All Twenty-Tuesday: RB Jeremy McNichols

One of the running backs who could potentially help take the load off Martin if he ends up no longer being a part of Tampa Bay’s long-term plans is rookie Jeremy McNichols.

Since the team drafted McNichols in the fifth round this year, the comps have been thrown out there that he’s “another Doug Martin” or “a better Charles Sims.”

So which is it? Or is it any of those? Are we comparing McNichols to Martin just because they both went to Boise State? Are we comparing McNichols to Sims just because they both are above average at catching out of the backfield? Just because there are similarities doesn’t mean you should totally compare one player to another.

Let’s take a look at who McNichols really is with a clear mind.

Hold Me Closer Tiny Dancer

No matter what game you watch of McNichols, the first thing that should pop out at you is his patience. McNichols is a gather-and-burst kind of runner. He does this more if he’s playing from the shotgun than from an I-formation, which is expected, but when he gets the ball, you see him move towards the line of scrimmage relying on his mind more than his speed (which isn’t a bad thing at all). As he move towards where he wasn’t to go, McNichols makes it a priority to find the right running lane before making his move.

Quick feet is a big part of that, and the reason this section is called “Hold Me Closer Tiny Dancer” – shoutout to Elton John. McNichols ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine last February, but when you watch his tape, that sub-4.5 speed isn’t how he makes his money. Instead, it’s with quick feet. By being in such great control of his steps, McNichols assures that the second he sees his running lane open up, he can plant his foot and make the move towards it. It’s a trait that allows him to stay controlled during chaos, a trait Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell has turned into a stellar career so far.

But a patience play style requires some good decision making or it can result in plays like the one above.

That play is a “bad” Charles Sims play. If you want to call McNichols “Sims-like,” I can get on board with that in some ways, but it involves good and bad. McNichols has a tendency to dance in the backfield. In college, he could get away with it because college defense aren’t nearly as big or as fast. But, in the NFL, I’m just being honest, McNichols isn’t going to get 20-25 carries like he did in college, and so the percentage of runs like the one above might paint him in a bad light if he doesn’t have more of a forward mentality. Yards are much more scarce in the NFL.

Because it’s in McNichols nature to stutter-step and shuffle his feet, he’s also prone to being tackled behind the line of scrimmage in plays like the one above – in the NFL that is, college defense weren’t good enough to do that much to him.

Now, you could respond to that by saying the play was blown up, and it was, but take Jacquizz Rodgers for example. Do you know why the Buccaneers like Rodgers so much? It’s because the second the ball gets into his grip, he’s exploding forward. He rarely ever takes losses as a ball carrier, and has good momentum because of his style. Now, that limits him to just power scheme runs since he doesn’t give a lot of time for extended blocks to develop. But, what he does, he does well, and it’s useful for that reason when moving the chains.

McNichols is different. With McNichols, you can run power, zone or gap blocking scheme. Versatility is good, just know that with a patient, feet-frenzy runner, you open yourself up to tackles for loss. That will also come with a rookie learning curve, so be ready for it. He has the potential to flash, but there will be some growing pains due to his nature as a ball carrier.

But, on the positive side, you always get the chance to see runs like the one above.

In it, McNichols could have kept running forward, like Rodgers would, and gotten maybe three or four yards. But, instead, he had the quick mental processing and the quick feet to be able to stop, kick it to the outside and open up the potential of the play.

McNichols has dancer’s feet, which means he won’t be what Rodgers is as a power back, but he has the chance to be more than what Sims has been so far. Not a complete back, in a sense, but a specialized one that’s quite needed.

You Shall Not Pass

What separates McNichols from the type of back the Buccaneers have in Sims is how advanced McNichols is as a blocker. I could have shown you two or three really great blocks like the one above from watching his game tape. McNichols takes pride in blocking, and having the mentality to be a good blocker is half the battle.

McNichols will get bodied from time to time by players who are 40-60 pounds bigger than him, but that’s to be expected. The good thing is that he’s always down to throw his body in the way, and not just aimlessly, either. McNichols tends to take a wide base when engaging blockers, and if he can’t redirect them completely, he will at least slow them down as best he can.

I don’t love the term “complete back” when talking about today’s NFL since it’s so beneficial to have more than one running back who can provide certain skills for your rushing attack. But, McNichols’ blocking and receiving are two traits that he does, not just at an above average level, but a very good level for a rookie, and add to what makes him value as a No. 2 or No. 3 running back. I was very impressed in both of those areas.

Y.A.C.-ety Sax

So let’s get to the bread & butter, the meat & cheese, the … okay, now I’m just hungry. Let’s get into what it looks like when McNichols puts all of his skills as a runner together.

My favorite trait of McNichols, even more so than his receiving, his blocking and his patience is his balance. McNichols is a yards-after-contact stud. If a defender doesn’t physically wrap his arms around McNichols’ legs, he will figure out a way to wiggle around contact and keep going.

The clip above is a great example of two kinds of yards after contact. The first is very Martin-like. McNichols got his momentum going early (something I wish he’d do a little more of) and was able to stiff arm the initial contact, gather his balance and keep going forward. Then, after being hit with a tackle that would surely bring him down, McNichols kept the legs churning and got an extra two or three yards out of the play. Runs like that get you playing time in the NFL, regardless of experience.

As stated before, McNichols may have that 4.49 speed, but he doesn’t show it off much. He’s much more of a patient style player than his is a fast one. But, on runs like the one above, McNichols shows that, in a straight line, he can conjure up that speed down the side line at times.

Even if straight line speed isn’t in his nature, it’s good to see him use it every once in a while. In fact, McNichols actually uses that speed more as a receiver when running routes than he does as a ball carrier. If he can find a way to get more of that speed into what he does out of the backfield, he could be a very solid running back.

Finally, the play above is one of my favorites from him.

In that play, McNichols showed off the whole package. He started off his run with a good burst to get momentum out of the I-formation. However, as the defender broke through the middle of the line, he still had the quick feet to remain in control and side step the danger. Then he was able to gather and accelerate quickly enough to bounce off one tackle and make his way into the end zone.

McNichols’ film shows a lot to like. I believe he is, in fact, more Martin than he is Sims as a complete back. However, McNichols isn’t as explosive or as violent of a runner as Martin was, and that something you need in the NFL. There are many Bucs fans who are already calling McNichols the heir to the RB1 throne in Tampa due to Martin’s shaky history and Sims’ lack of production as of late. But, even though there are things to like, I do have my doubt about whether or not McNichols has the violence and explosiveness to make the most of his patience when the defenders get bigger, faster and stronger than the tape we see him excel in now.

Don’t crown him king or even the prince yet. There’s still plenty that needs to be proven. But, talent-wise, especially as a depth player, McNichols should be welcomed with open arms.