Running Back

Most impressive: Jaylen Samuels | RB | N.C. State

We weren’t exactly sure what Jaylen Samuels was going to be coming to Senior Bowl week. He’s a hybrid player who has played tight end, full back and running back. During the Senior Bowl practices, he played as a running back and among a group that really didn’t have a star player, Samuels showed out. With a bigger body, he ran through contact well and showed pretty good vision, as well as the obvious of being a good receiver.

Most disappointing: Kalen Ballage | RB | Arizona State

Ballage is the first example that my “most disappointing” doesn’t mean he was the worst player at a particular position, but rather, he’s chosen here because I wish he would have shown more. At 6-foot-2, 222 pounds, Ballage is a special receiving back for a guy that size. He runs good routes and has good hands. He also has the athleticism to get by people. The problem is, he just doesn’t do it. There were a handful of examples where he was one-on-one wth a defensive back in the open field and didn’t know how to make them miss for more yards after the catch or run. If he had better vision, he’d have been the best running back in the group.