jump: 33"
Broad Jump: 10'
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.36
3-Cone: 7.09

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): James Conner with more explosiveness
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Rex Burkhead

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Burst/Explosiveness 8.0 10.0
Contact Balance 9.5 10.0
Instincts/Patience/Vision 8.5 10.0
Power/Tackle-Breaking Ability 9.0 10.0
Quickness/Elusiveness 6.0 10.0
Route-Running/Hands 7.0 10.0
Ball Security 4.0 6.0
Pass Protection 4.5 6.0
Durability 3.5 4.0
Long Speed 3.0 4.0
Film Grade 63.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 40.0

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For running backs, a player needs to be a three-down option as well as a realistic threat for 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

Allgeier is a former walk-on running back-turned-linebacker-turned-running back and plays with the kind of attitude that one might expect from an underappreciated player. FBS' reigning leader in rushing touchdowns (23) is ready-made physically to handle a heavy workload right away at 224 pounds and has some build-up long speed. While he can hit a defender with a move in the open field, Allgeier possesses above-average (if not very good) power and runs through most contact (70.9 percent of his yardage in 2021 came after initial contact). He complements his power well by running with patience, vision and discipline. As such, he ranked sixth in the country in missed tackles forced with 76 last season and 12th with 20 runs of at least 15 yards (per Pro Football Focus). The Kaiser (CA) High School product steadily improved as a receiver each year in Provo and showed good enough hands and attention to detail in the passing game to make evaluators believe he is capable of being a three-down back in the NFL. Allgeier's story of perseverance is also noteworthy and makes him worth betting on as an NFL prospect.

Negatives

There is a fine line between being a physical runner to set a tone and foolishly seeking out contact. Allgeier doesn't necessarily do the latter, but he also does not try to avoid much contact either. Ball security was a bit of a problem in 2021 (four fumbles). While he does have a surprising second gear when he has a runway, it would be a mistake to believe he will routinely break loose for a big gain in the pros. The California native obviously runs with power but doesn't always run through defenders when he should. Although Allgeier creates his own yards as a physical runner, it is at least slightly concerning that he averaged 3.2 yards per carry on 42 attempts against the top two rush defenses he faced in 2021.

Bottom Line

Allgeier is somewhere on the Alfred Morris and Conner continuum. In his heyday, Morris was a perfect example of how an average talent with vision and power can thrive in a zone-blocking scheme. Conner dropped some weight before the start of last season and proved he had some elusiveness in his game. Allgeier's career could easily end up mirroring either player. Ultimately, what separates him from other "average" big-back talents are his instincts and quick feet. To what degree he can improve his speed (there was talk he had 4.4 speed at one point) might determine if his ceiling is as a powerful complement in a committee attack or a true three-down back.

James Cook Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Georgia
Height/Weight: 5'11"/199
Hands: 9 3/8"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.42
Vertical Jump: 33"
Broad Jump: 10'4"
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): A more dynamic Giovani Bernard
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Chris Thompson

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Burst/Explosiveness 8.5 10.0
Contact Balance 7.0 10.0
Instincts/Patience/Vision 9.0 10.0
Power/Tackle-Breaking Ability 6.0 10.0
Quickness/Elusiveness 9.0 10.0
Route-Running/Hands 10.0 10.0
Ball Security 5.5 6.0
Pass Protection 3.5 6.0
Durability 2.0 4.0
Long Speed 3.5 4.0
Film Grade 64.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 40.0

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For running backs, a player needs to be a three-down option as well as a realistic threat for 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

Playing running back is part of the family business in the Cook household, as James shares some of the same characteristics as his brother, Dalvin. Among the similarities is their ability to run well behind zone blocking, make sharp cuts, stack multiple moves on top of one another and serve as dynamic weapons in the passing game. Although he is not going to make his living doing so in the NFL, the younger Cook ran inside more often than one might expect for a smallish back last season, displaying better-than-expected contact and an ability to power through some weak tackle attempts. Where Cook excels is as a receiver out of the backfield (one drop on 74 career targets). He is a near-impossible cover for a linebacker with his 4.42 speed and a challenge for most safeties with his ability to run routes like a receiver. He is sudden enough that defenses may have to commit a corner to him on likely passing downs.

Negatives

Cook is more smooth and slippery than he is explosive, which is a bit of a bummer for a running back who checks in just under 200 pounds. James lacks the contact balance and build of his brother, which likely means his NFL future will be limited to a part-time role. While the younger brother runs with more power than one might expect from a scat-back type, he will not last very long by challenging linebackers in between the tackles. Speaking of not lasting very long, Cook never handled more than 12 carries (or 15 total touches) in any game and still struggled with injuries in college, undergoing ankle surgery in 2019 and missing time with a hand injury in 2020.

Bottom Line

If he finds the right offensive coordinator, he could easily be one of the three most productive backs from this class. There isn't a Deebo Samuel clone in this draft, but Cook could be the closest thing to it in terms of how is used if he lands on a team with a creative play-caller. There are obvious differences between the two, most notably that Samuel is a receiver now (and was one at South Carolina) but plays more like a running back. Conversely, Cook is a running back now but plays much more like a receiver. Cook's 27 catches in 2021 (and 67 for his career) do not begin to tell the story of how much of an impact he can have in the passing game. At the very least, he should be a movable chess piece in the NFL who can handle breather-back duties and command the bulk of reps on passing downs. In an ideal scenario, Cook will see about 6-8 carries and 4-6 targets per game all over the formation as defenses try to decide if they would rather have their linebackers run with him or their safeties try to wrap him up in the open field.

Dameon Pierce Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Florida
Height/Weight: 5'10"/218
Hands: 9 3/8"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.59
Vertical Jump: 34.5"
Broad Jump: 9'11"
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.46 (pro day)
3-Cone: 7.53 (pro day)

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Mark Ingram
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): CJ Anderson

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Burst/Explosiveness 7.5 10.0
Contact Balance 9.5 10.0
Instincts/Patience/Vision 8.5 10.0
Power/Tackle-Breaking Ability 9.5 10.0
Quickness/Elusiveness 6.5 10.0
Route-Running/Hands 7.0 10.0
Ball Security 5.5 6.0
Pass Protection 5.0 6.0
Durability 3.5 4.0
Long Speed 2.5 4.0
Film Grade 65.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 39.5

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For running backs, a player needs to be a three-down option as well as a realistic threat for 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

Pierce's love for contact and desire to punish defenders is evident on just about every run. He looks the part and runs like an NFL running back, almost as if he has something to prove each time out. Pierce routinely powers through the first tackle attempt and leaves multiple defenders in his wake. However, he is more than just a bulldozer. He is patient when he needs to be and urgent when he needs to be, all the while showing enough juice to pick up a decent chunk of yardage. He does this while showing the kind of vision and instincts necessary to maximize his runs. Pierce did not get a ton of work as a receiver (or in any other facet of the game … more on that later), but he did take advantage of the few seam and wheel route opportunities he had. The Georgia native was also asked to block - both in the pass and run game - much more than most future NFL running backs typically do and he often delivered in that regard as well. Pierce did not fumble in 2021 and had only three in his college career.

Negatives

While Pierce has his flaws, the biggest question about his viability as a prospect is why he was not used more often. (He handled more than 10 carries only nine times and more than 15 touches twice in 50 games. Worse yet, Pro Football Focus notes that he never logged more than 23 snaps in any contest.) Among the things he has some control over, Pierce lacks the elite explosiveness that allows him to score from anywhere on the field (of his 206 carries in 2020 and 2021), only two resulted in a play of at least 25 yards). While he does have some elusiveness in his game, he is unlikely to make his defender grab air. (He probably would not have it any other way anyway.)

Bottom Line

Was Pierce's lack of usage a product of incompetent coaching or something his coaching staff did not want to share with the public? If it was the former (and it likely was), some team is about to get a 22-year-old power back with 329 career carries to his name and is a proven team guy. Pierce's game is about taking the fight to the defense and making the opponent pay for trying to tackle him, but he showed enough as a receiver - despite his limited reps - that he could eventually handle three-down duties. While he will likely never fill the highlight reel with sensational long-distance house calls or make defenders look silly in space, Ingram has carved out a long career in the NFL by playing the same kind of game Ingram put on film at Florida.

Rachaad White Draft Profile

Vitals

College: Arizona State
Height/Weight: 6'0"/214
Hands: 9 5/8"
Age: 23 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.48
Vertical Jump: 38"
Broad Jump: 10’5”
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): A less powerful Knowshon Moreno
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Brandon Bolden

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Burst/Explosiveness 7.0 10.0
Contact Balance 7.0 10.0
Instincts/Patience/Vision 8.0 10.0
Power/Tackle-Breaking Ability 6.5 10.0
Quickness/Elusiveness 7.5 10.0
Route-Running/Hands 9.5 10.0
Ball Security 5.0 6.0
Pass Protection 4.5 6.0
Durability 3.0 4.0
Long Speed 2.5 4.0
Film Grade 60.5 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 37.5

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For running backs, a player needs to be a three-down option as well as a realistic threat for 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

White is the relatively rare college back who enters the league with very few questions regarding his ability to contribute as something more than a dump-off option in the passing game. Arizona State asked him to run wheel routes out of the backfield and even lined him up in the slot and out wide on occasion. The quick feet that serve him so well in the passing game carry over to the running game, where he flashes the ability to shake a defender in the hole. While he is hardly a make-you-miss runner, he is a patient back capable of making sharp cuts. While White is not a powerful runner, he displayed a knack for putting the ball in the paint when Arizona State was near the end zone. Perhaps most encouragingly, he ran with more aggression as last season came to a close.

Negatives

The Kansas City native's winding road to the NFL Draft means he will turn 24 years old by the time the NFL Playoffs start early next year. For at least the first half of the season, White went down far too easily on the first tackle attempt and typically only picked up what was blocked. Despite his impressive 40 time (4.48) at the NFL Combine, White either cannot or refuses to find a second gear on potential long runs. That is not to suggest he lacks explosiveness, but it is hard to find more than a play or two of his where he ran to his timed speed. White is willing in pass pro, but he is still a work in progress there.

Bottom Line

The difference between White's early-season running and late-season running was so dramatic that it is fair to wonder if (or how long) he was playing hurt before missing the Washington State game. It provides hope he can hold his own on early downs and near the goal line at the next level. If we see more of the late-season White, he has a good chance at earning lead-back duties at some point. If he is more of the early-season version, his upside will probably be as a change-of-pace or receiving back in a committee.

Pierre Strong Jr. Draft Profile

Vitals

College: South Dakota State
Height/Weight: 5'11"/207
Hands: 9 1/2"
Age: 23 (at the time of the 2022 season opener)


Important NFL Combine Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.37
Vertical Jump: 36"
Broad Jump: 10'4"
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.25 (pro day)
3-Cone: 6.95 (pro day)

College Production (Stats)

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Tevin Coleman
Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Matt Brieda

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades
Attribute Att Grade Scale
Burst/Explosiveness 9.5 10.0
Contact Balance 6.5 10.0
Instincts/Patience/Vision 9.0 10.0
Power/Tackle-Breaking Ability 6.5 10.0
Quickness/Elusiveness 7.0 10.0
Route-Running/Hands 6.0 10.0
Ball Security 3.0 6.0
Pass Protection 3.0 6.0
Durability 3.5 4.0
Long Speed 4.0 4.0
Film Grade 58.0 80.0
     
Pre-Draft Fantasy Prospect Grade* (out of 50): 37.0

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For running backs, a player needs to be a three-down option as well as a realistic threat for 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

Few (if any) running backs in this draft class offer the kind of explosiveness Strong does. His career 7.2 yards per carry mark on 631 attempts is good even after the fact he played most of his games against FCS competition is factored into the equation.) He also possesses the necessary panoramic vision and instincts to feel when and where lanes are about to develop as a zone runner, presses the hole well and has the kind of speed to score from anywhere on the field. To that end, 76 of his career rushing attempts went for at least 15 yards and 10 of his 40 career rushing touchdowns covered at least 50 yards. While the Little Rock native is more of a straight-line runner, he displays the requisite footwork to plant his foot in the ground and often sidesteps the first defender in the hole. Strong showed enough ability in the passing game (62 career receptions) to believe he can be trusted as an option in the screen game or on check-downs. Something else to consider: Strong completed all nine of his career passes for 208 yards and six touchdowns, suggesting he can be a factor on trick plays.

Negatives

For all the explosiveness he possesses, he does not run with much power and goes down too easily too often. Strong is a bit undersized and may lack the frame to add much more than five pounds of muscle without sacrificing his speed. The leading rusher in FCS last year is more elusive in terms of how he sets up defenders than he is when he has to face them one-on-one. In other words, he is not a player who has a bevy of make-you-miss moves. Strong showed capable hands throughout his time at SDSU but was limited to a dump-off option for the most part. He did split out wide on occasion but usually spent far too long setting up his routes. Ball security was also an issue in 2021 (five fumbles).

Bottom Line

Much like his comps above suggest, it is hard to see Strong being much more than the explosive half of a committee backfield in the NFL. If he was more developed as a route-runner or ran with more power, he could make a stronger case to be a low-end lead back. As it is, he is a bit too small right now to stand up to heavy workloads as a runner in the NFL and too much of a project as a receiver to consider him a true offensive weapon. On the plus side, his speed should lead to ample opportunity to see the field early in a bit role since teams are always looking for players capable of taking one to the house on any play. The key with Strong will be how well his new team manages his reps, at least until he adds more muscle. If this happens and Strong can break a few more tackles, he could emerge as a lead back down the road.

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Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and been featured in USA TODAY's Fantasy Football Preview magazine since 2010. He is also a high-stakes player who often appears as a guest analyst on a number of national sports radio shows, such as Sirius XM’s “Fantasy Drive." Doug is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.