Please follow @AcrossTheQuad on Twitter for a lot of the fun day-to-day things outside of just the blog posts.

1) D’Andre Swift, Georgia RB 5’8″ 212 lbs

4.48 40 yd dash, 35.5″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1219 Rushing Yards, 6.2 ypc, 7 TDs & 21-216-1 Receiving Career – 2885 Rushing Yards 20 TDs, 73-666-5 Receiving

Tape Watched: (AUB, UF, ND, SCAR, VANDY)

Summary: After flashing as a freshman in limited time behind Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, Swift has continued to tote the rock mostly in a committee for the UGA Bulldogs. Because of that, he’s still never had near the carries of some of the guys on this list. That can be twisted to be good — less tread on the tires or bad — there are questions if he can handle a full work load. Durability has been a concern, but he has avoided serious injuries– he just seems to incur nagging ones. He is very natural as a receiver, has good hands and can pretty much run a full route tree. He reminds me of Alvin Kamara in some ways – but may not possess quite as much power. Despite this, he has more than enough elusiveness and is tough – Philly tough. He is super smooth with good vision and some shifty jump guts. His power is just okay and he prefers to get to the outside if he can. There isn’t a real glaring weakness to his game and he can stay on the field at all times, but I am also not sure he has any top end elite traits. Swift can make people miss early in the run when the blocking breaks down. He has shown his athleticism — check out this hurdle in the open field. Versatility is his game and he might be the best passing down back in the draft. He is good to great at a lot of things.

3 Words to Describe: Fluid, Natural, Versatile

Best Utilized: Versatile 3-Down Back That Never Needs to Leave Field

2) Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin RB 5’10” 226 lbs

4.39 40 yd dash, 36″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 2003 Rushing Yards, 6.3 ypc, 21 TDs & 26-252-5 Receiving Career – 6174 Rushing Yards 50 TDs, 42-407-5 Receiving

Tape Watched: (IOWA, MSU, MICH, OSU, USF)

Summary: Jonathan Taylor gets my vote for the best pure runner in the draft. He is a physical specimen that has produced through both traits and feel for the game. He has ran for more than an average of 2K yards a year in the Big 10, displays track speed, and runs behind his pads. He understands the intricacies of using his blockers, finding gaps, and getting skinny through the hole. Taylor reminds me some of Nick Chubb. People take Taylor’s speed for granted but I think that sub 4.4 40 time is a nice little notch on his belt. In the passing game, he doesn’t run a full route tree and ran mostly on screens and flat patterns. While in the older version of the NFL, he could’ve been used in that realm, there are enough receiving backs that he could be limited to a 2 down role. He is good enough to not be a complete waste on third down, but he doesn’t need to be used there. He isn’t Matt Asiata but he isn’t Danny Woodhead. His ball security is eye-brow raising, so he may need to do the ole walk around holding a football in his new city. 18 fumbles in Madison is far too high. He also has racked up the usage over his college career, but guys like Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey are showing maybe that isn’t as big of a deal as some suggest. Jonathan Taylor in a system like the Ravens or the Titans could be fun to watch.

3 Words to Describe: Specimen, Pure, Feel

Best Utilized: Bell-Cow Type Running Back w/ Limited 3rd Down Role

3) Clyde Edwards-Helaire LSU RB, 5’7″ 207 lbs

4.60 40 yd dash, 39.5″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1414 Rushing Yards, 6.6 ypc, 16 TDs & 55-453-1 Receiving Career – 2103 Rushing Yards 23 RDs, 69-595-1

Tape Watched: (UGA, AUB)

Summary: Despite listing only 2 games of tape watched, I watched just about every SEC game that LSU played in and I have seen enough to know that this is my kind of guy. Size be damned this guy has some fight in him. He always makes the first defender miss, and carries the second or third defender for an extra yard or two. He does everything well. He will never be Brandon Jacobs but packs a lot of power into his frame. They lined him up wide at times, has a lot of passing game chops — both as a receiver and a pass blocker. He ran a lot of flat routes and got a ton of work with the angle route that starts out looking like a flat. He might not have long speed and probably won’t take 60 or 70 yard house calls too often, but he has plenty of burst. Contact balance is absurd. He is a smart guy and a team guy. Check out what Joe Burrow had to say about him!

3 Words to Describe: Fight, Receiver, Rugged

Best Utilized: Potential 3-Down Guy Who Will Always Be Superb On 3rd Down

4) J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State RB 5’9″ 209 lbs

N/A 40 yd dash, N/A vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1403 Rushing Yards, 7.2 ypc, 21 TDs & 23-247-2 Receiving Career – 4459 Rushing Yards 28 TDs, 71-645-5 Receiving

Tape Watched: (NEB, CLEM, WISC, TCU 2018)

Summary: I just cannot put my finger on this guy. He looked great after his first year in Columbus, but coming into this year (after an eh sophomore year) I thought he was just a guy. Now, I am somewhere in between. He barely eeks out the guy in the #5 spot. He was uber-productive last season. He has solid vision and can turn any play into 6. He has a dope little side shuffle cut. Laterally, he is strong – displaying vision and short area quickness. He is durable and is a ball of muscle. Dobbins got stonewalled at the line a bit too much and some of his longer runs were holes that still might not have closed up. He lacks some wiggle and I didn’t love him in short yardage situations. He looked great in pass protection against Clemson but got Fields in a lot of bad situations against Wisconsin as a blocker. For me the jury is still out on him. He has good ability to make people miss in short areas, but I do have some questions about his traits.

3 Words to Describe: Home-Run, Side-Juke, Durable

Best Utilized: Potential Lead Back

5) Cam Akers, Florida State RB 5’10” 217 lbs

4.47 u 40 yd dash, 35.5″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1144 Rushing Yards, 5.0 ypc, 14 TDs & 30-225-4 Receiving Career – 2874 Rushing Yards, 27 TDs, 69-486-7 Receiving

Tape Watched: (UF, UVA, NC ST, BSU)

Summary: Running behind the Florida State offensive line would be an effective form of torture. Good lord, was it rough. Cam Akers has always had the talent and the fact that he produced like he did last year speaks to that. Despite the blocking (or lack thereof), he ran with a lot of effort. However, the same cannot be said as a blocker. He was probably the worst back of the 10 here in pass protection. He NEEDS to clean that up. During the NFL Combine, we saw the footwork and movement skills, and that translates. In the open field, he shows it. It makes you wonder what he could do with a functional O-line. He has a lot of moves in his bag of tricks and is able to break tackles without losing top end speed. Akers has some lapses in vision but he probably was just in fight or flight mode all game long and grew paranoid of what was about to happen after the snap. He probably bounces outside a bit too much. He is a weapon in the pass game but a coach just cannot put him on the field on 3rd down right now. If he cleans that up, he could seriously end up as the best back in this class.

3 Words to Describe: Smooth, Feet, Talented

Best Utilized: Toolsy Running Back With 3 Down Potential if he Protects the QB

6) Antonio Gibson, Memphis RB/WR 6’0″ 228 lbs

4.39 40 yd dash, 35″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 369 Rushing Yards, 11.2 ypc, 4 TDs & 38-735-8 Receiving Career – 369 Rushing Yards 4 TDs, 44-834-10 Receiving

Tape Watched: (PSU, SMU, NAVY, HOU)

Summary: The dude averaged 19 yards a catch and 11 yards per rush. If Denard Robinson didn’t introduce the “position” of offensive weapon, this could’ve been the guy to do so. His nimbleness and crazy make you miss ability is seen on film as well as in the box score. He is a playmaker. He isn’t tiny and has speed. Honestly, he might be more likely to be included as a WR. This is not a guy who lines up wide and needs to conform to an offensive, nor is he a guy who lines up as a tailback and runs strictly out of the backfield. He needs to be utilized in intelligent and creative ways to really be most valuable. Screens, shovel passes, sweeps and other ways of getting him the ball worked at Memphis and should continue to do so. He has that telephone booth elusiveness and the first dude is rarely the one that brings him down. He is a willing blocker. Electric player that can take an offense to another level if used correctly.

3 Words to Describe: Nimble, Playmaker, Versatile

Best Utilized: Versatile Offensive Weapon with Crazy Elusiveness

7) Eno Benjamin, Arizona State RB 5’9″ 207 lbs

4.57 40 yd dash, 39″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1083 Rushing Yards, 4.3 ypc, 10 TDs & 42-347-2 Receiving Career – 2867 Rushing Yards 27 TDs, 82-625-4 Receiving

Tape Watched: (ORE, MSU, WASH 2018, WSU)

Summary: Watching Eno Benjamin is a lot of fun. He isn’t the biggest or the fastest but the guys grinds for every yard and is always falling forward. He will fight, spin, claw for extra yards. He is elusive and has a lot of creativity to his running style. Sometimes he gets caught up in putting together a move sequence instead of hitting the hole. Hopefully, this is something a good RB coach can coach out of him. He is an option on 3rd down but his pass blocking is just alright. Benjamin’s combination of crafty creativity and gritty fight for every yard mentality draws me to him. He is willing to run between the tackles and has been durable throughout his college career doing that despite a smaller stature. He does get crunched at times because he throws his body around. He might be limited in some ways and will likely always be a member of a committee, but is a gamer.

3 Words to Describe: Crafty, Gritty, Balanced

Best Utilized: 3 Down Grinder w/o Supreme Athleticism

8) Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt RB 5’10” 214 lbs

4.51 40 yd dash, 32″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1028 Rushing Yards, 5.2 ypc, 9 TDs & 29-286-1 Receiving Career – 3296 Rushing Yards 30 TDs, 67-664-3 Receiving

Tape Watched: (LSU, BAY 2018, UGA, ND 2018)

Summary: 2018 was a better year than this past season for both Vaughn and Vanderbilt. His senior year didn’t turn out as planned but he could still be a Day 2 selection, maybe. He is at his best when he can find a hole, put his foot in the ground and get downhill. He runs too much horizontal and that doesn’t really fit his skillset. He is able to find gaps and shoot through the hole. He has some good moments in pass protection, with quick choppy feet. You can tell this guy plays with a passion. He dropped a ball and you see him doing pushups in the huddle as a self-punishment. He isn’t a burner but displays a decent extra gear. He excels as a one cut runner and you have to actually tackle him to get him down. He won’t fall over with arm tackles. As a receiver, he has gotten the job done but is a body catcher.

3 Words to Describe: Passion, Power, One-Cut

Best Utilized: Solid One-Cut Running Back

9) Zack Moss, Utah RB 5’9″ 223 lbs

4.65 40 yd dash, 33″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1416 Rushing Yards, 6.0 ypc, 15 TDs & 28-388-2 Receiving Career – 4067 Rushing Yards 38 TDs, 66-685-3 Receiving

Tape Watched: (ORE, TEX, BYU, WASH 2018)

Summary: Despite being my #9 ranked back, he is a good player and it seems like most people tend to like him more than both Eno Benjamin and Ke’Shawn Vaughn. He lacks speed and ability as a route runner but is decisive thru the hole and has good hands as a receiver. In college, he was utilized a lot as a single back that finds the hole and is decisive through it, but has some shiftiness and lateral agility. Power is his game. He can run behind his pads and has a very effective stiff arm in the open field. I like him in a Gus Edwards type role. He has more lateral movement skills than that, but power is something I think he can really bring to the table. He will pop the defender in pass pro and has a solid anchor but needs to stick with it. Ideally, I think he is a guy that would work great as the secondary power option behind a Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara or Austin Ekeler.

3 Words to Describe: Power, Downhill, Physical

Best Utilized: Power Back Who Can Be a Great Complement

10) A.J. Dillon, Boston College RB 6’0″ 247 lbs

4.53 u 40 yd dash, 41″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1685 Rushing Yards, 5.3 ypc, 14 TDs & 13-195-1 Receiving Career – 4382 Rushing Yards 38 TDs, 21-236-2 Receiving

Tape Watched: (ND, CLEM, MIA 2018, NC ST)

Summary: One of my buddies mentioned A.J. Dillon as a possible complement to Miles Sanders in Philly. I like that. Even moreso than Moss, I am not convinced Dillon is a lead back type. He is limited in the passing game as a protector and receiver. He is a good athlete and is a big boy. Could he be a Derrick Henry backup/heir apparent option? He is a big and powerful player but does too much dancing sometimes and needs to know his game. Having said that, he has good change of direction for a man of his stature. I fear that he might be a D’Onta Foreman type guy who doesn’t run to his size. For him to wield his power, he needs to square his shoulders to the defender and doesn’t run through power from hits that aren’t head on. Dillon’s upper body strength is impressive and will literally throw defenders off him. I’d like to see him maintain more speed through contact and run more aggressively but he has the tools to be a real nuisance to tackle. I can see a lot of defensive backs making business decisions when they see a guy this big running as fast as he does in their direction.

3 Words to Describe: Traditional, Size, Power

Best Utilized: Power Back w/ Athleticism

11) Anthony McFarland, Maryland RB 5’8″ 208 lbs

4.44 40 yd dash, 29.5″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 614 Rushing Yards, 5.4 ypc, 8 TDs & 17-126-1 Receiving Career – 1648 Rushing Yards 12 TDs, 24-199-1 Receiving

Tape Watched: (NEB, CUSE, TEM, OSU 2018)

Summary: Lacking some nuance to his game, McFarland’s game is dependent on his speed and home run ability as a runner. Ask Ohio State about that ability. He has a sturdy build but doesn’t run through contact as well as a lot of the backs in this class. He is stopped behind the line of scrimmage too much. McFarland’s acceleration and speed makes him dangerous. When he can kick it outside, find a gap to shoot through and get vertical, he is at his best. He can hit you with a move here or there but really doesn’t show much creativity and doesn’t string moves together. He has done it against good competition but his game lacks some substance as an every down runner.

3 Words to Describe: Acceleration, Vision, Upfield

Best Utilized: Home Run Hitter Off The Bench

12) Joshua Kelley, UCLA RB 5’11” 212 lbs

4.49 40 yd dash, 31″ vertical jump

Production: 2019 – 1060 Rushing Yards, 4.6 ypc, 12 TDs & 11-71-1 Receiving Career – 2303 Rushing Yards 24 TDs, 38-264-1 Receiving

Tape Watched: (ASU, USC 2018, WSU, UTAH)

Summary: I have seen some people say that he lacks vision but I liked what I saw in that regard. He has good patience and reads the defense with his eyes. Kelley runs with good pad level in power situations. His interior cut backs and vision at the first level was nice. He possesses a unique combo of patience and decisiveness. He just doesn’t have a lot of wow plays to me and lacks some explosion. He kind of gets what is blocked and not much more – but at least he gets what he should. He doesn’t get a lot of separation in his routes. He lacks great long speed but isn’t Elijah Holyfield either. All I keep hearing is that he has a contagious positive energy and a great personality that teams should gravitate towards. I hope he sees plenty of success at the next level but I did not see a ton that suggests he is worth more than a Round 5 or Round 6 selection. He could last as a role player and back up runner.

3 Words to Describe: Vision, Gap, Downhill

Best Utilized: Solid Runner Who Uses Toughness and Vision to Get Yards