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The New York Giants don’t need to draft a running back highly. Not with the presence of Saquon Barkley on the roster. And with Javorius Allen and Wayne Gallman on the roster as well, the team is probably set for depth.
But they were players added for a previous coaching staff. What if the Giants’ new staff wants to fill out the depth chart behind Barkley with their guys? There are a few strategies to take to back up a complete back like Barkley. The Giants could look for another complete back who can spell Barkley and run the same plays. Or they could look for a back who is a specialist, a niche player who does one thing very well.
Illinois running back Reggie Corbin will never be a “complete” running back, but he does bring rare quickness, agility, burst, and speed to the position. And after years of watching Darren Sproles, LeSean McCoy, and now Boston Scott make their defenders look as though they’re playing in slow motion, perhaps the Giants will want to add as similar skill set with a late-round pick?
Prospect: Reggie Corbin, RB, Illinois
Games Watched: vs. South Florida (2018), vs. Michigan (2019), vs. Wisconsin (2019), vs Cal (2019)
Red Flags: None
Measurables
Height: 5081 (5-feet, 8 1/8 inches)
Weight: 199 pounds
Arm Length: 29 3/8 inches
Hand Size: 8”
Stats
Games Played: 43
Yards: 2,704
Carries: 375
Rushing Yards (YPC): 2,361 (6.3 per carry)
Receptions (yards/ypc): 38 (343 yards, 9.0 yards per catch)
Touchdowns: 18
Quick Summary
Best: Agility, quickness, speed, vision, receiving, toughness
Worst: Size, strength
Projection: A rotation running back in a zone blocking scheme which uses RBs as receiving weapons.
Game Tape
Full Report
Corbin has rare quickness, agility, and burst to go with good speed for the position. Corbin is a patient runner behind the line of scrimmage, letting his blocking develop before picking a running lane. He shows good vision, seeing defenders and holes at the line of scrimmage well, as well as showing the willingness to follow his blockers. That patience extends beyond the line of scrimmage as well, with Corbin frequently running at less than full speed to make use of his blocks for as long as possible. He has very good quickness, lateral agility, balance, and burst, and is remarkably elusive as a ball carrier. Corbin shows a good burst and top-end speed to break off chunk plays after finding running room or making defenders miss.
Corbin is a good receiver, capable of being a check-down option out of the back field, attacking downfield out of the backfield and lining up as a receiver. He gets into his routes quickly and shows reliable hands catching the ball.
He also shows rare competitive toughness, routinely looking to finish runs despite his lack of size and doesn’t hesitate to square up against (much) bigger defenders in pass protection.
Corbin’s size is his primary drawback as running back. He has good balance but can be knocked by blows from bigger defenders, and while he is a physical runner and looks to finish runs behind his pads, he lacks the mass to be much of a factor as a “power” runner. Likewise, he is a willing blocker, but is rarely able to slow defenders. Corbin’s size could fall below some team’s minimum thresholds.
Overall Grade: 5.8 - Lacks ideal traits to be a starter, but has a skill set to earn a niche role on an offense and as a special teams contributor. A Day 3 value [Grading Scale]
Projection
Corbin projects best as a secondary running back in for an offense that needs to compliment a power element with speed. He would likely be best in a running attack that uses zone blocking schemes as well as utilizes running backs as weapons in the passing game. He should not be relied upon to help as a pass blocker, but can be an asset for an offense in “scat” protection, being used as a receiving option to attack blitzes or to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hands before the pass rush can arrive.