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Good running backs available in later portion of 2018 NFL Draft

NFL Draft Report looks at running back options deep into the draft

Oregon v Washington
Royce Freeman
Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

The NFL Draft Report takes a look at that the current crop of talent available who could hear their names called during the draft’s third through seventh rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft.,

These prospects are hoping to sneak into Round 3.

Royce Freeman - Oregon

Scouting Analysis... Freeman possesses a fine blend of power and size to carry the brunt of the rushing load. He may lack explosive speed, but he is quick out of his stance, building acceleration nicely to get past the line of scrimmage. He is not the type of back that will try to elude the defender in the open, but has the raw power to easily break arm tackles. He makes sharp cuts and shows good vision for the cutback lanes and has the lower body strength to move the pile.

The thing you see on film is the way he consistently bounces off tackles, thanks to his thick upper body frame and thrust off the snap. He keeps his feet on the move and has a decent burst to clear trash. His balance and foot quickness, along with loose hips, lets him consistently redirect on the move. He is a durable athlete who has never missed game action due to injuries.

Freeman has the vision to quickly locate the cutback lanes and the patience to allow his blocks to develop. He is one of the more alert runners in the 2018 draft class and has had to be very creative as he operates behind a suspect offensive line (generally has to create his own running room). He is alert to the blitz and does a nice job of protecting the pocket in passing situations.

Freeman takes plays from the chalkboard to the playing field with no problems. He is an excellent block reader, showing decisiveness when the hole develops. It is rare to see him cut too early and he does a nice job of managing to slip his body through tight areas. His receiving skills make him a dangerous target underneath and his straight-line power makes it hard for the initial tackler to contain him. He gives good effort on every play, whether running or catching the ball.

Freeman won’t suddenly explode through the rush lanes, but he can come out of his stance quickly and builds his acceleration nicely to clear the line of scrimmage. He runs with good body lean and balance and gets to top speed nicely when running into the second level. His in-stride quickness and body control allow him to adjust his direction to reach the cutback lane. He has a valid short burst to surprise a lethargic defender, but his speed is more evident in the hole and after initial contact.

Freeman can get to top speed quickly and he has shown a better second gear to break it open for long runs. He has good balance and a smooth running stride in space and has enough competitive speed to take the ball into the second level.

Freeman is a very patient runner and it is rare to see him not set up his blocks. He has the peripheral vision to scan the field and make smooth in-stride adjustments to separate and he is very quick to find the cutback lane. He is very good at anticipating the defensive coverage and excels at reading the blocks in front of him. You can see on 2014 game film his ability to locate the cutback lanes and his feel for letting his blocks develop.

Freeman hits the holes with good stride and strength, keeping his pads down and sinking his weight to fluidly redirect. He follows his blockers well and his body lean and balance lets him break the initial tackle and he shows the awareness for knowing when to pick and slide. His short area burst is functional enough for him to use to bounce outside when the rush lanes are clogged. When he keeps his pads down, he is tough to contain in the inside running lanes.

Freeman compensates for a lack of explosive speed with his balance and vision, as he is very good at setting up the defender with his initial juke move. He won’t win many foot races down the sidelines though, as he still needs to show he has the pure speed to turn the corner. His best outside runs have come from starting up field and bouncing outside with a short area burst. His body control and balance is forceful enough that defenders have to change their pursuit angles.

Freeman won’t shock smaller, faster defenders out of their cleats, but vs. the linebackers and linemen, he is very good at executing hard, precise cuts to get the opponent off balance. He won’t constantly shift his weight in attempts to separate, but has the power to drive through tackles. He is very precise stepping in and out of holes and when he can’t avoid tacklers, he utilizes his juke moves and leg drive to power through.

Freeman consistently finishes his runs with good balance and forward body lean. He won’t pulverize a defender, but has the strength and pad level to break initial tackles for additional yardage. He does a good job of keeping his pads down in order to drive through the opponent while keeping his balance. He has shown that he is capable of being a hard runner in space and is one of the better backs at gaining yards after initial contact.

While used mostly on short area routes, Freeman has the natural hands and extension to get to the ball outside his frame and at its high point. You would hope that the offense would let him line up wide for a few plays, as he is good to come out of his breaks and makes sharp open field cuts. He has ease of movement extending for the ball and shows no flinch competing for the pass in a crowd. He keeps his feet on the move and does a nice job of adjusting to the ball in flight.

Compares To...David Johnson-Arizona Cardinals

NCAA Football: Sun Bowl-Arizona State vs North Carolina State Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

Nyheim Hines - North Carolina State

Career Notes...Hines is an interesting prospect who lends credence to that saying - big things come in small packages. A change-of-pace back whose greatest success has been on special teams, the junior ranks fifth in school history with 1,702 career kickoff return yards, despite playing in just 25 games during his career. Since joining the program, he has registered the seventh-best kickoff return average in school annals (25.4) and went on to amass 2,770 all-purpose yards.

One of the most versatile performers in this draft class, Hines is also being viewed as a wide receiver option by NFL teams. He has performed well in any task the Wolfpack coaches ask from him - running back, wide receiver, kick returner, punt returner and track star. It is his exploits on the track that translates well to the football field, as he is blessed with impressive explosiveness and production that he highlighted during his breakout campaign in 2017, his first full season at running back.

Scouting Analysis...Teams looking for a change-of-pace type of player with excellent receiving and kickoff return skills are certain to consider Hines on the third day of the draft. Blessed with excellent speed, but short in stature and lacking in ideal strength (11 reps in the bench press during Pro Day), Hines is not an every down player, but he has proven he can line wide, in the slot or come out of the backfield to move the chains as a receiver.

Hines runs with those natural football instincts and has great vision to locate the cutback lanes. He has the body control to readily adjust on the move and shows the hip swerve to bounce off tackles and avoid defenders. He shows excellent balance, flexibility and agility, especially when he generates that burst to quickly reach his top-end speed. He has that pitter-patter stepping style when changing direction that will usually leave second level defenders grabbing at air.

Hines is explosive out of the blocks and consistently brings suddenness getting into the crease. You can also see that he has the ability to run and make sharp cuts, thanks to his above average change of direction agility. He can gain advantage with his sudden movements and is quick to avoid.

The Wolfpack weapon knows how to utilize his excellent balance, body control and change of direction skills to elude second level defenders. He runs at a low pad level and has the vision to locate and anticipate openings working inside, along with a nice feel for the cutback lanes. As long as he continues to work on using and setting up his blocks, he is a dangerous threat to break it open and go long distances.

Where Hines is a liability is when he’s needed to execute power moves, as he is often engulfed by bigger defenders when trying to navigate in a crowd and he lacks any sort of power to move forward for extra yardage after the initial hit. He has good vision and the excellent ability to pick and slide and accelerate in the crease, but if a defender gets a piece of his jersey, he will likely go down from that first hit.

Hines has very good balance, but lacks a strong forward body lean to pick up additional yardage after initial contact. When he finds the seams, he runs hard and with good urgency. For a player his size, he is just not strong enough running up the gut. He runs with quick footwork to pick his way into the second level, but he will never be a player who will have the strength to push the pile, having to rely upon his sudden movements when trying to cut back.

Hines has the speed to win most foot races and that quickness also allows the staff to line him up all over the backfield (shotgun, pistol, wildcat formations). He bounces outside with suddenness and has outside vision, especially when trying to pick and slide. He has exceptional acceleration after turning the corner and is quite elusive in space, as opponents know he can take the ball the distance.

Hines is used mostly on controlled routes, but in opportunities lining wide, he shows Percy Harvin-like ability to get into his route and get behind the defender. Even on screens and flats, he knows how to avoid contact. He has the speed and balance to run crisp routes and can separate on all levels. Even when used on screens, he is hard for defenders to find. He keeps showing steady improvement and has the concept and natural feel for running routes, so much so, he could see some action as a slot receiver at the next level.

Hines is a masterful kickoff returner, but don’t regard him as strictly a returner, though. He catches the ball with good confidence and with his speed and quick burst, the possibility of him becoming an elite returner at the next level is evident. He shows elusiveness and vision in the open and runs with toughness and speed to take kicks back the entire distance.

Compares To...Darren Sproles-Philadelphia Eagles

John Kelly - Tennessee

Scouting Analysis...Kelly has decent initial quickness and timed speed, but it is his body control and balance in his running stride that really stands out. He keeps his pad level low to generate solid lower body power in attempts to break tackles. He builds to top acceleration and runs with a normal stride. He has adequate change of direction agility and does a good job of twisting and adjusting his body on the move.

The Volunteer doesn’t have the breakaway speed to pull away from the pile, but his balance and strength let him run over and through the initial tackle when he keeps his pads down. When he tends to get erect and high in his stance, he can be pushed back through the rush lanes. He is more of a north-south runner than a shake-and-bake type, but is consistent in keeping his feet upon contact.

Kelly is effective at varying his speed and setting up defenders with his moves rather than generating suddenness off the snap. He has a good short area burst, but not the sustained speed to threaten in the deep secondary. He can effectively gain valid yardage past the line of scrimmage, but it is more due to his balance and strength rather than explosion.

The junior shows a strong stiff-arm to defeat the initial tackle, but lacks the wiggle and shake to elude. He can build to top speed nicely, but it is not enough to be considered a valid breakaway threat. Still, he has above average balance, doing a nice job of squeezing through tight areas. He shows the vision to quickly recognize coverage and has a good feel for the defender and the power to run through his opponent. He has a natural feel for cutback lanes and the instincts to know when to redirect and bounce outside. He won’t generate any special moves to create much space on his own, but has the leg drive to gain valid yardage on the move.

Kelly did not have fumbling issues until late in his junior year. He generally displays good hands, but most of his fumbles came when he failed to distribute the ball away from the defender when trying to bounce wide or when he got too erect punching the ball up the middle. He just seemed to be a little careless running through traffic in 2017.

Kelly comes out of his stance with decent initial quickness, as he shows a good forward body lean through the rush lanes, but he does tend to get high in his stance at times, causing him to get pushed back through the creases, despite obvious leg strength to break tackles. He is effective at varying his speed and setting up defenders with his moves rather than generating suddenness off the snap. He has a good short area burst, but not the sustained speed to threaten in the deep secondary. He can effectively gain valid yardage past the line of scrimmage, but it is more due to his balance and strength rather than explosion.

Kelly has the agility to bounce to the outside. He won’t win long distance races, but has enough of a functional initial burst to at least move the chains consistently. He is not the most explosive when trying to reach and turn the corner, but has that natural vision to locate the short area’s soft spots and clear lanes. He can accelerate some on his cuts, but is just adequate taking the ball long distances.

Kelly doesn’t have the “make you miss” moves in the open, but relies more on balance to gain yardage after initial contact. He is more comfortable as one who can execute nifty moves to elude. He has the vision to adjust and the awareness to recognize coverage. He has functional lateral quickness, but it is rare to see him juke and disappear from the pile turning the corner. He is better off setting up tacklers and running off his blocks, as he has the leg drive, foot balance and hip snap to be more effective.

While Kelly has been productive as a safety valve receiver, he has been used mostly on controlled routes, screens and dump-offs. He is not fast enough to be lined wide and not considered a threat to attack the secondary. He just won’t be involved in complex patterns, but does a good job of reading defenses to settle in underneath. He needs to run sharper routes to be considered more than a safety valve receiver and must generate better hip snap to get in and out of his breaks cleanly than he has displayed.

Kelly does not show much interest to face up when blocking. He generates a strong hand punch and solid placement to sustain, but needs to be more alert to stunts and blitzes in pass protection, as he absorbs more than delivers when blocking there. He is just not going to go out of his way to take on the defensive linemen or try to seek out second level defenders as a cut blocker.

Compares To...Corey Clement-Philadelphia Eagles


Day 3 candidates

Josh Adams - Notre Dame

Scouting Analysis...The right foot injury that hindered him late in the 2017 season and also prevented Adams from participating in agility tests at the Combine have seemed to have cleared up, at least based on his Pro Day performance numbers listed above. Adams was expected to leave school for the NFL after the 2017 season, but was hoping to not have the second half slump due to his right foot issues.

Adams possesses good but not great speed to get to the edge. His best ability as an outside runner is his vision to identify opening holes. He has enough burst and power to run through tight areas and shows decisive cutting ability. He just doesn’t waste time looking for the “perfect” rush lane, but can make defenders miss in tight quarters with good lateral agility.

Adams’s nagging injuries late in 2017 might have attributed to him not demonstrating his normal that sudden initial burst and good stop-&-go action that he showed as a freshman. He does do a decent job of maintaining balance and accelerates out of his breaks well. He is a hard working, blue collar type who is quick to digest the playbook, doing a nice job of taking those plays from the chalkboard to the field.

Adams is a mentally tough character who will do whatever task the coaches ask. He is a quick study on the football field, picking his spots well, when he sees a crease in the defensive coverage. He needs more than a few steps to get into gear and reach his top speed. He is not overly quick, but has a smooth stride that allows him to eat up yardage. He needs to attack the inside holes with better authority (likes to bounce outside) and stop dancing so much in the backfield before choosing a hole, though. He has the change of direction burst and balance to fluidly bounce outside, showing precise cutting ability, but lacks an efficient second gear.

When Adams turns the corner, his balance and body control allow him to do so without having to throttle down, but he is not going to be able to explode past an opponent working on the edge. He needs to hit the hole with more authority and sometimes must to be more patient waiting for holes to develop. He shows good vision and change of direction agility moving around in the backfield, but might be better served lowering his pads, squaring his shoulders and trying to power through tackles, rather than try to dance around them. He shows good anticipation in the second level, but was not as quick to find the seam to break through for long runs as a sophomore and junior like he did in the past.

Adams does not have the acceleration to separate from the pack when turning the corner to get into the open. He stays low in his pads and is a deceptive runner, but lacks suddenness, as this allows defenders to chase him down once he gets into the second level. He can surprise a lethargic defender with his head and shoulder fakes.

Adams is more of a finesse-type runner than a power back, despite his size. He needs to stop dancing so much in the backfield, as he might have good weight room strength, but not enough to push the pile and get through traffic. He runs hard, with a good pad level when near contact, but needs to show better body lean in attempts to fall forward. When he gets too tall in his stance, he can get knocked back, as his base will narrow.

The Fighting Irish junior has become a decent weapon catching the ball out of the backfield. He is a good hands catcher who will extend to catch outside his frame. He is used mostly on screens, but his hands are of a receiver’s quality, as he can snatch, turn and accelerate without having to gather. He has not been used much on deep routes, but with his leaping ability and hands, he appears capable of combating defenders for the ball on deep patterns.

Adams is not used much as a lead blocker, but shows good form attacking defenders in pass protection. He is quick to locate stunts and games, even when aligned deep in the backfield. He shows good hand placement when facing up and knows how to angle in the second level when trying to cut block. He uses his blocks well and does a good job of keeping his feet under him on the move. He has good avoidance skills to get to level two. He might get caught from behind at times in the open, but shows good bounce attempting to cut back

The junior squares to the target and strikes with arms properly extended, never letting them get too far outside his frame. His hip snap lets him get out on the edge to help the offensive tackles with the speedier pass rushers and he also looks to get a piece of the defender. He lacks that second gear and great balance turning the corner to compensate for not having explosive speed (more quick than fast).

Adams has shown good patience to let the toss develop, but does not have that sudden burst through the seam or ability to turn the outside corner. There is no gather in his cuts and he shows good ability to square up and drag defenders for extra yardage in the open field, but can be chased down from behind.

Compares To...D’Onta Foreman-Houston Texans

Bo Scarbrough - Alabama

Scouting Analysis...Scarbrough has good pick-&-vision ability and does a nice job of sliding through the hole, but is more of a between-the-tackles type, as he has only average acceleration and long speed. He will rely more on power to gain yardage after initial contact rather than utilizing his hip swerve and wiggle to elude. He runs over his feet with good base and balance.

Scarbrough sets up his blocks well, has above average field vision and displays a natural feel for the running lanes, generating a good surge to move the pile. He is more nimble than elusive, preferring to use his pile moving ability to gain additional yardage. He hits the holes with good force. He stays at a low pad level and knows how to lower a shoulder to push the defender out when going up the crease.

Scarbrough gets very good success when he uses a good stiff arm and his upper body power to beat arm tackles while maintaining good ball security heading up the gut. He might deliver a fancy head fake or shoulder shake to escape a first level defender, but despite his timed speed, he’s not really effective bouncing to the corner and finding daylight for a big run.

The Crimson Tide performer needs to show better lateral range in this area, but is productive as a downhill type. He demonstrates good balance, and nifty pick-&-slide agility, as he seems decisive locating cutbacks. He’s become more effective since he learned how to pick his way through trash (was susceptible to low tackles at the feet earlier in 2016). He runs behind his pads with above average power.

Scarbrough knows how to power it up the gut. He does a nice job of keeping his pads down at initial contact and has the leg drive to run over second level defenders. His lower leg drive lets him “thump it up” when having to move the pile, showing the body control to easily stiff arm without having to rebuild his acceleration after the hit. He’s a “meat-&-potatoes” runner – nothing fancy and takes what the defense gives.

Scarbrough has good hands to catch outside his frame, doing a nice job settling underneath and can easily turn and run over smaller opponents in attempts to separate and gain additional yards after the grab. With his speed, he can create mismatches flexed out wide vs. corners and safeties.

Still, the Tide system does not utilize their backs much as receiving options.

Used mostly as a check-down receiver, Scarbrough is capable of swinging out of the backfield for the extended pluck and also has good ability for settling under screens. He has even had success when lined up as a bubble receiver on those screens. He runs sharp routes underneath and catches in stride without having to rebuild his acceleration. There is not a lot of wiggle here, but he is fast and runs with authority. He can be powerful when he runs with low a pad level.

Scarbrough squares his shoulders quickly despite often taking hand-offs at an angle toward the line of scrimmage. His vision and patience are impressive and he has excellent cut-back ability and change-of-direction skills for a player his size. He does a solid job of bursting to the line of scrimmage and pressing the hole. He is a north/south guy who wastes no time dancing in the backfield and has nimble feet in the hole.

However, Scarbrough does not always take the hand-off clean as if he has not been taught how to open the cradle yet keep his eyes forward. Overall, Scarbrough is an impressive athlete that would be at his best in a scheme that features a lot of two-back formation sets where he can press the hole and run downhill, but despite impressive athletic ability, he seems to lack that franchise back mentality and seems more suited for a back-up role.

Compares To...T.J. Yeldon-Jacksonville Jaguars

Kalen Ballage - Arizona State

Scouting Analysis...Ballage has impressive strength, outstanding balance and quickness with that uncanny vision and awareness to quickly find the holes. The problem is keeping him on the field, as he was pretty banged up at times the last two seasons. He has the hip snap to easily change direction and shift gears, generating a sudden burst out of his cuts. His body control lets him pick his way through trash and he keeps his feet after contact. He is very effective at making the initial tackler miss and at anticipating the opponent’s moves (gained 67% of his yardage after initial contact).

Ballage has a lot of “old school” in him, as he runs over his feet with good base and balance. He sets up his blocks well, has above average field vision and displays a natural feel for the running lanes. He can find the hole in an instant and will cutback fluidly, showing a nice bounce in his step. He has that instinctive feel and vision to spot even the slightest of crease and unlike a lot of young backs, has the patience of a veteran when it comes to following his blocks.

The ball carrier hits it up hard between the tackles and is an above average pick-and-slide runner with great body lean. He can cut on a dime when he locates the hole and has good vision and burst through the inside, generating a good surge to move the pile.

Ballage can accelerate into the hole in an instant, taking no wasted steps. He has great balance and outstanding lateral agility for a big man. He shows a good short area burst of speed and while he can be run down going long distances, he is too much of a load for a secondary defender to bring down in man coverage.

The Sun Devil has a good short burst through the holes and excellent acceleration, along with that necessary second gear to easily pull away from second level opponents. There are times when he will rely more on power to gain yardage after initial contact rather than utilizing his hip swerve and wiggle to elude, but he is nimble moving his feet and can simply take the ball to the house if he finds the open lane.

Ballage is a runaway freight train once he lowers his pads and kicks his legs into high gear. He will generally get big yardage after initial contact and runs with good body lean. He rarely misses the open crease and has an explosive burst with the leg drive to break tackles and move the pile. He is strong powering through trash on goal line plays and even when he gets high in his stance, his strength is too much for “ankle” tacklers to contain.

As a receiver, Ballage possesses soft, generally reliable hands out of the backfield. Even though the team did not throw to him much, he appears to be very comfortable catching the ball outside of his frame, extending to pluck it and secure it quickly before worrying about oncoming defenders. He has the speed and fluidity to get open on wheel and quick screens, as well as traditional swing passes.

Still, breaking tackles is perhaps his most impressive trait, as he his old defender’s moxie makes him relish the idea of being the one to initiate the contact rather than the defenders, providing them little to target than his helmet, shoulder and knee pads. He consistently keeps his legs driving through contact and literally runs over some opponents. He also displays a bone-jarring stiff-arm, as well as a nifty spin-off contact move and the ability to leap over defenders attempting to cut his legs out from under him.

Despite limited rushing opportunities (compared to most starting running backs), no one can dispute that Ballage is a determined and competitive runner. He is the type that churns his legs and almost always falls forward at the end of runs. He will makes defenders pay if they gear down along the sidelines, but because of the way he fails to distribute the sphere away from his opponent, ball security can be an issue, as he occasionally dangles the ball wide of his frame.

Ballage has impressive natural instincts and while his overall production in 2017 was not great, he waits for blocks to develop. He does not run up the heels of his offensive line-men, but he also will not get caught dancing around in the backfield. He is starting to develop a good sense of when to hit the cutback lane and when to string runs wide when working behind zone blocking.

Even with his timed speed, Ballage is not overly elusive in space and his change-of-direction skills are adequate-to-good but not elite. However, he’s light on his feet and shows outstanding stop-and-start ability for a bigger back. He can make defenders miss in tight spaces and displays very good body control when turning the corner as a perimeter runner. He can also turn on the jets faster than most his size.

Ballage shows the ability to stick his foot in the ground and accelerate off the cut. He has that upper-echelon burst through the line of scrimmage and a second-gear to bounce inside runs to the outside once he hits the second level.

Compares To...Matt Forte-ex-New York Jets

Akrum Wadley - Iowa

Scouting Analysis...One has to wonder about Wadley’s “shelf life” at the NFL level, at least based on his small frame and obvious lack of strength. Just five of the thirty-two running backs to attend the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine checked in smaller than his 5:09.5 stature and he was the lightest in the group when he stepped on to the scales.

His woeful bench press performance (12 reps at 225 pounds) saw just two of those running backs do worse. His 8 1/4-inch hands were the smallest among the ball carriers (next smallest was nine inches) and his 29 1/2-inch arms were longer than only Arizona State’s Demario Richard 928 3/4-inches). His 71 5/8-inch wingspan also beat out Richard (70 5/8) for the smallest in Indianapolis among the running backs.

Wadley’ decision to wait until 2018 to enter the draft was likely due to the fact that he realizes he will never be a featured ball carrier. His hopes for a roster spot lie possible as a third-down back and with his new-found return skills, as he is really nothing more than a speedy change-of-pace back with solid receiving skills.

Wadley demonstrates average vision and shows a natural feel for cutback lanes. He utilizes his blocks well, but could show more patience at times and will get on blockers’ heels. He is an efficient second-level runner who makes one cut and trusts his speed. It is obvious that he lacks height and ideal strength, but between the white lines he runs decisively and while short in stature, he is well-built and displays a low center of gravity. He has valid initial quickness and sustained speed, displaying a longer stride for a short back. He has the ability to press the hole with urgency and reaches top speed quickly.

Sometimes, his smaller stature is a benefit, as it allows him to dart in and out of traffic without giving defenders a clean shot at him. He does a great job getting “skinny” through the smaller creases of daylight. He sees and hits the cutback just as it opens with great vision and can really stop-start and redirect through traffic on a dime.

Wadley demonstrates average body control, balance and lateral footwork. He’s can be difficult to tackle in space or in a phone booth, as he has enough speed and quickness to take it outside and turn the corner, along with excelling on the cutback. Despite his size, he plays with an aggressive running style and there is little hesitation when he attacks the rush lane, demonstrating good feet and lateral movement.

Wadley squares up quickly and gets North with good burst and balance out of his cuts. He runs with proper forward body lean, as he can coil up on contact and keep his feet churning until he’s on the ground. He will consistently spin in attempts to break arm tackles and is the type of back that can spring out of the pile and rip off a big gainer on any play, if he does not get tagged first.

Wadley lacks any sort of a strong frame, but when he maintains a low running base, it makes it hard for isolated defenders to take him off balance. For a small player, he does a good job of absorbing contact, but can be stalled when attempting forward progress vs. the larger defenders. The main question mark is that his frame might not be able to withstand constant use at the next level.

When he’s been “dinged up” in the past, he took longer than expected to recover and at his size, improving his physical upside is doubtful, He is strictly a change-of-pace type who needs to add polish to his inconsistent receiving game. Until then, the bottom line is that he will have to rely upon his return skills as a reason to secure a roster spot in 2018.

Compares To...DeAndre Washington-Oakland Raiders