Dalvin Cook 5-11/213 Running back Florida State Strengths: Explosive Elusive; has moves in the open field to dodge blockers Tremendous open-field runner Fast; can break off long runs on any carry Threat to score on any carry Rare acceleration Has enough strength to get yards after contact Excellent vision Great feet Cutting ability Good build and size Finishes runs well Burst to the hole Has great straight-line speed to pull away from defenders Shiftiness; will juke defenders Rare receiving ability Superb route-runner Excellent hands Receiving ability Willing blocker in blitz pickup - has potential to be very good Has a nose for the end zone Wears down defenses Excellent knee bend Runs behind his pads Runs well in the second half Good fit for a zone-blocking system Perfect fit for a man-blocking system Plays injured Solid character Weaknesses: Ball security Must cut down on fumbles His power and yards after contact will probably be diminished in the NFL There is no doubt that Cook is a dynamic runner for the NFL. He is a well-built back with tremendous speed. He has an explosive first-step and a second gear to accelerate downfield after hitting the next level. Cook is a very elusive runner, too, and that makes him extremely dangerous in the open field. In space, Cook dominates defenders with juke moves and cuts to weave around defenders. Additionally, his natural height, knee bend, and body lean make him very tough to get a hold of for defenders. Cook also has tremendous feel with vision and patience as a ball-carrier. He is a natural running back who is a slashing weapon to carve up defenses. As a receiveing back, Cook is an incredible prospect. He runs tremendous routes to get open and has superb hands. He is a threat to make big plays in the passing game by running routes vertically down the sideline. With his skills as a receiver, Cook could line up in the slot and should be a mismatch weapon who will be very valuable on third downs as an outlet receiver who can move the chains. Cook has blocking potential for the NFL, but all college backs have a learning process for handling NFL pass-rushers. For the NFL, Cook looks like he has the ability to be a franchise running back similar to Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy or Marshall Faulk. Dominant running backs can make a big difference in the win/loss column, and Cook could make any offense challenging regardless of the quarterback. Cook is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He looks like a future Pro Bowl running back if he can stay healthy and improve his ball security.
Best player in the '17 draft...complete package...I agree needs to work on ball security but he did improve
LEONARD FOURNETTE 6-1/235 RUNNING BACK/ LSU Strengths Full-on, grown man with outstanding definition throughout his body. Built like a linebacker with speed like a receiver. Long, powerful strides get speedy turnover. Click and go runner who hits his second gear faster than most big backs you'll ever see. Able to accelerate and scream around the corner for chunk runs against linebackers lacking speed or urgency to the edge. Powerful hips and thighs shake defenders right off. Tacklers better bring full force and technique. Always the hammer and never the nail. Violent finisher looking to intimidate run-support safeties with crushing blows behind lower pads. Runs feet through any and all contact. Has balance and power to plow through tackle attempts on an angle. Punishing stiff arms go viral. Has experience running from two-back, single-back and off-set looks. Hands are adequate in passing game. Can create for himself with power and speed. Wins in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Weaknesses Doesn't make many defenders miss with open field shake. Aggressive, take-on style could lead to shortened career. Struggles to elude sudden traffic at line of scrimmage. Lacks looseness of hips to jump-cut from gap to gap. Struggled with a bad ankle for most of the season. Plays through a straw. Excitable runner in need of more patience. Too quick to hit the accelerator and slam into defenders when there are still cuts and yards left in the play. Runs to obvious daylight but needs to learn to anticipate and finesse the crease in traffic. Doesn't see cutback lanes developing as outside zone runner and prefers to keep runs play-side. Throws half-hearted, grazing shoulder as chip blocker. Pass protection and routes need extensive work. Sources Tell Us "I can't wait to see how the draft guys pick at Fournette and tell everyone what he doesn't do right. He was healthy last year and that is what you are going to get. Big, fast and dominant." -- NFC director of scouting NFL Comparison Bo Jackson Bottom Line High-end talent with rare blend of size, speed and power. Comparisons to Adrian Peterson feel lofty, but from a physical standpoint, he's there. Fournette doesn't have the wiggle to make defenders miss and his vision can be iffy. However, if your run fits and tackling aren't sound, he can take it the distance in an instant. May have durability concerns due to physical running style, but has All-Pro potential.
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY 6-0/197 RUNNING BACK STANFORD Strengths Smooth, controlled stride length with choppy feet for instant cuts and change of direction. Plus vision with above average anticipatory feel for opening creases. Hugs contours of the running lane and staggers and stutters his feet to maneuver in tight quarters. Protect football while running through traffic. Reads keys quickly on stretch plays. Sinks hips into sharp cuts. Equally adept darting inside or outside and is able to string moves together. Won't dance on short runs -- gets it downhill. Feet constantly in motion. Able to make defenders miss on all three levels. Willing to keep runs playside and alters his track seamlessly. Runs with multiple gears and is able to gear up or down instantly. Has experience in one-back, two-back and offset formations. Excellent hands out of backfield and can be used from slot. Devastating quickness out of breaks can mismatch linebackers. Experienced, capable punt and kick returner. Weaknesses Lacks desired size of an every-down back. Has some tread worn off his tires. Logged 300-plus touches (including returns) in each of the last two seasons and was asked to grind the gears for short yardage carries. Benefitted from physical, downhill offensive line. Takes foot off gas into contact. Doesn't have NFL-caliber power to break tackles and create yardage for himself through power. Can shake tacklers, but lacks a twitchy burst to accelerate away after the cut. On stretch plays, can get too cute continuing to probe towards the perimeter rather than choosing a crease and committing. Average burst may not be enough to race past NFL speed on second level. Inconsistent squaring up blitzers in pass pro and ducks his head into contact. NFL Comparison Tiki Barber Bottom Line Multidimensional runner with flex appeal for teams looking for a player who can carry the ball 20 times or catch it 10 depending on the game plan. McCaffrey's size, power and speed are just average, but he is able to create yardage for himself with his vision and elusiveness. McCaffrey?s ability to return punts and kicks could be the value sweetner that pushes his name into the first round.
CURTIS SAMUEL 5-11/ 197 RUNNING BACK OHIO STATE Sources have compared Samuel to Percy Harvin in terms of being a fast, explosive play-maker who is a hybrid wide receiver/running back. In 2016, Samuel had 74 receptions for 865 yards with seven touchdowns. On the ground, he averaged 7.9 yards per carry for 771 yards and eight scores. Samuel has play-making upside for the NFL. As a pro, he will be more of a receiver than a running back. Samuel runs quality routes with the speed and suddenness to get separation. He can stretch teams vertically and is a dangerous run-after-the-catch receiver. With his speed and bulk, Samuel could line up as a slot or outside receiver to produce mismatches. He also could operate out of the backfield at times. If Samuel goes to a creative offensive coordinator, he could be a real weapon.
ALVIN KAMARA Height: 5-10. Weight: 215. Projected 40 Time: 4.55. Projected Round (2017): 1-2. 2/3/17: Kamara is a lot like Jamaal Charles as a runner in that both are fast slashers who are built well with some power. Additionally, Kamara is a phenomenal receiver with great hands and route-running to also be used as a slot receiver. He also is a dynamic returner on punts and kickoffs. Kamara took on a lot of the third-down duties with blocking and receiving for Tennessee. In 2016, the redshirt junior averaged 5.8 yards per carry for 596 yards and nine scores. He also caught 40 passes for 392 yards and four scores. 9/3/16: At most schools, Kamara would be a starter and the feature player, but Kamara splits carries with Jalen Hurd, so he doesn't get to be the every-down starter. NFL sources have said that Kamara has impressed them during scouting fall practices. In 2015, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry for 698 yards with seven touchdowns. Kamara did show some skills in the passing game with 34 receptions for 291 yards with three scores.
D'Onta Foreman*, RB, Texas Height: 6-1. Weight: 249. Projected 40 Time: 4.55. Projected Round (2017): 1-3. 2/3/17: Foreman had a tremendous 2016 season and was one of the most productive runners in the nation. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry for 2,028 yards with 15 touchdowns. Foreman isn't much of a receiver, making just seven catches for 75 yards in 2016, but he is a load as a runner who can run over the opposition. Foreman will be an early round-pick after declaring for the 2017 NFL Draft. As a sophomore, he averaged 7.2 yards per carry for 681 yards and five touchdowns.
Joe Mixon**, RB, Oklahoma Height: 6-1. Weight: 226. Projected 40 Time: 4.48. Projected Round (2017): 1-3. 2/3/17: Mixon is an electric runner with excellent speed and the ability to rip off a long run on any carry. He became Oklahoma's featured runner as a redshirt sophomore with an average of seven yards per carry (168 carries) for 1,183 yards with eight touchdowns while sharing carries with Samaje Perine. Mixon also was a receiving weapon with 32 receptions for 449 yards with five touchdowns. As a freshman in 2015, Mixon averaged 6.7 yards per carry for 753 yards with seven touchdowns. He had 28 receptions for 356 yards with four scores as well. Sources have said that they think Mixon is a serious talent with three-down starting potential in the NFL. Some teams, however, already have ruled him out because of the incident from 2014 in which he punched a woman. After video of the incident was released two years later, Mixon issued a tearful apology. Some teams have already removed him from their draft boards because of the character concerns.
I think all skill positions are a priority for the Browns, but RB in particular, especially if we can't get a deal done and Isaiah Crowell gets away... Duke Johnson is okay, but that dude gets hit harder than any RB I've ever seen, and because of that I worry about his future.... Some guys have that innate ability to get out of the way, but Duke finds a way to get right in front of the oncoming train...I remember his very first play in this league. A preseason game against Green Bay, and Duke tried to reel in a short pass and got hit as hard as any back ever did...I believe it gave him a concussion if I remember correctly...Anyway, this team could use an upgrade here for sure. If Crow gets away, it becomes a MUST.
Jeremy McNichols*, RB, Boise State Height: 5-9. Weight: 212. Projected 40 Time: 4.50. Projected Round (2017): 2-3. 2/3/17: McNichols doesn't have great size, but he was a tough runner for Boise State in 2016. McNichols averaged 5.4 yards per carry for 1,709 yards with 23 touchdowns. He also had 37 receptions for 474 yards with four touchdowns. As a sophomore, McNichols averaged 5.6 yards per carry for 1,337 yards with 20 touchdowns. He had 51 catches for 460 yards with six scores. McNichols could at least be a back for the passing game in the NFL.
Crow won't get away. Reports are they are working on a long term deal. If it doesn't get done, they will give him a qualifying offer, probably a 2nd round tender offer which will pay him about $2.9M this year.. If that happened, RB is in play in the draft. It's in the Crow's best interest to get a deal done now, otherwise his market may not be any better next off season with a rookie taking carries away from him.
Brian Hill*, RB, Wyoming Height: 6-1. Weight: 219. Projected 40 Time: 4.50. Projected Round (2017): 2-3. 2/3/17: Hill is a thick runner who produced a lot of yards and points for Wyoming. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry in 2016 for 1,860 yards with 22 touchdowns alongside eight catches for 67 yards. As a sophomore, Hill produced with an average of 5.8 yards per carry for 1,631 yards with six touchdowns. He had his best receiving season that year with 20 receptions for 132 yards. Hill projects as first- and second-down back in the NFL.
Samaje Perine*, RB, Oklahoma Height: 5-11. Weight: 237. Projected 40 Time: 4.58. Projected Round (2017): 3-4. 2/3/17: Perine averaged 5.4 yards per carry in 2016 for 1,060 yards with 12 touchdowns. He had 10 receptions for 106 yards, too. Perine is a physical, tough runner who was banged up in his final season and also split the workload with Joe Mixon. 9/3/16: Perine averaged 6.0 yards per carry in 2015 for 1,349 yards with 16 touchdowns. As a receiver, he had 15 catches for 107 yards with a score. Perine was a freshman sensation in 2014, racking up 1,713 yards and 21 touchdowns. That worked out to an average of 6.5 yards per carry. Perine set the NCAA single-game rushing record with 427 yards against Kansas that season. He also had five touchdowns in that contest. Perine is a hard-nosed physical running back.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo Height: 5-10. Weight: 208. Arm: 31.13. Hand: 9.75. Projected 40 Time: 4.57. Projected Round (2017): 3-5. 2/3/17: Hunt averaged 5.6 yards per carry in 2016 for 1,475 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also made 41 receptions for 403 yards and a touchdown. Hunt was excellent at the Senior Bowl, using his speed to slash through the defense. He was very impressive as a receiver out of the backfield. Hunt doesn't have the size to be an every-down back in the NFL, but he could be a dangerous weapon as a complementary back and be an asset in passing situations. 9/3/16: Hunt missed four games during the 2015 season, but averaged 5.5 yards per carry for 973 yards with 12 touchdowns. His best season came as a sophomore when he averaged eight yards per carry for 1,631 yards with 16 touchdowns. Hunt contributed as a freshman as well (6.3-866-6).
That's about 10 of the top RB prospects....Feel free to add anybody if you like. I listed them in my preferential order at this point, but there are plenty others to talk about if the RB conversation starts going... The Browns need to score more points. Our depth at RB needs to improve... We just don't come close to matching up with the playoff teams in this league at the skill positions. Outside of Crowell and Pryor, we didn't have anybody that put fear in the defense...That's just not enough, and I don't need to explain the situation with both of those guys this offseason...We can't afford to lose either one...
Dalvin is a solid prospect but the Marshal Faulk comparison just isn't justified - [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkaEG1bSDPI[/video] [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXpNE7dsgU[/video] Notice the difference in the feet. Marshal is lighter in step, infinitely more subtle in change of direction and is more sudden in movement. Faulk changes the length of his gate to fit the circumstance and the only thing really not showing up in his youth was his ability to set up blockers once he became a professional. Dalvin Cook is more like Chris Johnson, with a better understanding of the receiving game and a better set of hands to go with it.
I always thought of Chris Johnson as more of a straight line, one cut, runner, with blazing speed.. To me Dalvin Cook has more wiggle than that, but I agree that these comparisons can get carried away....Comparing a RB to Faulk or Peterson or Bo Jackson is a bit much....I think Cook is an outstanding receiver, and he is similar in size, so he draws the Faulk comparison. Fournette is built like a machine with size and speed, , so he draws the Bo Jackson comparison, though truth be told, there has never been a comparable to Bo on this planet...
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGGISMfgJgc[/video] I think Chris was a little shiftier than what his reputation belies, but Cook is a bit stouter in his hips and his change of direction and slight have a more elongated look than Johnson's. I think Dalvin can come in and be an immediate weapon for just about any offense but the Faulk comparison is flawed. And the bold part is spot on.
