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Barry J. Sanders, RB, Oklahoma State: Scouting Report

By Sam Beckenstein

October 3, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Barry Sanders (26) scores a touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Stanford defeated Arizona 55-17. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
October 3, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Barry Sanders (26) scores a touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Stanford defeated Arizona 55-17. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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The son of NFL great, Barry Sanders, Barry J. Sanders played three seasons at Stanford before announcing his intent to transfer to Oklahoma State under the graduate transfer rule. A smart move as he would’ve served under Heisman runner-up Christian McCaffrey.

Sanders played in 12 games last season carrying the ball 51 times for 315 and four scores. He had a 115 carries, for 672 yards, and five touchdowns, and looks to jump right into the Cowboys fast paced offense next season.

Sanders will definitely step into a better situation in Stillwater where no rusher on the team went for over 600 yards. He figures to see a significant increase in playing time if he can learn Mike Gundy’s offense.

Measurables:

Height 5’10”

Weight 198 pounds

Games Watched:

2015-  Oregon State, California

Strengths:

Sanders isn’t afraid of his father’s massive shadow, he embraces it with confidence that he will make a name for himself.

He has good burst, and an extra gear once he gets into open space. Sanders has a good ability to run outside the tackles and bounce runs outside. He has good vision as a runner, and doesn’t get sucked into closing holes.

Deceptive power for a smaller running back, showed on a couple of bruising runs against Oregon State. He’s good at shedding tackles down field, and showed some upside in pass blocking. Used mostly in sweeps, and zone reads from the tape I saw.

Weaknesses:

Not enough reps, he saw only 115 touches in the time he has been at Stanford in three years of playing time. He isn’t a high volume pass catcher out of the backfield with only 12 passes caught in three years for only 89 yards.

Not a big presence at the line of scrimmage, went down easily at the line. He runs very straight up, and that doesn’t slide at the next level. Usage primarily on runs outside the tackles and reads could make for a hard transition to the NFL, especially after a stop at Oklahoma State.

Overview:

There are a lot of question marks surrounding Barry J. Sanders considering his sample size is very small, and it may not grow any more in Stillwater if he can’t earn time. The lack of tape, and the hurry up no huddle skill set don’t bode well for his draft stock right now. His upside is undeniable, but he’s not worth even a day two selection at the moment due to his status as a project.

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