2018 Rookie Profile: Sony Michel, RB Georgia

Anthony Santigate Posted On April 5, 2018

For the majority of Sony Michel’s collegiate career, he played second fiddle. In the recruitment process, Michel was outshined by the likes of Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook. As a freshman, Todd Gurley was the big man on campus. When Gurley went down with a knee injury, Nick Chubb exploded onto the scene to the tune of over 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns and became the next great Georgia back.

When Chubb went down with his own knee injury, all Michel did was have one of the more productive rushing careers in Georgia football history. Michel finished his career third on the Georgia all-time rushing list.

THE STATS

screen shot 2018 04 03 at 21.50.51

Statistics from sports-reference.com.

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The American Heritage High School product thrived in his senior season as the change of pace back in Georgia’s offense. Chubb handled the bulk of the carries, while devy crush D’Andre Swift added in extra relief. Michel averaged 7.9 yards per carry in 2017, good for fourth best among FBS running backs. On 67 fewer carries than Chubb, Michel was able to score more touchdowns than his backfield partner.

The potential for #UGA‘s Sony Michel is staggering. pic.twitter.com/y1WOnnuwZ4

— Austin Gayle (@AustinGayle_PFF) December 14, 2017

Despite consistently producing on the field – at least 800 yards in his last three seasons – the former five-star recruit did not gain his national status as one of the NCAA’s best running backs until the final two games of his career; the CFB Playoff game against Oklahoma and the national championship against Alabama.

Michel was unstoppable against Oklahoma, tallying up 222 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on just 15 touches, winning the Rose Bowl MVP. He followed with 98 rushing yards on 11 carries against Alabama, maybe the top defense in the country.

Although the narrative on Michel is that he’ll be a receiving back in the NFL, that was not really the case in college. He did have two semi-productive receiving seasons in 2015 and 2016 but was not always asked to do so in the Georgia offense. In 2017, he only hauled in nine catches, four of which came in the shootout against Oklahoma.

THE MEASURABLES

Simply put, Michel checks all the boxes in this category. At 5’10 5/8″, 214 lbs, he fits into the prototypical three-down running back mold. He has a well-framed, well-muscled body. His 4.54 40-yard dash time matches his game-breaking speed on film. His lateral agility is not the best, but it doesn’t affect his ability to make defenders miss.

THE FILM

Sony Michel vs. Oklahoma in the 2018 Rose Bowl.

Undoubtedly, the first thing that will catch your eye when turning on the film is his explosiveness. Out of the shotgun formation, Michel takes the handoff and hits the first hole he sees with speed and power. Michel is one of those backs who has good vision but doesn’t utilize patience. He succeeds when he’s attacking holes on inside and outside runs but does not wait for his blocks to develop. This exciting, quick-hitting style worked well for him at Georgia behind a stout offensive line and dedicated rushing scheme.

At the line of scrimmage, Michel knows how to run between the tackles and take what he’s given, rarely taking negative plays. Using forward momentum, he takes defenders head on and fights for those first downs. His lateral agility may be a bit lacking but he makes up for it with his speed and decisiveness. In the open field, he opts to outrun his opponents rather than around them. Something I’d like to see him improve on in the league is utilizing his stiff arm against defensive backs to help turn those 20-yard gains into touchdowns.

One thing that sets Michel apart from most running backs in this class is his ability and experience as a third-down back. He did not take snaps at wide receiver but out of the backfield, Michel routinely created separation with a handful of different routes. He keeps his body square at the top of his routes, shakes and usually gets at least one step on the defender. Michel can be a terror on swing routes where he is able to catch the ball in-stride, turn upfield and use that North-South running style that worked so well, a la Tevin Coleman of the Atlanta Falcons.

Pass-blocking won’t get you any fantasy points but it’ll sure earn an NFL RB some added playing time. Watch Sony Michel here. Cut across the formation, identify blitzer and take the hit for his QB. Not every good block is a pancake. pic.twitter.com/TSalTSJO2J

— StatsAre4Losers (@SantigateNFL) March 30, 2018

He is an excellent pass blocker – possibly the best in the class. Michel demonstrated a strong understanding of not only his offense, but the blitz defense. He is comfortable cutting across the formation, identifying the blitzer and taking him on one-on-one. He has the strength and size to stifle smaller defenders but also the determination to sit there and take a hit or throw a cut block and sacrifice his body. Running back coaches in the NFL will love how advanced he is in this aspect.

One thing I think we shouldn’t overlook when evaluating Michel is his experience. He does so many of the little things well that he will be a contributor in the league for a long, long time. Playing in a pro-style offense in a tough SEC conference for four years was not lost on him. His situational awareness is off the charts: he scrambles when his QB scrambles, switches the ball to the correct arm, comes back to block, sells his play action runs, picks up his head to find open space on routes, chips a defensive end when his offensive tackle gets blown back. These won’t show up in the stat sheet but you can bet on it getting Michel more early playing time than some of his peers. Matt Waldman echoed these statements in his evaluation of Michel.

CONCLUSION

The Rose Bowl MVP’s North-South style and explosive speed will be best served in the NFL in a pass-first, one-back spread offense, preferably with a man-blocking scheme. This situation will utilize not only Michel’s receiving ability but also his knack for the big play. Against smaller front-sevens, he’ll be stuffed less and in the open field more. The team that immediately comes to mind is the Detroit Lions. Not only do the Lions fit this description, but they are in need of a running game to take pressure off QB Matthew Stafford.

As most of you well know, Michel will not come at a cheap price in rookie drafts. Currently sitting at 1.04 in DLF Rookie ADP, Michel’s slot will change depending on what team he lands with, as well as when he is drafted. I would be inclined to take him as high as 1.02 in the right spot but also as low as 1.06, if he were to fall in the draft. Sony has the size, the speed, the power, the receiving ability, all the right things you are looking for when investing a first round pick.

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