The 2019 NFL Draft RB Prospects Need a Hero

I say it every year, that my two favorite articles to write are my Official WR Rankings (which was particularly joyful for this amazing draft class) and here, my Official RB Rankings, which are… a bit of a downer. Honestly, I’ve never been so low on a RB draft class. I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt and view them through a fantasy football lens, which gets me even more excited to dig into the RB prospects… but I really struggled to find any difference makers.

My opinions on this class are also much closer to the consensus RB rankings than my WR rankings were, which is another thing that’s a bit disappointing to me. If my rankings were wildly different, at least that would be a fun exercise, exploring why. But I’m not that far off from the rest of the draft scouting community.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom! There are a few guys I really like. I do differ from consensus on a few key players (Josh Jacobs as my RB2 might end up being the focal point of all criticisms of my rankings) so there are good discussions to be had.

And now I know for 100% certain that there will not be any RB in the first round of any of my mock drafts for the rest of draft season. I firmly believe I will end up with at least a 1-point advantage over everyone who mocks Josh Jacobs as a first rounder, and when it comes to mock draft pools, every point counts.

You say you’re not in a mock draft pool yet??? Well get in there!

Just watching the draft on draft day is fun. But joining a mock draft pool and having a rooting interest in every single pick makes it 500% more fun.

One last reminder- I am assessing on-field play only. These RB rankings have nothing to with where I think these players will be drafted or where they should go in mock drafts. And for the NFL Comps (which I think will illustrate exactly how unimpressed I am with this year’s RB draft class) I am definitely not saying this player will have a career similar to the NFL player, but that his playing style and physical traits are similar to said player.

Also, I’m a fan. Not a scout. So take my words for what they are…

…the absolute 100% truth.

The Top-20 RBs in the 2019 NFL Draft

1) Rodney Anderson, RB Oklahoma

Anderson was probably the 7th or 8th RB I looked at among this group, and he was literally the only one who made me sit up, take notice, and say, “Okay! There’s a future NFL bellcow back!” Anderson has pretty good speed. Real good strength, shrugging off tacklers who don’t wrap up. He has a nice long gait in the open field- a strong galloping type. Real good burst through the line, using one sharp cut to elude defenders, with his momentum always moving forward. Real good vision! Not the greatest home run hitter, but always a threat to pick up chunk yardage and wear a defense down. Obviously he has serious injury concerns, but if he is over those, he is far and away the best RB in this year’s class.

NFL Comp: Chris Carson

2) Josh Jacobs, RB Alabama

Not especially fast, but very solid and strong with the ball in his hands. Great through contact. Hands catcher with good vision in the open field. Not very explosive. Has great patience to follow blockers (probably a results of running behind that dominant Bama O-line). Decisive one-cut runner. Stays nice and low. Great balance through would-be tacklers. Uses choppy steps to set up defenders. His best traits are his low center of gravity and his balance through contact, which help to make him a league-average RB, but not a special talent. He and Sanders are neck and neck for me, but I like Jacobs’ safe floor better.

NFL Comp: Rashard Mendenhall

3) Miles Sanders, RB Penn State

Very elusive, with a low center of gravity. He often slows down as he approaches the line of scrimmage, and sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s patience or hesitance. Very good balance through contact in the open field, and good overall balance. Takes his time moving through an open hole- not shot through a cannon like you sometimes want. Good agility, making people miss with a combo of moves and run power. Acceptable long speed. Runs backwards a bit too much. he’s a good, shifty back with a really good jump cut, but isn’t an exceptional talent. Like I said, Jacobs and Sanders are equal but different backs for me. I like Sanders ceiling better, but am not confident he’ll reach it. I like Jacobs’ floor as a capable if uninspiring 3-down back better, so I have him ranked higher.

NFL Comp: Kenneth Dixon

4) Justice Hill, RB Oklahoma State

Good speed combined with great open-field vision. Gets low through contact. Effectively identifies the hole then bursts through the line. Slashes through traffic really well. The amount of ground he can cover with a horizontal jump cut is amazing. He does play up to his diminutive size. Highly intelligent runner, waiting for the hole to open before cutting through (if the hole is slow-developing) or just blasts through it before it can close (if the hole opens up right away). Works really well in a phone booth. I really like this back! The only thing holding him back is his size and strength.

NFL Comp: Ameer Abdullah

5) Jordan Scarlett, RB Florida

Probably the biggest pleasant surprise of this RB class was Scarlett, who was one of the last backs I watched. He’s got a decent burst, and fights like a dog for extra yardage. Good balance. Doesn’t create home runs on his own, but picks up extra yards beyond what was blocked on a consistent basis. Goes from east-west to north-south with adequate suddenness. Really good earning yards at the second level of a defense. It semeed like he was always working his way through defenders at the line of scrimmage (side question: was Florida’s offensive line really bad? I didn’t notice any other RBs dealing with this much pressure early in their carries…) I could see a team really falling for him.

NFL Comp: Rashaad Penny

6) Devin Singletary, RB Florida Atlantic

Even though he’s short, he has a nice thick build for the position. Gets low as he shoots through the hole. His start-stop is exceptional- very good agility. His long speed isn’t great, especially considering his size. Picks his way through traffic well. Intelligent runner, setting up defenders for the eventual jump cut. Nifty through the hole, making people miss. Good complimentary back at the next level.

NFL Comp: Jacquizz Rodgers

7) Mike Weber, RB Ohio State

Good balance, good bounce off contact. Acceptable speed. He seems to bounce things outside unnecessarily often, especially considering he’s not really a home run hitter. I like the way he battles through contact, though he’s not really a pile-mover or someone who lowers the boom. He is a fine, solid, depth RB. And this should show exactly how low I am on this RB class that a “solid, depth RB” is my RB7. Yikes.

NFL Comp: Cameron Artis-Payne

8) Damien Harris, RB Alabama

Straight-line bully. Very strong runner, who can catch the ball fairly well. He doesn’t show much lateral movement, but can be a real handful when he’s built up a head full of steam. He’s fast enough, but doesn’t have the vision or moves to make him a good open-field runner. No initial burst through the line, which can close up around him. He gets what is blocked for him, but is a below-average creator.

NFL Comp: Peyton Barber

9) Darrell Henderson, RB Memphis

Henderson has a very strange running style. He’s very upright, despite his height, and is a bit wild. Not a compact runner. He doesn’t run with power- instead hopping around, looking for an opening he can exploit. Has good long speed, and a decent array of jukes. He doesn’t seem naturally elusive, but just hopes that one cut can open things up for him. Finds a crease quickly and bursts into the open field. Tracks the ball well in the passing game. Complimentary piece.

NFL Comp: Andre Ellington

10) James Williams, RB Washington State

Seems pretty small for the RB position, but my goodness is he a natural hands catcher. He effortlessly plucks the ball out of the air, all while smoothly keeping his momentum moving forward. Shows only adequate elusiveness once the ball is in his hands. Wow. He really is the most natural pass catching back I’ve seen. It’s just too bad that he doesn’t have the running skills to compliment his receiving skills. I don’t see vision or power, and his balance is just fine. He’s nothing special with the ball in his hands, but is an excellent receiver.

NFL Comp: Adam Humphries

11) Darwin Thompson RB Utah State

Another smaller RB who has decent thiccness. Darwin has pretty good speed, but seems to high step a bit too often. Could be even faster if he pushed back off the ground more, rather than pumping his legs up. Not the strongest finisher. Good long speed, but not the most naturally elusive runner. Very good balance, thanks to his low center of gravity. He requires a lot of space to be effective, but when he gets that space, he can do a lot with it.

NFL Comp: Branden Oliver

12) Bruce Anderson, RB NDSU

Bruce is hard to bring down, and has decent speed. His biggest weakness is his seemingly horrible agility. It looks like he really rounds out his paths across the field, rather than making quick, decisive cuts. His speed helped this work at the college level, but it will not be that way in the pro game. He took advantage of wiiiiiiide open holes. I think his speed can translate well, but have real concerns about his vision and agility.

NFL Comp: Keith Marshall

13) Karan Higdon, RB Michigan

Plays with good-not-great speed. Works his way through contact, but doesn’t have special balance or strength. Doesn’t seem to be an instinctual runner. He’s good at taking angles that can keep defenders on their heels. Decent vision at the line of scrimmage, taking what the O-line gives him. Pretty good finisher. Overall, just another guy.

NFL Comp: Austin Ekeler

14) David Montgomery, RB Iowa State

Montgomery is the RB who I was most disappointed by, considering my expectations for him. He has the size you’re looking for, but that’s about it. Not much wiggle to his game. Smooth runner with decent balance, but underwhelming speed. Doesn’t make anyone miss. Not fast, not strong, not elusive… slightly below-average in every aspect. He’s not that effective in space, and definitely not a bell cow, despite his build. Weaves around players, rather than cutting to make them miss or bowling them over. Depth player.

NFL Comp: Corey Clement

15) Elijah Holyfield, RB Georgia

Decently strong runner. Obviously not a speedster, but acceptable lateral suddenness. Seems to expend a LOT of energy just to get to his top speed, which isn’t fast. Not a natural athlete- just powerful. He is all high-effort and aggression, without running skills. Has a nice wide base and low center of gravity. Exclusively a short-yardage specialist at the next level, and just an average one at that.

NFL Comp: Mike Davis

16) Trayveon Williams, RB Texas A&M

Another RB with that same short-but-kind-thick build, Williams is another RB whose tape really left me disappointed. He runs very upright, with his limbs flailing wildly when he tries to escape. He looks like he is all-legs, despite being only 5’9″, which is not a good thing. Has a large, loose area for defenders to grab onto and bring down. Not very fast in the open field, regularly getting chased down by defensive backs. Goes down easily- not creating much on his own. I like his slashing style, but he doesn’t have the strength or burst to pull it off.

NFL Comp: Justin Jackson

17) Travis Homer, RB Miami

Just average speed and burst. Does manage to reach and turn the corner with some regularity. Homer is slightly shifty. Decent finisher, not great. Not much elusiveness. Doesn’t make people outright miss, but will gain an extra yard or two after contact. Seems fairly comfortable, though not exactly natural, in the screen game. Anther average, depth RB.

NFL Comp: Chase Edmonds

18) Devine Ozigbo, RB Nebraska

Average speed. Not athletic or elusive. Due to his athletic limitations, he works best in a straight line, but he doesn’t have the speed required to excel with that running style at the next level. Fairly slippery runner with a solid base. Very little acceleration or explosion. End of the roster-type RB.

NFL Comp: Derrick Coleman

19) Benny Snell, RB Kentucky

It takes him soooo long to build up any semblance of speed, and even then, his speed is seriously lacking. He has to be the slowest runner in the class- even slower than Holyfield (in-game, not 40 time…) Strong runner, but not powerful enough to be a specialist in the NFL. There’s no pop to his hits- he’s just like a lumbering big dude who stays up when trying to be tackled. He will not make it in the pros.

NFL Comp: Shonn Greene

20) Ryquell Armstead, RB Temple

Poor vision and below average speed. Armstead seems to come to a complete stop when trying to change direction. Often turns his back to the defense, opening himself up for big hits. Has to take like 10 steps and come to a complete stop to make what should be a plant-and-go cut. This will not fly at the next level. Doesn’t seem to have a good awareness of his own body in space. He should not be drafted.

NFL Comp: ???