I've started to do some preliminary research and film study for the draft. I decided to look at RBs first.
One player that has caught my eye right off the bat is Michael Carter of UNC. It looks like he's going to be about a 3rd round player? Presumably this is due to his size. However, we'll see what the combine shakes out. If his 40, 10 YS, Broad Jump, and 3 Cone are big, he'll likely ascend to round 2 and potentially be out of play for us.
Traits on tape and metrics that pop for me:
* This is a very bad Run Blocking OL.
* 6th in NCAA in Yards After Contact.
* 5th in NCAA in Forced Missed Tackles.
* 1st in NCAA in Carries of 15+ Yards.
* Extremely good Yards Per Route Run and only 1 Drop. There are snaps on tape where he just explodes out of cuts and embarrasses LBers.
* I see really good balance through contact. Often keeps feet with trash contact and doesn't go down to arm or shoestring tackles.
* I see fantastic vision both at the first level and in space.
* Tremendous ability to set up blocks and make people miss.
* Good pad level and leg drive at the end of plays.
* Explosive omnidirectional burst and stop/start.
* Pass Pro will be a question, but Thurman Thomas was one of the greatest Pass Protectors of all time and they were the same size. Its overwhelmingly about technique, awareness, base, and thump.
+++++++++++++++++++
Unlike all priors years under Licht's regime, we're going to be drafting late. My preliminary view of this kid tells me that a hefty tradeup from our 3rd (using our 5th would move us up 7ish spots and that might get it done) might very well be a good investment in this kid.
Let me put it another way. If Vaughn's metric and tape were this kid, I would have been much less incredulous over the pick.
Other RBs I'm going to look at include:
Najee Harris - 1st rd (yeah, I know where my position on this is typically)
Khalil Herbert - 4th rd
