Last Draft Class saw 3 players chosen in the 1st round last season, this years class may see similar success. In every class there are some late round steals like Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt have broken out and been big time players. These 7 have star potential in the NFL.
Red Cup Ratings
The ratings given are on a scale of 1-10 with 7.5 being the average mark of a Draftable NFL RB. Players with ratings of 9.5 or 10 are considered elite in that skill.
David Montgomery – Iowa State (4-3) – 5’11” Junior
144 ATT 648 YDS 6 TDs – 7 Rec 29 YDS
David Montgomery appears to have separated himself as the top prospect in the upcoming draft. Montgomery isn’t going to be the fastest one on the field, but he is quick enough to be an NFL running back. He can block, won’t be a negative in the passing game, and is arguably the best tackle breaking running back in the nation. Sounds like a 3-down NFL back to me.
If the draft was today: Mid 1st Round
Benny Snell Jr. – Kentucky (7-1) – 5’11” Junior
179 ATT 935 YDS 9 TDs – 10 Rec 75 Yds
Benny Snell Jr. has been one of the best players in college football this season. 4thin the nation in rushing yards, he is the heart and soul of the grind it out Kentucky team that has surprised so many this season. Snell is a physical power-back who can almost guarantee a first down in short yardage situations. He is not the fastest, and his 40 time may scare evaluators, but defenders bounce off of him. He will likely have a Jai Ajayi like role in the NFL.
If the draft was today: 1st or Early 2nd Round
Bryce Love – Stanford (5-3) – 5’10” Senior
93 ATT 419 YDS 3 TDs – 12 Rec 58 YDS
Love has struggled mightily this season averaging only 4.1 Yards/Carry and and missing 2 full games due to injury. After averaging 8.1 last year and getting into the end zone 19 times, he hasn’t really looked like an impact player up to this point. He won’t be able to run over defenders at the next level due to his size, so he will need to rely on his speed. His times at the combine should help him out a bit, but he could drop significantly from his Heisman favorite and likely 1stround status.
If the draft was today: Late 2nd Round
Damien Harris – Alabama (7-0) – 5’11” Senior
68 ATT 435 YDS 5 TDs – 13 Rec 160 YDS
Damien Harris is the perfect example of a Low Risk, Low Reward Player. He isn’t as fast as Love or Singletary, and not as big as Montgomery or Snell, but is almost there on both accounts. He will (likely) be coming off his 3rdstraight 1000-yard season in which he had a fraction of the carries as the other top prospects. Harris is also one of the best pass-blocking running backs in the nation. Just a smart runner who can do the little things to help win football games.
If the draft was today: 2nd or 3rd Round
Justice Hill – Oklahoma State (5-3) – 5’10” Junior
135 ATT 776 YDS 7 TDs – 11 Rec 56 Yds
Justice Hill has been a workhorse for OK State the past 2.5 seasons and has been very productive in that time. He is a quick and elusive back capable of breaking out for a big run on every possession. Despite his small stature at 5’10” 185 LBs, he is a very physical pass protector, but will need to improve his pass catching if he wants to be considered a 3 Down-Back in the NFL.
If the draft was today: 2nd or 3rd Round
Devin Singletary – FAU (3-5) – 5’9” Junior
166 ATT 837 YDS 15 TDs – 5 Rec 31 YDs
Singletary is one of the quickest prospects in the past few years. His Juke moves are disgusting. What scouts want to see more from his is the ability to run downhill more so than laterally. Singletary can juke out as many players as he wants, but if he is incapable of running down the middle and picking up yards, his ceiling will be a specialist.
If the draft was today: 4th or 5th Round
Rodney Anderson – Oklahoma (1-1 while playing) – 6’1” Junior
11 ATT 119 YDS 3 TDs
Rodney Anderson came into the season as a top 3 running back prospect on one of the best offenses in the nation. A knee injury Week 2 sidelined him for the season and will likely hurt his stock significantly. Last season he ran for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns over his final eight games, and also added four touchdowns catches during that stretch. Anderson is a solid all-around back who can cause poor tackling angles and has the potential to be factor in the passing game with very soft hands. His draft stock is hard to measure because of his injury.
If the draft was today: 3rd– 5th Round
