Will the Real RB3 Please Stand Up?

Nick Whalen

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This article was inspired by Ryan McDowell’s The Battle to be the 2016 WR3 article. The running back position in devy circles starts with Nick Chubb and Ezekiel Elliott. Both are tremendous players and have left the third running back in the dust. Part of the problem is nobody can decide on the same player to be that RB3. This article will shed some light on a very fluid topic and let you decide who is the third best devy back.

Leonard Fournette by Kyle Pollack

Leonard Fournette is a prodigy in every way imaginable. In nine games as a freshman in High School, he rushed for 1,735 yards on 174 carries and had 22 touchdowns. He was the first running back to ever be ranked as the top player in the 247Sports Composite, which averages all major recruiting sites. He was one of four players in his class to be graded as a 95 by ESPN. Only three players have had such a rating before: Julio Jones, Jadeveon Clowney and Da’Quan Bowers.

It looks as though Fournette, along with fellow 95ers Myles Garrett and Cam Robinson are living up to these high expectations. But, Fournette has the highest expectations of all of them and for good reason. ESPN’s Tom Luginebell called him “a faster Todd Gurley.” In 2014, “One major college coach who has recruited the New Orleans area for decades insisted Fournette is talented enough to play for the Saints right now. In fact, he said Fournette was better than any back on the Saints’ roster, which includes Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram” (NOLA.com, Sky’s the limit for St. Augustine football prodigy Leonard Fournette). All of this lofty praise occurred while Fournette was still in high school! So, what did he do when he got to college?

Fournette became one of only 31 freshman running backs in the past 11 years to have at least 1,000 yards, eight touchdowns and average five yards per carry or better. Future first round running backs Adrian Peterson, Todd Gurley, Darren McFadden and Knowshon Moreno also achieved these numbers along with second round running backs Giovani Bernard and Ryan Williams.

Fournette has great balance, elite speed (4.35 in high school, 10.68 in the hundred meter dash) for a back of his size (6’1”, 225 pounds), above average strength and power (600 pound squat, 315 pound bench press) along with good instincts, vision and hands. Basically, he’s everything you want in a running back. While he’ll never get the amount of touches we would like him to in Les Miles’ committee offense, Fournette should dominate both in college and the NFL for years to come.

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Derrick Henry by Rob Leath

I can understand the reticence that surrounds Derrick Henry.  He is simply unlike any running back prospect we have seen in recent years.  Even tall running backs like Eddie George had a lower center of gravity than Henry, who appears poised to topple over every time he gains a little momentum. His legs seemingly go on for days with his upper body being lean and exposed. He’s often faulted for not running as though the grass is on fire; he’s more content slithering through arm tackles than lowering the boom and sending defenders into orbit.

I acknowledge the question marks while embracing all he does so well.  Personally, I’m just fine with a back capable of avoiding head-on collisions in favor of mere fender benders at the point of contact.  An insatiable need for contact makes a runner fun to watch, yet raises even more durability concerns than the position normally bears.  Henry is patient at the point of attack, and shields himself from abuse despite a frame that exposes itself to big hits.  He has soft hands and is a runaway freight train once he hits the open field.  In tight corners, he moves with a subtle grace and delicately picks his way through a defense until exploding through a seam.

There are reasons to be leery. What is his advantage when defenders can match his size?  Can he stay healthy with an atypical frame?  I’m willing to pay the price to find out.  Athletes with his profile are rare and I’ll bet on them every time and trust they’re willing to put in the work to embrace their potential.

James Conner by Bruce Matson

James Conner is an exciting prospect. He’s a freight train when he’s running the football. He’s a very good north-south runner and he utilizes his 6-2, 240 pound frame to plow through tacklers. It’s not uncommon for him to drag three defenders on his back to gain an extra couple yards. Not many running backs who have his size are explosive as he is. He has incredible short area quickness which helps him generate power and burst through the rushing lanes. Conner has the feet of a ballerina – he can swiftly move laterally to hit a cut back lane. He has excellent vision and he’s very good at waiting for his blocks to set up. He could be the best running back in the nation at setting up his blockers and using his vision to find the crease in the defense.

Conner accounted for 31.12 percent of Pittsburgh’s total offensive production last season, when he finished seventh in the nation in rushing yardage with 1,765 yards. He finished third in the nation in rushing touchdowns with 26, showing he has a nose for the end zone. His elite level of production solidifies the fact he is a high-end running back prospect. He’s a young running back at 20 years old and if he comes out for the draft at the end of this year, he would be entering the NFL season at just 21. Big-time production at a young age is an indicator the prospect has the potential to make an impact at the NFL level.

During week one, Conner tore his MCL against Youngstown State. He will miss the rest of the season, which kills his junior campaign. It’s unfortunate, but he’s still one of the best running backs in college. He’s young, and I expect him to easily come back from this injury. He flashed enough during last season to prove that he has the intangibles to play in the NFL. Injured or not, he’s still one of the best players in college football.

Corey Clement by Nick Whalen

It’s easy to see how Corey Clement is flying under the radar. He played behind a record setting and first round NFL Draft pick in Melvin Gordon for the last three years and didn’t have a great opportunity to showcase his talents. The Wisconsin system churns out good producing college running backs but have faltered in the NFL. However, Clement has no control over either of those factors and I don’t find it fair to hold them against him. Eddie Lacy has been proof to not label players and the Jaguars believe in TJ Yeldon enough to invest a high second round pick.

Therefore, let’s simply look at Clement the prospect without all of the labels.

Size: 5’11”, 210

He has good size and thickness to be an every down NFL running back. In fact, I would be surprised if Clement checks in at 5’11” as he appears to be shorter, which is better for his power and leverage. He also has shorter legs, which helps with his short area quickness and ability to change direction.

Speed and Quickness

Clement is a quick player and tops out in the mid 4.4’s on the field. He looks to have plenty of juice in his legs for the NFL level.

Agility

Clement likes to jump cut often and sometimes it results in dancing, but is very effective. I really like his pressure cut as he makes some defenders look silly.

Power

He displays good power to run through tackle attempts and will initiate contact. My favorite attribute for Clement is his running attitude. He runs angry and refuses to go down, which results in lots of extra yards. Defenders also get introduced to a good stiff arm at times as well.

Hands

Whenever he’s been asked to catch the football, Clement has shown soft hands and good awareness of defenders around him.

Vision

Very willing player to run between the tackles and to keep runs vertical. Many young runners want to bounce plays outside, but Clement is patient and smart enough to gain hidden yardage.

Corey Clement checks all of the boxes I’ve discussed above. He’s not special in any one category, but you would be hard pressed to find anyone, not named Chubb or Elliott, who is a more complete running back. He is incredibly underrated and he provides a great sleeper prospect to trade for right now.

So, who do you like best of these four? Who will make the best NFL running back?  Let us know in the comments below.

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