Draft season is officially upon us as the top seniors in the nation look to impress NFL teams in Mobile, Alabama. The Senior Bowl gives us an early look at the players to watch out for during the draft process.
The 2023 rendition of the Senior Bowl boasts a plethora of talented tailbacks that all have their unique skill sets. The value of the RB position has diminished in recent years, and it showed last April when no backs were selected in the first round.
General managers are no longer willing to spend their top pick on a running back, meaning they have to find diamonds in the rough in the later rounds.
This week will give coaches and execs around the league a chance to see these under the radar tailbacks in person. If a team doesn’t want to spend premium draft capital on a Bijan Robinson or a Jahmyr Gibbs, the following players serve as viable alternatives.
Chase Brown, Illinois
Brown had a breakout 2022 campaign with the Fighting Illini, rushing for over 1600 yards and 10 scores, earning himself an invite to the Senior Bowl in the process.
His speed and explosiveness on the perimeter makes him one of the more dangerous backs in this class. Brown has real home run hitting ability as a runner and can take control of a game on any given carry. Combining elite speed with strong field vision makes Brown a problem for defenders in an open field.
While watching Brown’s game tape at Illinois, I couldn’t help but notice his ability to quickly adapt and change gaps when his first hole wasn’t there. Brown also showed that he can be a bellcow back that carries much of the workload in a rotation.
While Brown is explosive on the perimeter, he isn’t as effective between the tackles. As one of the smallest RBs in this cycle, Brown isn’t ideal for goalline and short yardage situations as he struggles to bulldoze his way for extra yards.
Brown also leaves a lot to be desired in pass protection and needs to go to the right system in order to thrive.
Ideally, Chase Brown winds up in a zone run scheme that gets him out on the perimeter to maximize his strengths as a runner. When speaking to Brown, he told me that he models his game after Christian McCaffrey and likes zone schemes similar to the one he was in at Illinois.
Brown’s success at the next level is largely dependent on where he winds up. If Brown goes to an offense that properly utilizes him, he could be one of the most explosive RBs in football.
Kenny McIntosh, Georgia
Georgia has a long lineage of successful NFL running backs, and McIntosh looks to add his name to that list. Unlike other UGA tailbacks in recent years, McIntosh decided to enter the Senior Bowl as one of the most noteworthy names of the week.
After waiting behind the likes of D’Andre Swift, Zamir White and James Cook, McIntosh finally got his chance to be the lead man in Georgia’s backfield last season.
When talking about McIntosh’s game, you have to start with his ability as a pass catcher. Arguably the best receiving back in this entire class, McIntosh is every bit as dangerous in the passing game as he is out of the backfield.
Kenny McIntosh isn’t just your typical RB that is used mostly for screens and flats, he is a very skilled route runner and can be a mismatch with linebackers downfield.
As a runner, McIntosh has a good combination of size and speed, possessing the ability to run through contact to pick up extra yards after being hit.
While McIntosh is certainly capable as a runner, he doesn’t have that extra gear that someone like Chase Brown has to break away in an open field. McIntosh also had the benefit of playing behind the best offensive line in the country for most of his college career.
It’s also worth noting that McIntosh doesn’t have as much in-game experience as other RBs in Mobile this weekend. His field vision is still a work in progress as he can let opportunities outside the tackles slip away.
McIntosh is an incredible pass catcher that should get better as a pure runner with more in game reps. Unlike some other tailbacks in this draft, McIntosh should work in basically any system making him one of the safest choices at the position.
Roschon Johnson, Texas
Bijan Robinson is the consensus top RB in this year’s draft, however people should not sleep on his teammate, Roschon Johnson.
Johnson, the more experienced of the two star tailbacks, possess elite field vision and should make an immediate impact in any rotation he is added to.
A powerful runner, Johnson does most of his damage inside the tackles and shows a consistent ability to bounce off defenders. Johnson also provides value as a pass blocker and should be more than able to hold his own against NFL LBs.
Despite Johnson being a powerful runner and capable blocker, he isn’t as agile as Robinson which makes him less of a threat on the perimeter.
This also leads to Johnson not being able to elude trouble when blocking isn’t up to par. Johnson would be the number one option in most backfields in the country, and the Senior Bowl would be a prime opportunity to see how he performs as a main option.
Unfortunately, Johnson suffered a broken hand on the first day of Senior Bowl practice and will not play in the game on Saturday. This injury shouldn’t have any long term concerns as Johnson should be able to work out with teams before the draft.
Overall, Johnson is overlooked due to splitting carries with the Doak Walker winner, however he is one of the most pro-ready tailbacks in this class.
Johnson probably isn’t versatile enough to be a consistent top option but he should be a solid power back that provides real value in short yardage situations.
Ideally, Johnson goes to a gap scheme offense that creates holes for him in between the tackles where he is at his most effective.
Eric Gray, Oklahoma
I’m not sure that there is a more entertaining RB to watch in this class than Eric Gray. After being relatively quiet in his first season with the Sooners, Gray burst onto the scene in 2022, rushing for over 1300 yards and 11 TDs.
Gray’s agility makes him an absolute nightmare to bring down in space and it showed during practice this week. Not only is Gray incredibly elusive, he also has great instincts and can move off his initial gap quickly for a better option.
Gray is also an above average receiver and can do plenty of damage after the catch.
With that being said, there are reasons why he isn’t viewed as highly as other backs in this class. Gray’s smaller size limits what he can do as a power runner especially after contact.
This also makes Gray less than stellar in pass protection which can be a problem on third down. While Gray’s speed is certainly good it isn’t on the level of more explosive backs in this class.
Gray is a prime example of a guy that is probably better than his draft position as he will likely slip due to his size. His breakout 2022 season shows he’s still improving as a player and his ceiling at the next level is that of a Pro Bowl caliber tailback.
His combination of open field vision and elusiveness makes Gray a force to be reckoned with both out of the backfield and as a pass catcher.
I wouldn’t be the least bit shocked if Gray is this year’s day 3 steal at the RB position.
Tyjae Spears, Tulane
Tyjae Spears’ dominant 2022 season helped Tulane improve from 2-10 to 12-2 in the greatest one year turnaround in FBS History. Spears went for an encore in the Cotton Bowl rushing for over 200 yards and finding the endzone four times in a thrilling upset over USC.
Entering Senior Bowl week, everyone was wondering which running back would stand out in a loaded group. After watching practices during the week, it’s safe to say that Tyjae Spears has made the best impression on NFL scouts.
Spears showed off his explosiveness on several different occasions this week and is a serious contender for Senior Bowl MVP.
Anytime you have a prospect who played in a smaller conference, the level of competition is raised as a criticism against them. Spears silenced those doubts by putting on a show against an abundance of power five defensive talent on the American team.
Spears has incredible acceleration and gets to a gear many other backs aren’t capable of. The Tulane product also has great vision and is a very instinctual runner that linebackers and DBs have trouble bringing down in space.
Although Spears has impressed in practice throughout the week, there are still some concerns that remain with his game.
The biggest concern raised is his power and balance in the trenches. Spears isn’t the best power back in this class and can lose his footing easily after contact.
If Spears can improve his balance after contact he can be one of the most complete backs in this draft. Spears probably won’t start off as an every down back, but if he improves on the holes in his game he is capable of being the lead option in a backfield.
Chris Rodriguez Jr, Kentucky
Perhaps the RB with the most productive college career in this class, Chris Rodriguez Jr was the definition of reliable during his time in Lexington. Rodriguez reached at least 500 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs in four consecutive seasons with the Wildcats.
An old school power back, Rodriguez is great in between the tackles and sheds tackles on a consistent basis. If you want a back that can finish off drives in the red zone, Rodriguez is your guy, having 32 scores on the ground in his UK career.
While Rodriguez has a high floor and is very reliable, his ceiling isn’t that high which likely makes him a day 3 pick.
Rodriguez isn’t as elusive as you would hope which makes him less of a threat in an open field. While Rodriguez can power through the box, once he gets to the next level of the defense he doesn’t have that extra gear to punish defenses on long runs.
Rodriguez is also a non-factor in the passing game which limits his value on third down.
While Rodriguez isn’t expected to be a lead tailback for an NFL franchise, he is a great option to have in short yardage situations and four minute drills when an offense is trying to kill the clock.
Ideally, Rodriguez is used as a complementary back that wears down defenses while giving the lead tailback some rest.