I thought this to be a pretty interesting assessment of RB's in this years draft over at CBS. Definitely has me going to check out some of the other 'unknown' candidates (at least to us common folk.)
Saquon Barkley, Penn State
NFL comparison: Edgerrin James
Barkley possesses a unique blend of size, elusiveness, and speed. James was that type of running back coming out of Miami, as he ran a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1 and 216 pounds at the 1999 combine. Also, Barkley's comfortable as a receiver and is dynamic with the ball in his hands in space. James too excelled as a pass-catcher. He finished his outstanding pro career with five seasons in which he caught at least 50 passes, and he had three campaigns with over 2,000 yards from scrimmage.
Derrius Guice, LSU
NFL comparsion: Marshawn Lynch
A nuanced but violent runner with underrated athleticism. That's one sentence to describe both Lynch and Guice. Between the tackles, each back routinely finds and slips through tiny cracks then lowers the boom on a second or third-level defender. Beyond that, good luck with arm-tackle attempts when facing these two. Down the field, Guice and Lynch have great but not elite speed.
Ronald Jones, USC
NFL comparison: Jamaal Charles
Jones is an explosive, slashing type of back who can make two or three cuts then flip on the jets and score on a 60-yard touchdown. Those runs are what separated Charles from other running backs during the prime of his career. Jones may not have as much downfield juice as Charles, but the two are certainly underrated as inside runners because of their surprising power for their lighter frames.
Nick Chubb, Georgia
NFL comparison: Jonathan Stewart
Stewart had a tremendous workout at the 2008 combine, especially for a 225-plus pound back. The same is true for Chubb, who would've been the talk of the combine among running backs had it not been for Barkley's superhuman performance. Chubb and Stewart look like the classic, straight-forward, power backs but are productive runners because of their ankle flexion, vision, and burst after juking.
Sony Michel, Georgia
NFL comparison: Kenyan Drake
Michel and Drake have larger scat back body types and are capable of deploying vicious jump cuts that leave blitzing linebackers tackling air. The Dolphins' feature back has more long speed than Michel, and the latter is more of a capable make-you-miss player with the ball in his hands.
Royce Freeman, Oregon
NFL comparison: Jordan Howard
Big, powerful with deceptive agility... that description is true of the Bears No. 1 back and Freeman, one of the most productive runners in Oregon's history. Freeman possesses a more compact frame than Howard, yet their running styles are very comparable. Both don't appear to be moving overly fast through the second level yet would-be tacklers slip off them due to the tremendous amount of momentum they create with deceptive speed at their size. There's a bit more wiggle to Freeman's game than Howard's.
Kerryon Johnson, Auburn
NFL comparison: Carlos Hyde
The balance Johnson displayed during his brief time in the SEC was extremely impressive, and Hyde can stay on his feet while absorbing hits unlike the vast majority of the bigger backs in the NFL. Neither is a home-run hitter. Both get stronger as the game progresses as their strong-willed running style seems to wear down opposing defenses.
Kalen Ballage, Arizona State
NFL comparison: David Johnson
Johnson and Ballage are tall, over 220-pounds, possess elite athleticism and are gifted receivers. Johnson probably has better vision to read and cut off blocks, but the former Arizona State star didn't play behind a dominant offensive line in college and saw defenders in the backfield frequently. If mainly used as a multi-faceted weapon, Ballage can have a similar impact as the one Johnson has made in Arizona after being a third-round pick in the 2015 draft.
Ito Smith, Southern Mississippi
NFL comparison: LeSean McCoy
McCoy has better vision than Smith, as he seemingly envisions where his next few cuts should take him as the defense flows in his direction quicker than the vast majority of runners in NFL history. But Smith has comparable jump-cutting ability to that of the Bills' star and can hit some longer runs. These two won't score 80-yard touchdowns with pure speed, however, they can create a plethora of 30-to-40-yard gainers due to their ridiculous hip-sink and explosion out of their jukes. Like McCoy, Smith is a dynamic option the screen game and can be used as an effective, quasi-receiver in the slot on occasion.
Mark Walton, Miami
NFL comparison: Dion Lewis
Lewis is outstandingly balanced and has elite agility, a dangerous combination that's been the catalyst for his emergence over the past few seasons as one of the most difficult-to-tackle backs in all of football. Both Walton and Lewis are shorter and have smaller frames, which actually helps them hide behind large offensive linemen and when they get to the second level. Walton is super-quick, yet is a touch less twitchy than Lewis but has better long speed.
Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
NFL comparison: Rashard Mendendall
Mendenhall was a physical marvel at Illinois and ran with immense power between the tackles during his time in the Big 10 and as a member of the Steelers. Like Mendenhall was, despite electric linear athleticism and the ability to run through weak tackle attempts, Penny can run stiff and hesitate at times which leads to him only getting what's blocked for him more often than you'd like. For his size, Penny should be labeled as shifty once he finds a runway, but he's not a back who can be relied upon to force missed tackles often. That was a ding on Mendenhall's game too.
Nyheim Hines, NC State
NFL comparison: Leon Washington
Hines has track speed -- he ran 4.38 at the combine -- and can be a consistent return-man at the next level. That's not the only area in which he can succeed in the NFL. Like Washington was, he'd be best as a versatile receiver out of the backfield and rotational back in obvious passing situations. Washington averaged 484 rushing yards, 279 receiving yards and scored 15 total touchdowns in his first three seasons in the NFL. Hines is actually more effective on inside runs.
Akrum Wadley, Iowa
NFL comparison: James White
Wadley doesn't wow you with size, downfield speed, or explosiveness and just when you think he's a average back, he executes a highlight-reel run featuring devastating jukes and displays of elite vision. White is a comparable player because of their smaller frames and the fact that, like Wadley, he gets the absolute most out of his natural abilities with the ball in his hands.
Josh Adams, Notre Dame
NFL comparison: Tevin Coleman
Like Coleman, Adams is a tall back who runs high with no disregard for defenders around him. Despite their lack of a low center of gravity, both Adams and Coleman are superbly powerful runners who, at times, subject themselves to big hits but also run over defenders in space.
John Kelly, Tennessee
NFL comparison: Tre Mason
Mason was a compact, balanced-based runner during his illustrious career at Auburn, and Kelly packs more punch than expected out of his nearly 5-10, 216-pound frame. Like Mason, the former Tennessee standout wins with awesome balance through contact and possesses enough elusiveness to make defenders miss on occasion. Mason finished his rookie season with 913 yards from scrimmage at 4.3 yards per carry. The Rams drafted Todd Gurley in Round 1 the following year.
