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Slimm's 2018 Runningbacks (Underclassman)

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1. Saquon Barkley / Penn St. / 6'0", 233 [#3 overall]

2. Derrius Guice / LSU / 5'10", 224 [#19 overall]

3. Ronald Jones / USC / 5'11", 205 [#59 overall]

4. Kerryon Johnson / Auburn / 5'11", 213 [#82 overall]

5. Josh Adams / Notre Dame / 6'2", 213 [#92 overall]

6. Mark Walton / Miami / 5'10", 202 [#174 overall]

7. John Kelly / Tennessee / 5'10", 216 [#175 overall]

8. Nyheim Hines / N.C. State / 5'8", 198 [#176 overall]

9. Bo Scarbrough / Alabama / 6'1", 228 [#195 overall]

10. Ryan Nall / Oregon St. / 6'2", 232 [#220 overall]

11. Chris Warren lll / Texas / 6'2", 250 [UDFA]

12. Kamryn Pettway / Auburn / 6'0", 235 [UDFA]
 
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This RB group looks as good as any of the 2015-2017 classes. I'd say the UC RB's are comparable, but the top-2 Senior RB's are a few strides better than those groups.
 
Really like Pettway physical style. Would like to see a team pair him with Wadley (on your senior list) from Iowa. I tink they would make good power and elusiveness combo.
 
Nall is a really interesting prospect. Shows great balance through contact, and his running style is a little awkward, so when he turns on the jets, it's surprising the first few times you see it. Want to see him stay healthy, and I'm not sure that he's a feature back in the NFL, but I do see him as a valuable weapon in the right offense.

Ronald Jones gets my vote for smoothest RB in the class. Looks like he's added some bulk, and I think he has an outside shot at playing his way into the 1st RD.

Barkley looked like he was playing against HS kids last week. I'd like to see him look for the HR a little less often - loves to bounce it to the outside - but holy hell, what a talent. If Matt Forte had David Johnson's athleticism, but with more speed, that's what Barkley reminds me of.
 
No running back likes to get tackled, but very few run like they hate to be tackled. There's a difference...good evaluators know it when they see it.

Adrian Peterson ran like he hated to be tackled. Cadillac Williams ran like that. Alfred Morris ran like that coming out of FAU. Devonta Freeman ran like that.

In this class, Derrius Guice and John Kelly are two that have always really stood out to me with this combination of skillset and attitude. It matters.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
No running back likes to get tackled, but very few run like they hate to be tackled. There's a difference...good evaluators know it when they see it.

Adrian Peterson ran like he hated to be tackled. Cadillac Williams ran like that. Alfred Morris ran like that coming out of FAU. Devonta Freeman ran like that.

In this class, Derrius Guice and John Kelly are two that have always really stood out to me with this combination of skillset and attitude. It matters.
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Guice reminds me of E. Smith. As a pure runner, I think he's the clear-cut #1. Totally agree. He bucks like a bull, and he gets north/south consistently, squeezing out every possible yard. I do think Barkley leaves yards on the field, but he makes up for it with explosive runs and versatility. Guice's physicality also shows up as a blocker.

I still haven't seen the Tennessee game or focused on Kelly, but I love everyone else you mentioned, so I'm guessing I'll at least like him.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
Especially when he steps out of bounds for no apparent reason running down the sideline. Did it against Akron last Saturday.

Turned what would've been an 87 yard TD run into a 1st and goal at the 7.
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It's strange. On many levels, he's a dream talent, but for such a high-level player, he makes more bad plays than you'd expect. This is a perfect example. That should never happen, but it seriously shouldn't happen to a 220+lb RB, who runs in the 4.4's. Too often, I'll see 4-5 yards if he just gets north/south, with more on the table if he makes someone miss, but he'll want to a juke a defender to win the edge and take it outside. He's very quick, and winning the edge leads to big runs, but I'd rather see him make this adjustment at Penn St. than in the NFL. His age makes me feel better about it, and it's really my only gripe with Barkley as a prospect.

If Guice can repeat 2016 over the course of the 2017 season, and Barkley stays where he is, I'll probably roll with Guice 1A to Barkley's 1B, but heading into the year, I agree that it's Barkley 1 and Guice 2. Both could be top-10 picks.
 
L.J. Scott has always been one of the more talented running backs I've studied in this class, but aside from the ball security issues that I despise in an upperclassman RB...he's apparently been arrested for driving without a driver's license.

The issue here is that he's been been arrested for this 7 times in Ohio and Michigan. In addition to being cited for driving without headlights at night, leaving the scene of an accident, and an assortment of other driving related charges.

Incredible. I'm not sure what to think of this kid off the field, but it's obviously things that NFL teams are going to have to sort through.

These are the type of concerns that takes kids off my draft board if I'm using real draft picks and not just ranking their abilities on the football field.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
L.J. Scott has always been one of the more talented running backs I've studied in this class, but aside from the ball security issues that I despise in an upperclassman RB...he's apparently been arrested for driving without a driver's license.

The issue here is that he's been been arrested for this 7 times in Ohio and Michigan. In addition to being cited for driving without headlights at night, leaving the scene of an accident, and an assortment of other driving related charges.

Incredible. I'm not sure what to think of this kid off the field, but it's obviously things that NFL teams are going to have to sort through.

These are the type of concerns that takes kids off my draft board if I'm using real draft picks and not just ranking their abilities on the football field.
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Really well said, Slimm. The draft is about risk management. When you think someone is likely to self-destruct, it doesn't really matter what someone can be.
 
Granted that nobody likes or pays attention to fullbacks anymore, but UTSA's Halen Steward is as much a guy to watch for the future that way as anyone.

What a battering ram he is.

This is Steward blocking a LB Brian Womac who had absolutely been dominating the game in pass rush and in run-and-chase stuff:

 
What do you guys think about Josh Adams, I see you have him at 3 here Slimm. I seriously love the dude. He runs hard and hits the home run, but I don't feel like that is his goal, he like to hit people, pretty good vision imo. Maybe getting rid of Ajayi was a blessing in disguise with this rb class coming up

I think Adams is probably a 2nd rounder?
 
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Travis34 said:
What do you guys think about Josh Adams, I see you have him at 3 here Slimm. I seriously love the dude. He runs hard and hits the home run, but I don't feel like that is his goal, he like to hit people, pretty good vision imo. Maybe getting rid of Ajayi was a blessing in disguise with this rb class coming up

I think Adams is probably a 2nd rounder?
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I have him as a 2nd/3rd rounder. He's basically C.J. Prosise all over again, except more of a true runningback.

You have to understand though that the left side of Notre Dame's offensive line is so dominant with McGlinchey and Nelson he'd score if he was playing 2 hand touch on some of his runs.

However, he shows the ability to separate from defenders once he gets in the open field and maintain his speed over a long distance, which is excellent for a back that size.... much like Prosise was also able to.

He seems to be a hard worker and a team oriented kid...the anti-Ajayi so to speak. He's also very underrated at catching passes out of backfield, although not quite on Prosise's level there yet. But Prosise was a converted wide receiver.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
I have him as a 2nd/3rd rounder. He's basically C.J. Prosise all over again, except more of a true runningback.

You have to understand though that the left side of Notre Dame's offensive line is so dominant with McGlinchey and Nelson he'd score if he was playing 2 hand touch on some of his runs.

However, he shows the ability to separate from defenders once he gets in the open field and maintain his speed over a long distance, which is excellent for a back that size.... much like Prosise was also able to.

He seems to be a hard worker and a team oriented kid...the anti-Ajayi so to speak. He's also very underrated at catching passes out of backfield, although not quite on Prosise's level there yet. But Prosise was a converted wide receiver.
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Yeah sometimes i worry when passes go his way. I absolutely would love to get Nelson
 
He's not coming out this year (I hope!), but keep an eye on FAU's Devin Singletary. I know, it's C-USA, but this kid runs with heart. Also leads the nation in TDs. Kiffin is getting the best out of this kid.
 
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