NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Kyle Dvorchak breaks down his top eight rookie running backs ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Jonathan Brooks, Texas
The former Longhorn played behind both Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson for two years—a reasonable excuse for his late breakout—before taking over the starting role in 2023. He excelled in his lone season as the starter, rushing 187 times for 1,139 yards and 10 scores. Johnson also added 25 grabs for 286 yards and a score through the air while averaging 1.5 yards per route run. He excelled in Pro Football Focus’s advanced metrics, ranking fifth in running grade and 15th in yards after contact per attempt among Power Five backs.
The aforementioned red flag is what stopped Brooks from playing in the final four games of the year: a torn ACL. Brooks suffered the injury in the second week of November. He told reporters at the combine that he plans to be ready for training camp. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo has since reported the same thing and said Brooks could be ready for Week 1.
The injury also prevented him from testing, which means we don’t know exactly how athletic he is. However, he does show top-end speed and burst on tape.
Brooks has a combination of long speed, pass-catching chops, and size—he measured 6-0, 216 pounds at the combine—that is rare for an NFL back and screams three-down player. There are some nitpicks in his game. He doesn’t always display elite vision when navigating traffic or when taking angles on long runs. But the weaknesses in his game are minor compared to his strengths. With the injury concerns lessening by the day, I have Brooks in a tier of his own among the running backs.
2. Trey Benson, Florida State
Andddd we’re already at the committee backs. Benson suffered a catastrophic knee injury as a freshman at Oregon and transferred to FSU after not seeing the field much as a sophomore. He immediately proved to be a high-impact runner for the Noles, racking up 1,896 yards and 23 touchdowns on 310 carries over the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-rookie-dynasty-rankings-2024-184624916.html
Author : NBC Sports
Publish date : 2024-04-12 18:46:24
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
