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The New York Giants are all set with their running back options, right? Saquon Barkley is coming off of one of the best rookie seasons for a runner in NFL history, and Wayne Gallman has proven to be an effective change-up who should probably be used more.
However, running backs are a dime-a-dozen and it never hurts to bring a few extra into camp and see what happens. It is possible that the Giants could want to bring in another late-round or UDFA back to compete with Gallman and Robert Martin. If so, they might look at LSU running back Nick Brossette. Brossette certainly isn’t the collegiate star that Leonard Fournette and Darius Guice were, but his game is well-rounded (resembling that of Orleans Darkwa), and his attitude could catch the coaches’ eye.
Measurables
Pros
- Prototypical build for an NFL running back.
- Hard-nosed, no-nonsense runner.
- Shows some elusiveness near the line of scrimmage.
- Solid vision when going north-south.
- Willing pass protector and solid hands as a receiver.
- Highly regarded by coaches as a “team-first” player.
Cons
- One-speed runner. Doesn’t have the burst or second gear to run away from defenders.
- North-South, one-cut runner. Best in inside zone or man-gap schemes.
- Can show some hesitancy behind the LOS if running lanes are clogged.
- Does several things well enough, but nothing truly special.
Numbers Of Note
Advanced analytics from Dan Pizzuta
Among 50 running backs with at least 200 carries this season, Brossette’s 14.2 percent broken tackle rate ranked 43rd, per Sports Info Solutions. His 25.8 percent first down rate ranked 39th. However, he did run behind a line ranked 81st in Adjusted Line Yards, per Football Outsiders.
Prospect Video
What They’re Saying
“Brossette is balanced enough as a player to provide a capable option on all three downs, but nothing about his skill set will be considered special or irreplaceable. He looks like a day three pick that will need to shine on special teams to ensure his spot on the depth chart.”
- The Draft Network (draft profile)
Does He Fit The Giants?
Probably not.
The Giants should be all set at running back between Saquon Barkley and Wayne Gallman. If anything, they underused Gallman throughout the season in an effort to get Barkley touches. Brossette is a one-speed, one-cut runner who can make a defender miss at the line of scrimmage on occasion, but nothing about his game truly stands out. He has some burst behind the line of scrimmage, but not better than Gallman, and while he can pick up chunk yardage when it is mostly blocked for him, he can’t make it happen on his own.
Coaches will love the attitude that made him a great teammate waiting his turn behind Leonard Fournette and Darius Guice, and he offers enough physically to earn looks. He will likely catch on somewhere and could be a solid option as a number two or number three back. But with Barkley, Gallman, Paul Perkins (he’s still around), and Robert Martin already in-house, that somewhere probably isn’t with the Giants.