(Jonathan Brooks / RB / Texas)
This week, SNS continues the roll out the 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings. The 2024 NFL Draft could have several potential franchise QBs, quite a few stud WRs, a deep group of OTs, and a quality group of DTs. SNS is rolling out the first set of rankings that will be updated on a regular basis through the draft in April. So, let’s take a look at the Top 10 Offensive Prospect Position Rankings – Running Backs & Tight Ends!
Running Backs
Excellent size with a strong, compact build. Runs behinds his pads and runs with power and leg drive. Excellent lean – nearly impossible to stop when he gets going. Very difficult to tackle. Great balance. Effective burst. Displays surprisingly light feet and has good agility. Reliable hands catcher. Surprisingly good long speed - can run through pursuit angles. Needs work on securing the football. Never stops churning his legs - reminiscent of Marshawn Lynch.
2. Will Shipley / Clemson
Prototypical height and size for an NFL RB. Complete package of running and receiving skills. Very good vision, surprising agility, and great burst. Soft hands and runs clean routes. Tough, strong, and physical – drops his pads and delivers a blow. Scary combo of gracefulness and physicality. Plays like a combination of Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry.
3. Braelon Allen / Wisconsin
Very big with huge thighs and a powerful frame. Very good vision, quick feet for his size, and an impressive burst. Drives his legs on contact and is a load to tackle – too strong to attempt to arm tackle. Physical and powerful. Very effective short yardage and goal line RB. Soft hands and can snag the off-target throw. Ineffective in pass protection.
4. Blake Corum / Michigan
Lacks great size but is solidly built with a muscular frame. Displays elite lateral agility and cutting ability – superb balance and ankle flexion. Built low to the ground and is difficult to find. Very good vision and follows blocking well. Great burst to and through the hole. Runs with surprising power and always falls forward. Has a nose for the end zone. Suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2022.
5. Devin Neal / Kansas
Former 5-star recruit. Average body size and mass. Displays good vision, very good burst, and excellent lateral agility and cutting ability. Runs with great pad level and lean which makes him more powerful than his size would seem to indicate. Excellent run instincts. Good deep speed but can be caught from behind.
6. Jonathan Brooks / Texas
Tall and big with an upright running style. Excellent contact balance. Powerful forward lean and is a productive short yardage runner. Good lateral agility, featuring a nice jump cut. Very good vision and sees the cutback lane well. Excellent burst. Good hands and concentration - reliable outlet receiver. Good long speed.
7. MarShawn Lloyd / USC
Transfer from South Carolina. Very good build for an NFL RB. Great burst. Drives legs on contact and falls forward. Has a gliding running style – runs with shoulder square to the line, runs behinds his pads, and drives his legs. Good vision. Surprisingly agile and is capable of making a man miss or running him over. Great contact balance and drives through arm tackles.
Average-sized RB. Excels as a pass receiver out of the backfield. Plenty of playing experience but not extensively used toting the ball – first year as a traditional RB. Good burst and vision. Shifty and agile – nice jump cut. Runs with good forward lean. Very effective pass blocker.
9. Phil Mafah / Clemson
Big and powerful RB with size and strength. Drops his shoulder and delivers blows. Very good burst. Lacks great speed but is a load to tackle. Not overly elusive and is more of a one cut runner. Displays an effective spin move. Effective receiver out of the backfield. Had a costly lost fumble inside the opponent’s 1 in loss against Duke.
10. Ray Davis / Kentucky
Transfer from Vanderbilt (via Temple). Average size on a short, stocky frame. Extremely physical runner with great power. Runs with fantastic pad level and drives his legs on contact. Great contact balance. Questionable vision – sometimes drops eyes anticipating contact. Great burst through the hole. Very good long speed. Light feet and loose hips are displayed in space. Rushed for 280 yards vs Florida.
Other Prospects Worth Monitoring – Donovan Edwards / Michigan, Nathan Carter / Michigan State, Raheim “Rocket” Sanders / Arkansas, TreVeyon Henderson / Ohio State, Miyan Williams / Ohio State, Ashton Jeanty / Boise State, Carson Steele / UCLA, Trey Benson / Florida State, Trey Sanders / TCU, and Cameron Skattebo / Arizona State
Tight Ends
1. Brock Bowers / Georgia
Desired size, height, and length for an in-line TE. Extremely athletic and fast – runs and moves like a WR. Soft, natural hands. A load to tackle in space – creates YAC through speed, power, and tenacity. Lowers his pads and delivers blows to defenders. Legit deep speed normally not seen in TEs. Physical blocker who lacks some desired size in-line but gives good effort. One of the best prospects at the position seen in three decades of scouting.
2. Brevyn Spann-Ford / Minnesota
Large man with a huge wingspan. Surprisingly fast and agile, for his size. Possesses big, soft hands. Solid route runner. Gains YAC through power, speed, and tenacity. Good positional, wall off blocker who could use more physicality at the POA.
3. Jaheim Bell / Florida State
Transfer from South Carolina. Excellent size and length. Huge catch radius. Fast and powerful – gains YAC in chunks. Looks like a RB with the ball in his hands – drops pads and delivers punishment. Improving blocker.
4. Isaac Rex / BYU
Prototypical NFL size. Large wingspan. Athletic and is dangerous in the open field. Reliable target in the middle of the field. Fast and covers ground with huge strides. Great concentration skills – very good hands. Not used much as an in-line blocker – lacks desired mass for blocking.
Ideal build for the modern era TE – tall, thick body, powerful legs, and long arms. Nice hands. Runs with power and is a load to take down in the open field. Gains YAC through power and tenacity. Good blocker when he sinks his hips and plays with leverage. Minimum long speed and won’t run away from safeties.
Prototypical size for a TD with height, weight, and catch radius desired from an NFL TE. Has made noticeable improvement as a blocker and is capable of burying the opponent. Good leaping ability. Very good body control. Improving as an in-line blocking TE – lacks great power but works to neutralize his assignment. A load to tackle in the open field, he has both speed and impressive power.
7. Ben Sinnott (TE / FB) / Kansas State
Possesses desired height with a solid frame. Athletic and moves easily – effective against both man and zone coverage. Fluid and can create separation through quickness and route precision. Soft hands. Quality H-back / FB lead blocker on running plays. Lacks some size and strength for in-line blocking duties.
8. Jared Wiley / TCU
Tall, well-built TE with a large catch radius. Lines up both in-line and out wide. Decent leaping ability. Strong hands. Great body control and can extend, pluck, and make the acrobatic catch. Gains YAC through power and grit. Gives effort in blocking but needs to improve strength and tenacity to become more than a wall off blocker.
9. Holden Staes / Notre Dame
Great combination of height, length, and build. Good hands. Nice burst and acceleration. Very good long speed. Developing as a blocker but adding some weight and strength would benefit his in-line blocking skills.
10. Corey Dyches / Maryland
Good length with an athletic build. Lacks the size desired for an in-line TE. Athletic, H-back type TE who creates mismatches against LBs and most safeties. Very good speed and agility and is dangerous with the ball in space. Reliable hands.
Other Prospects Worth Monitoring – Brant Kuithe / Utah, Thomas Yassmin / Utah, AJ Barner / Michigan, Ja’Tavion Sanders / Texas, Charmon Metayer / Cincinnati, Kamari Morales / North Carolina, Trent Pennix / North Carolina State, Mason Fairchild / Kansas, Erick All / Iowa, Jalin Conyers / Arizona State, Trey Knox / South Carolina, CJ Dippre / Alabama, Mark Redman / San Diego State, and Rivaldo Fairweather / Auburn
Continuing next week, SNS releases the next installment of the 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings – Offensive Line (OT / IOL)!
SNS – YOUR Source for Everything NFL Draft!
(Brock Bowers / TE / Georgia)
Comments