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The Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn assesses the top running backs in the draft next week. Included is each player's height, weight, 40-yard dash time and projected round.
RUNNING BACKS
1. EZEKIEL ELLIOTT, Ohio State (5-11 ½, 227, 4.48, 1): Third-year junior. "He is the only one with all the traits," said one scout. "He's got a chance to be the best player in the draft. He, (Joey) Bosa, (Laremy) Tunsil. He can catch it, he can pass protect, he's got NFL size and he can run. If he stays healthy he's going to be a (Adrian) Peterson-type back." Smartest RB in years (32 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test). "Football intelligence might be the best thing he has," another scout said. "He goes to the sidelines and tells the coaches the block protections. The coaches tell me he tells them what to do. To me, your intelligence is your blocking." Finished with 592 carries for 3,961 yards (OSU-record 6.7-yard average) and 43 touchdowns. Also caught 58 passes for 449. Played behind Carlos Hyde in 2013 before breaking out as a sophomore. Has undergone surgery twice on his left wrist. "Zeke just has the NFL mentality," said one scout. "Love the kid as a football player." From St. Louis.
2. DERRICK HENRY, Alabama (6-2 ½, 245, 4.54, 1-2): Third-year junior. "You don't think he's that fast until you actually see him in person," said one scout. "If the hole is initially defended, can he make that sudden change-of-direction move and get back to another seam? That's not his lifestyle. If he gets going north-south you better bring it, because he's going to get yards after contact. If it's muddy in Green Bay and it's the championship game and you've got to control the clock, I want Derrick Henry in my backfield." Better vertical jump (37 to 32 ½) and broad jump (10-10 to 9-10) than Elliott. "Doesn't have all the things you want but he's a 4.5 big guy who has some jump cut, some movement," another scout said. "He's a ***** on the perimeter. It takes him a minute to get rolling. You can get him early inside. But if he gets to the second level he's a man. And he proved he could catch in the workout." Finished with 602 carries for 3,591 (6.0) and 42 TDs to go with just 17 catches for 285. Wonderlic of 15. "He is Eddie George," a third scout said. "But, in today's football, they run the spread-option offense. The dilemma will be, can he play in today's spread? Is he too leggy? That's going to be his challenge." From Yulee, Fla. "In the NFL he will have to get his pad level down," a fourth scout said. "He runs too high."
Read the rest here: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...ects-running-backs-b99704560z1-376838901.html
RUNNING BACKS
1. EZEKIEL ELLIOTT, Ohio State (5-11 ½, 227, 4.48, 1): Third-year junior. "He is the only one with all the traits," said one scout. "He's got a chance to be the best player in the draft. He, (Joey) Bosa, (Laremy) Tunsil. He can catch it, he can pass protect, he's got NFL size and he can run. If he stays healthy he's going to be a (Adrian) Peterson-type back." Smartest RB in years (32 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test). "Football intelligence might be the best thing he has," another scout said. "He goes to the sidelines and tells the coaches the block protections. The coaches tell me he tells them what to do. To me, your intelligence is your blocking." Finished with 592 carries for 3,961 yards (OSU-record 6.7-yard average) and 43 touchdowns. Also caught 58 passes for 449. Played behind Carlos Hyde in 2013 before breaking out as a sophomore. Has undergone surgery twice on his left wrist. "Zeke just has the NFL mentality," said one scout. "Love the kid as a football player." From St. Louis.
2. DERRICK HENRY, Alabama (6-2 ½, 245, 4.54, 1-2): Third-year junior. "You don't think he's that fast until you actually see him in person," said one scout. "If the hole is initially defended, can he make that sudden change-of-direction move and get back to another seam? That's not his lifestyle. If he gets going north-south you better bring it, because he's going to get yards after contact. If it's muddy in Green Bay and it's the championship game and you've got to control the clock, I want Derrick Henry in my backfield." Better vertical jump (37 to 32 ½) and broad jump (10-10 to 9-10) than Elliott. "Doesn't have all the things you want but he's a 4.5 big guy who has some jump cut, some movement," another scout said. "He's a ***** on the perimeter. It takes him a minute to get rolling. You can get him early inside. But if he gets to the second level he's a man. And he proved he could catch in the workout." Finished with 602 carries for 3,591 (6.0) and 42 TDs to go with just 17 catches for 285. Wonderlic of 15. "He is Eddie George," a third scout said. "But, in today's football, they run the spread-option offense. The dilemma will be, can he play in today's spread? Is he too leggy? That's going to be his challenge." From Yulee, Fla. "In the NFL he will have to get his pad level down," a fourth scout said. "He runs too high."
Read the rest here: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...ects-running-backs-b99704560z1-376838901.html
