2018 Running Back Athletic Comparisons

Bruce Matson Posted On March 7, 2018

As a whole, this year’s running back class blew the roof off of Lucas Oil Stadium with their athleticism. We might be looking at the greatest group of running back prospects to ever come out for the draft. Rookie drafts will be bursting at the seams with talented runners. If you built your dynasty team around wide receivers during the last few years, then this will be the year you will want to load up on running backs to optimize your roster.

Athletic comps paint a portrait of how a player might look once they enter the NFL. There are also certain thresholds for height, weight, and speed that can determine the odds of a player being able to compete at the NFL level. Running backs who weigh below 200-pounds tend to struggle to carve out a role with their respected teams. While running backs who run a 4.7 40-yard dash or higher, usually don’t have enough speed to consistently break off runs. Of course, there are always outliers who break the mold, but in the grand scheme of things, players who fit these negative archetypes have the odds stacked against them.

I have a database filled with combine data for running backs that ranges from 2008 to the present date. Every year after the scouting combine, I sort through the data and create comparison charts for each player. The overall goal here is to find former combine participants who closely resemble the current running back prospects from an athletic standpoint. Some of these player comps are spot on and some of them require some imagination. If anything, this is a great resource to use while watching the tape.

KALEN BALLAGE, RB ARIZONA STATE

Ballage is an athletic specimen who has developed a cult following. He’s one of the top receiving backs in this draft class and his size-adjusted speed and agility make him a mismatch nightmare in the open field. There’s a chance he develops into one of the top running backs in fantasy if he goes to a team willing to build around his skill set.

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SAQUON BARKLEY, RB PENN STATE

There really isn’t a player who athletically compares to Barkley. The closest thing we have is Karlos Williams, but Barkley is a more explosive athlete. It’s hard to find an athlete who weighs over 230-pounds and has the short area quickness and agility that Barkley has. If anything, this proves how unique of a prospect he is. We’ve never seen anything like him. He has the potential to break the mold for running back prospects.

NICK CHUBB, RB GEORGIA

Everyone one loves a good comeback story and Chubb is currently writing a very enticing novel. Ever since he brutally injured his knee during his sophomore season, there has been a lot of doubt placed in the minds of most talent evaluators. If you don’t remember, before the injury, Chubb was considered one of the best running backs in the nation and was marked as a lock to be a first-round pick once he entered the draft. He didn’t look the same once he returned from the injury which created a lot of uncertainty to whether he will ever return to his old form. With a 4.52 40-yard dash at 227-pounds, Chubb proved he’s on his way to being one of the top athletes in this draft class. He is now flirting with first-round contention in this year’s draft.

ROYCE FREEMAN, RB OREGON

Freeman is a big, 229-pound back who was very productive during his collegiate career at Oregon. He put himself on everyone’s radar when he ran a 4.54 40-yard dash. Due to his size, his 6.9 three-cone illuminates his athletic profile. Chubb and Andre Williams compare to him athletically, and both are bigger backs who have some speed. Freeman elevated his stock at the combine and should be in heavy consideration as a top-five back in this class.

DERRIUS GUICE, RB LSU

Going into the combine, Guice was deemed the second-best back in this class. He proved deserving of those merits by having a very impressive combine by running a 4.49 40-yard dash at 224 pounds. Doug Martin and Trent Richardson both pop up on his comparison chart. Both players are rated highly in terms of size-adjusted athleticism. Chubb, who is also one of the top running backs in this draft class also compares athletically to Guice. It’s highly likely that Guice will be a first-round draft pick. Whoever selects him is going to get a three-down who that can be the focal point of their offense.

NYHEIM HINES, RB NORTH CAROLINA STATE

Do you want to talk about satellite backs? Well, Hines is one of the best pass-catching specialists in this class and he has the athleticism to be a lethal weapon in open space. Danny Woodhead is almost his doppelganger when it comes to athleticism. Hines posted a 4.38 40-yard dash, making him one of the fastest backs in the NFL. Most linebackers, safeties and nickel corners won’t be able to run stride for stride with him while trying to cover him, making him a dangerous weapon in the passing game.

JUSTIN JACKSON, RB NORTHWESTERN

On the tape, Jackson doesn’t look like a top-notch athlete. At the combine, he proved to everyone that he has the short area quickness and the burst to be effective at the NFL level. Daryl Richardson and Taiwan Jones are both on his athleticism chart. These are two tall slender backs who also have some speed. Jackson has four straight 1,000 yards seasons at Northwestern and he was heavily used in the passing game. He’s a very cerebral player who has the potential to carve out a role with an NFL team.

SONY MICHEL, RB GEORGIA

Alvin Kamara and Marlon Mack are two extremely talented players from last year’s draft class. Athletically, Michel is a similar archetype as those two players. Coming out of high-school he was rated a five-star recruit. Many recruiting sites had him ranked ahead of his teammate Nick Chubb. Michel is one of those backs who can do a little bit of everything and it’s not a surprise that he left the combine with high marks on his athletic profile.

RASHAAD PENNY, RB SAN DIEGO STATE

Even though he led the nation in rushing, he’s still hiding in the shadows of this draft class. C.J. Prosise, Damien Williams, and Chris Ivory are his notable athletic comps. Like the rest of the top running backs in this draft class, Penny has the ideal size adjusted speed to be a three-down back. It appears that he will be drafted anywhere in the second to the third round which will make him a tremendous value.

BO SCARBROUGH, RB ALABAMA

Injuries slowed down Scarbrough’s career, limiting his production at the college level. However, he’s very impressive to watch when he’s healthy. At the combine, he posted a 4.52 40-yard dash while weighing 228-pounds. He could be a dark horse in rookie drafts this year.

AKRUM WADLEY, RB IOWA

Wadley is another satellite back in this draft who has garnered a lot of attention. His splash plays and his ability to juke by defenders has made him a favorite amongst proverbial film grinders. However, his 4.54 40-yard dash at 194-pounds did not help his draft stock. Players who weigh less than 200 pounds are more likely to find success if they run in the low 4.4s or better. His long speed is a major concern. Wadley also skipped out on the three-cone drill, so we don’t have a true measurement of his short area quickness.

MARK WALTON, RB MIAMI

I did not expect Walton to set the track on fire at the combine, therefore his 4.6 40-yard dash wasn’t a surprise. He’s a very elusive back who knows how to make defenders miss in the open field. Andre Ellington and James White both compare to him athletically. Walton could establish himself as a third-down back in a committee at the next level.

This is a once in a lifetime time running back class. We have Saquon Barkley who is an ultra-rare specimen, along with four to five other backs who could develop into bell cow backs. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are multiple rookie running backs finishing in the top ten next year. This infusion of talent will definitely change the landscape at running back for years to come.

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Bruce Matson

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

I'm a financial counselor for a hospital in South Central Ohio. I graduated from Muskingum University with a bachelor's in business while minoring in Economics and Accounting. I won my first fantasy football title with Jake Plummer as my quarterback.