Statistical rankings below courtesy of PFF and Football Outsiders. Team run blocking ranking is one of my metrics that combines various tools – including FOA’s average line yards, opportunity rate, power rate, and stuff rate, and PFF’s run-blocking grades – to give an all-encompassing idea about blocking quality for each prospect last year. This can help show who was in advantageous and disadvantageous situations (in this case only, the lower the ranking, the better). Team run-block ranking based on the 70 draft-eligible FBS RBs in my database – sub-divisions not included. All other rankings are based on 80 draft-eligible players with PFF grades.
20. Isaih Pacheco | Rutgers | 5102/222
DOB: 03.02.99
RAS: 8.81
2021 PFF grade: 47 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 78
PFF receiving grade: 32
PFF pass blocking: 24
YCO/A: 53
Team run block rank: 69 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 77
2021 zone runs: 83
Meet the 2022 RB class’s Speed Score champion (118.5)! For some context, two classes ago, this would have ranked No. 2 between Jonathan Taylor (121.7) and AJ Dillon (117.3). Pacheco turned in an eye-opening 4.37 forty at 216 pounds, tying South Dakota State’s Pierre Strong Jr. for No. 1 among the RB group.
Pacheco reaches top-speed in a blink. He steals the corner with impunity as a runner because of that burst. He’s a well-built speed-to-power generator with a breakneck style whose legs don’t stop kicking until you’ve cut them out from under him. Though he was a four-year contributor, Pacheco didn’t always get a chance to shine because he played behind one of the nation’s worst offensive lines (only one FBS RB prospect in this class played behind a worse line!), and next to abysmal quarterbacks.
He was put into a lot of no-win decisions in college and didn’t always make the right choice, confronted with defenders in the backfield post-handoff as often as he was. He picked up a few bad habits, notably reps where he’d lose his natural patience and press the LOS as quickly as possible to avoid a negative gain while, in some cases, missing a cutback lane.
Pacheco comes equipped with strong hands. Once he corrals it, he only needs a few steps to reach top-gear, so he must be accounted for. He’s also a solid pass-blocker. Functioning as the last-line-of-defense behind that leaky Rutgers OL, Pacheco got plenty of reps to show his stuff.
Playing behind an NFL offensive line will provide a big boost. What you’re hoping for is his patience plays up and he’s able to run with more tempo and altered speeds – he has the acceleration and deceleration for it. Pacheco has immediate passing-down utility, and that delicious size/speed/acceleration blend for an NFL staff to mold into a runner. Highly intriguing Day 3 sleeper.
Comp: Kylin Hill
21. Zonovan Knight | North Carolina State | 5107/209
RAS: 5.75
2021 PFF grade: 53 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 12
PFF receiving grade: 28
PFF pass blocking: 28
YCO/A: 28
Team run block rank: 31 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 36
2021 zone runs: 103
“Bam” Knight posted 790-plus yards from scrimmage all three campaigns on campus. Befitting his nickname, Knight runs with unmistakable attitude. He’s a well-rounded back with one trump-card trait: He has top-three contact balance in this class.
Knight is difficult to square up in space due to his creativity and subtle movements leading up to the contact point. Breaks arm tackle attempts. Does a good job setting up and leveraging opponents to unlock running lanes. Last year, he ranked No. 12 in this class in elusive rating, and No. 14 in broken tackles forced.
Knight also provides real utility in the passing game. He’s one the smoothest route-running backs in this class. He’s also a fixer in pass-pro, smart, physical, capable, and enthusiastic. Knight is only ranked as low as he is because he’s an average athlete at 209 pounds. He lacks long speed, and requires undisturbed open space to reach max.
The lack of an explosive element to his game caps his ceiling, but Knight should hang around for a while as a depth piece and rotational back that can handle early-down work and stay on the field on passing downs. It would be nice if he could gain 10-15 pounds without further depreciating his quickness. That would play up the physical bent to his running style and give him a chance to ascend to low-level NFL starter.
Comp: Khalil Herbert
22. Hassan Haskins | Michigan | 6017/227
DOB: 11.26.99
RAS: N/A
2021 PFF grade: 2 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 45
PFF receiving grade: 15
PFF pass blocking: 17
YCO/A: 45
Team run block rank: 18 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 186
2021 zone runs: 83
A well-built grinder, Haskins broke out as a star his last season on campus, helping lead Michigan to the CFP. As the Wolverines’ bellcow, he thrived, running for 1,327 yards and 20 TD on 4.9 YPC over 14 starts to earn third-team Associated Press All-American honors.
Haskins is a hard-charging, forward-leaning runner with very good contact balance. He labors to change directions, and he isn’t going to out-run anyone, but he’s able to pick up yards in the open field because his footwork and vision are good, and he’s got a nasty stiff-arm.
While Haskins didn’t get as many opportunities in the passing game as some of his contemporaries, he projects to be, pardon the pun, passable in this area in the NFL. He isn’t going to snap any ankles on his route breaks, and he isn’t much of a YAC threat. But Haskins has soft hands and can be relied upon in the check-down gain to salvage yardage. He’s also, it must be mentioned, a fortified, willing, and physical pass blocker.
What we saw out of Haskins last year, that’s the hope for him in the NFL. The concern you have is that he doesn’t have any standout physical traits. But you know he’s going to bring the lunchpail on early-down meat-and-potatoes work, and he’s got at least the hands and the pass-pro reliability to be usable on throwing downs.
Comp: Gus Edwards
23. Kennedy Brooks | Oklahoma | 5105/209
DOB: 10.08.98
RAS: 5.9
2021 PFF grade: 8 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 8
PFF receiving grade: 71
PFF pass blocking: 46
YCO/A: 9
Team run block rank: 13 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 93
2021 zone runs: 103
Brooks managed to rush for 1,000 all three seasons he was active at Oklahoma (he opted out of the 2020 season). This despite sharing a backfield with the likes of RBs Trey Sermon, Rhamondre Stevenson, T.J. Pledger, and Eric Gray, and playing beside dual-threat QBs Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams. Brooks, the main reason Sermon and Pledger transferred elsewhere to finish their careers, the main reason you didn’t know about Stevenson until the 2020 season (when Brooks was sitting out), averaged an incredible career 7.0 YPC.
Patience is a hallmark of his tape. So many running backs in this class are one-note runners who rarely toggle speed. Brooks waits for his blocks to develop and bumps the odometer up and down as the situation calls for it. A player of average size, average speed, and average athleticism, Brooks found himself in open space far more often than you would assume due to his rhythmic style, his patience, vision, and acceleration/deceleration combination.
Brooks’ short-area quickness shined through during athletic testing, with 60th-percentile-or-above 10-yard split and broad jump showings. Brooks is a durable, one-cut back best-suited for a zone system. He isn’t much of a receiver, and he’s middling in pass-pro, so the utility, at least for now, ends at early-down work.
To be fair, Oklahoma didn’t seem as interested in developing this aspect of Brooks’ game, maybe because they had to get the other runners on the field. So perhaps a dollop of passing-down utility lay dormant inside him. But even if it’s tapped, you’d figure his NFL team will always have better pass-catching options on the roster. Either way, spread outfits that utilize zone concepts will give Brooks a look as an early-down developmental prospect.
Comp: Bilal Powell
24. Max Borghi | Washington State | 5093/210
DOB: 04.23.99
RAS: 7.46
2021 PFF grade: 9 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 18
PFF receiving grade: 52
PFF pass blocking: 27
YCO/A: 29
Team run block rank: 66 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 66
2021 zone runs: 74
When Borghi signed with Mike Leach out of the Colorado prep ranks in 2018, he was getting comped to Christian McCaffrey. Four years later, we can forget about that. And it’s not just because Wazzu switched offensive schemes (from the Air Raid to the Run ‘n Shoot) away from Borghi’s skillset after Leach left (the Run ‘n Shoot doesn’t utilize RBs in the passing game nearly as much).
Even so, Borghi’s got the skill to play in the NFL beyond his rookie contract. That’s because he’s a skilled receiver – one reason he got those comps to C-Mac in the first place (the primary other being skin color) – who also contributes on special teams.
You can think of Borghi as a slot-receiver playing running back. He runs great routes, has good hands, and he understands how to leverage defenders. He catches the ball and fluidly turns up-field to attack. He’s also an above-average pass blocker, understanding his assignments and getting his pads low enough to complete them.
The problem with Borghi’s evaluation is that he may never offer much as a runner. Borghi is quick, and he makes people miss, but he doesn’t have a good feel for running between the tackles. Sometimes, he doesn’t appear to want to – fleeing to where he’s comfortable, in space, bouncing an excess amount of his attempts outside. Sometimes he misses cutback creases and takes a loss to do so. Borghi lacks play strength and is generally taken down by first contact.
Borghi is worth a draft pick anyway because he will contribute to an NFL passing game immediately, and he’ll chip in on special teams. Just keep in mind that there’s a good chance that he’ll never be anything more. Best suited for a pass-happy team that already has an established complimentary early-down back or two on the roster.
Comp: Eno Benjamin
25. Ty Chandler | North Carolina | 5112/203
DOB: 05.12.98
RAS: 8.82
2021 PFF grade: 17 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 19
PFF receiving grade: 48
PFF pass blocking: 37
YCO/A: 13
Team run block rank: 26 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 76
2021 zone runs: 96
Chandler made a good decision to transfer from Tennessee to UNC last offseason. The Tar Heels had just lost stud RBs Javonte Williams and Michael Carter to the NFL, and Chandler was fleeing a coaching change and a loaded Vols RB room. In his only season Chapel Hill, Chandler ran for 1,092 yards and 13 TD.
Chandler’s calling card is speed. He boldly told the media that he was going to run the fastest 40 time amongst RBs at the NFL Combine the day before testing and almost called his shot, blazing a 4.38 that finished just behind position leaders Pierre Strong Jr. and Isaih Pacheco (both ran 4.37s).
Unfortunately, Chandler’s speed isn’t evident on every play, because he needs a runway to build up to top-gear. He doesn’t offer a ton on runs where he doesn’t get that runway, because Chandler accelerates sluggishly, doesn’t toggle his speed (in part because decelerating kills his momentum and forces him to restart the process of reaching top-speed from scratch), and doesn’t make defenders miss in the hole.
Chandler needs everything right around him to access the explosive element of his game that makes him dangerous, good blocking and/or defenders committing gap-integrity mistakes. At top-speed, Chandler’s tricky to deal with. He doesn’t shy from contact, accelerating through it. You can see this part of his skillset playing up when he’s returning kicks. This is the area Chandler provides immediate NFL utility.
Chandler is a get-you-by receiver, nothing more. He knows how to run a route and converts from a receiver to a runner fluidly after securing the ball. But as is the case with him as a runner, he needs open space in front of him to create problems. That’s when he gobbles up yard quickly and presents a speed-to-power issue for smaller defenders at the contact point.
As a blocker, Chandler looks for work and doesn’t mind getting his nose dirty. But there are numerous examples on film of him making poor snap-decisions, gifting the more-dangerous pursuer an unabridged path. Chandler also has a bad habit of lunging towards oncoming defenders instead of keeping a power base to give himself the best chance of providing an impediment.
Chandler might be worth a late-Day 3 pick because he can return kicks immediately and act as suitable depth during his developmental phase. He’s got the world-class speed to go with a fleshed-out skillset. But due to Chandler’s lack of burst and wiggle, I wonder if, as a running back, NFL defenses will be able to erase the long-speed element to Chandler’s game that led to his flashiest moments on the collegiate gridiron. Without that, he’s just a replaceable return man.
Comp: Xavier Jones
26. ZaQuandre White | South Carolina | 6001/215
DOB: 12.21.98
RAS: 4.03
2021 PFF grade: 25 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 2
PFF receiving grade: 18
PFF pass blocking: 55
YCO/A: 2
Team run block rank: 55 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 38
2021 zone runs: 47
Comp: TJ Yeldon
27. Snoop Conner | Mississippi | 5101/219
DOB: 08.01.00
RAS: 6.99
2021 PFF grade: 50 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 69
PFF receiving grade: 21
PFF pass blocking: 67
YCO/A: 68
Team run block rank: 29 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 51
2021 zone runs: 78
Comp: Alexander Mattison
28. Keaontay Ingram | USC | 5115/220
DOB: 10.26.99
RAS: N/A
2021 PFF grade: 11 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 28
PFF receiving grade: 41
PFF pass blocking: 74
YCO/A: 17
Team run block rank: 10 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 61
2021 zone runs: 89
Comp: Chris Ivory
29. Jashaun Corbin | Florida State | 5111/203
DOB: 08.20.00
RAS: N/A
2021 PFF grade: 51 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 35
PFF receiving grade: 42
PFF pass blocking: 14
YCO/A: 3
Team run block rank: 59
2021 gap runs: 100
2021 zone runs: 42
Comp: Deon Jackson
30. Sincere McCormick | UTSA | 5084/205
DOB: 09.10.00
RAS: 3.86
2021 PFF grade: 23 (out of 80)
Elusive rating: 71
PFF receiving grade: 50
PFF pass blocking: 22
YCO/A: 66
Team run block rank: 36 (out of 70)
2021 gap runs: 109
2021 zone runs: 185
Comp: Devin Singletary
Thor’s recent NFL Draft work:
- Mock 3.0
- NFL Draft props
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB (Part 1)
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB (Part 2)
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB3 Desmond Ridder
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB2 Matt Corral
- 2022 NFL Draft rankings: QB1 Malik Willis
Coming Wednesday: RB rankings (Part 2)
