Dynasty Draftnik

All-Star Games: Shrine Game.

Positives: Physically, he has good bulk for his height – with a strong, compact build and adequate hand size. Runs with above-average power and balance after contact, and churns his legs well for extra yards after contact. He also has pretty quick feet and is able to change directions well in the open field. Though he lacks burst, he demonstrates above-average lateral quickness, patience, and decisiveness behind the line. As a receiver, he has generally good hands, and can extend well for passes away from his body. As a route runner, he is willing to get physical with linebackers. Protects the ball well through the line. Willing run or pass blocker.

Negatives: Below-average height for the position. Below-average game speed, track speed, and burst, and it takes him a while to get up to speed.

Projection: Round 7. It looks like he lacks the athleticism and dynamism to be more than a part-time contributor as a short yardage back and special teamer.

Junior who has declared for the 2015 NFL draft.

Positives: Though he is a little short for a running back, he has an adequate and solid bulk. Though his speed, quickness, and burst are nothing special, they are adequate for his size. Behind the line, he shows a nice jump cut and has surprising open-field agility. He is able to get low to drive through contact. His low center of gravity and willingness to keep churning his legs through contact make it hard to bring him down one-on-one.

Negatives: Short for a running back. Below-average game and track speed for the position. Sometimes, when he is going through the line, he will lower his eyes, limiting his vision and causing him to miss cutback opportunities. He seems a little impatient in the open field and should wait for his blockers on screen passes. Suspect ball security through the line. His shoulders sometimes get a little too far in front of him when he is running, throwing him off balance and making him easier to trip up. Inconsistent hands and consistently tries to one-hand passes for no reason.

Projection: Round 7. I would say he is more of a practice squad candidate at this point than a solid contributor on an NFL roster. He lacks any dynamic aspects that set him apart from being just another guy.

Was a redshirt senior.

All-Star Games: Was invited to the College Gridiron Showcase, but chose to go to the Senior Bowl as a last-minute addition.

Positives: A solid running back whose brightest future is as a returner in the NFL. Runs with above-average speed, lateral quickness and ability to change directions. Also shows good burst. Good vision and picks his way through traffic well. Shows good balance after contact and is able to keep going for extra yards. Holds the ball well after contact. His hands and body control are generally adequate as both a receiver and a punt returner, and he adjusts fairly well to passes thrown behind him. Runs pretty good routes and is quick out of his breaks. He is justifiably confident in his hands as a punt returner, and shows pretty good concentration when fielding punts, even being able to field punts even after a defender knocks him off balance. He shows patience on kick returns and sets up his blockers pretty well. Gets upfield quickly on punt returns, and doesn’t waste time going sideways. Makes smart kick return decisions and is willing to wait for the right opportunity – he will let the ball bounce in the end zone instead of returning it dangerously.

Negatives: As a running back, he needs to be more decisive and cut the ball up field instead of trying to dance through traffic on running plays. Has a slight tendency to let passes get to his body. His confidence in his punt returning abilities sometimes puts him in dangerous positions, and he will field difficult punts in traffic instead of letting them hit the ground. Below-average pass protector who will lunge and miss, not keeping his base.

Projection: Round 7-UDFA. Though he has some skills as a running back – and can contribute as a part-time role player there – he is most likely to stick on a roster as a very good returner.

Positives: Strong build with above-average bulk for the height and position. Runs with adequate speed and burst for his size. He is very patient behind the line and follows his blockers well. He shows above-average lateral quickness and cutback vision between the tackles. Fair open field vision and has the lateral quickness that makes him hard to get a hold of in the open field. Pretty good balance and power after contact – keeps legs churning well through contact. Finishes runs pretty tough and is usually strong enough to fall forward for extra yards. Seemed to trust his instincts more by his junior season, and became more creative. Generally above-average hands and can extend well. Fair ball security and protects the ball well through the line. Seems to have pretty strong hands and can maintain possession while defenders try to strip the ball.

Negatives: Slightly below-average height for the position. Seems to take him a long time to get going behind the line. He isn’t as instinctive of a runner on outside runs and he seems to have a hard time deciding when to cut up field. Though he isn’t easy to bring down one-on-one, he is not a pile pusher. Unreliable pass blocker – lunges and misses when he sees a defender, and tends to pick the wrong guy to block on blitzes. Seems to have a hard time setting his feet as a pass protector and consistently finds himself of position. Below-average kick return fielding decisions and let a ball bounce in front of him that was recovered by the other team. Inconsistent concentration as a receiver, and he will turn upfield before securing the pass. Coming off hamstring issues in 2015 offseason.

Projection: Round 6. Though he has some deficiencies – especially as a pass protector – he has a good enough all-around skill set to contribute to a roster as a part-time running back and special teamer.

Junior who has declared for the 2015 NFL draft.

Positives: Good height for the position. Is a one-cut-and-go runner who is best on inside runs but can also be very effective outside. He runs with good speed – very good speed for his size. Also shows above-average burst, ability to change directions, and lateral quickness. Shows pretty good cutback vision and has a nice jump cut to find open running lanes. Seems pretty decisive behind the line and doesn’t waste a lot of time before heading downfield. Runs with good body lean through the line and churns well, pushing defenders back. Shows some agility in the open and uses his blockers well down the field. Fights pretty hard for extra yards and keeps churning his legs all the way to the ground. Good effort and balance after contact and is able to keep his feet when defenders hit him high. Shows pretty good ball security technique during runs and usually holds the ball high and tight. Okay hands and is able to extend pretty well. Is a willing pass blocker.

Negatives: Though he has good height for the position, he is built more like a wide receiver, with below-average bulk for the height and position. Looks a little slow to get going behind the line. He drags his feet a little too much through the line and needs to run with higher knees through traffic. Is a long strider who doesn’t seem to have very quick feet. Has some trouble making big cuts and changes of direction. Though he holds the ball securely during his runs, he needs to learn to cover up when he is going to the ground – he lost several fumbles fighting for yards. Though he is a willing pass blocker and he will get caught flat-footed and lunging at defenders. Has a bit of an injury history. Missed end of 2013 season with ankle injury. Foot surgery in December 2014 and wasn’t ready by the Combine.

Projection: Round 2. If you are looking for a big back with speed and athleticism, I would pick Coleman over Todd Gurley, but that doesn’t seem to be the consensus. Needs a little work on pass protecting, but, overall, he is a better all-around back than Gurley.

Junior who has declared for the 2015 NFL draft.

Positives: Is a workhorse who seems to get more effective as the game goes on. Has great height and good bulk for the position. As you would expect, he is a powerful runner who is generally hard to bring down one on one. Is also more athletic than you would expect. Runs with above-average speed and quickness for his size. Runs with deceptive speed and seems to surprise defenders when he breaks runs outside. When he is more decisive behind the line, he shows above-average burst for his size. Is pretty nimble in the open field and can leap over defenders. Though he doesn’t have great burst, he has adequate acceleration to go with his strength. Nimble feet and fair vision for cutbacks, and is able to pick his way through traffic at the line. Adequate downfield blocker who at least gets in the way of defenders. Though he starts his runs too upright, he runs with adequate body lean once he gets going. He’s able to keep his balance when defenders try to take him on up high. Has an effective stiff arm.

Negatives: Though he gained a lot of yards and had a high yards-per-carry number, a lot of his yards seemed to come after he was already a few yards downfield – mostly due to his offensive line. Looks hesitant behind the line, which makes him appear to be very slow. He will also stop himself right in the hole and lose momentum. Is a long strider who isn’t quick when changing directions. Suspect balance making cuts and seems pretty easy to trip up with low contact. Runs a little bit too upright behind the line. Runs slow routes when he knows the pass is not going to be coming to him. Inconsistent hands and has a hard time extending – will double clutch at times. Inconsistent pass protector and downfield blocker – doesn’t attack defenders and gives inconsistent effort. Seems a little unwilling to step up in the pocket to take on defenders as a blocker. Has a bit of a long injury record and other red flags. Injured left ankle in September 2013 and missed three games. Then missed more time and was still being affected by it in 2013 bowl game. Suspended for four games in October 2014 for accepting money for autographs. Tore left ACL in November 2014, had surgery and missed rest of season – and still seemed affected by it before the draft.

Projection: Round 1. By many (if not most), he is considered the best running back in this class, but I am far from in love with his talent. He has some power and surprising athleticism, but he doesn’t seem as strong as he should be. Also, to me, he lacks the dynamism and all-around skills I would want in a full-time workhorse back. At the least, though, he will make for a good power back and goal line back in the pros, and is worth probably at least a third-round pick just for that. If he works on his decisiveness and improves on either his pass catching or pass protecting, he might be worth the first-round pick that will be used on him, but, right now, he looks like a third-round back. Just my (far in the minority) opinion.