2015 Senior Bowl: Ranking the Running Back Prospects
By Joe Wedra
Quite possibly the most underrated scouting tool of this year’s NFL Draft process is the great event the folks at the 2015 Senior Bowl are going to be putting on in Mobile, AL.
The week-long event features several televised practices, followed by the game at 4:00 ET on January 24th – televised on the NFL Network.
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Today, we’ll rank and break down the running back prospects currently scheduled to attend this year’s event.
5: David Johnson, Northern Iowa (FCS)
When you turn on the tape, it sure feels like Johnson should be committed to play in this game as a tight end, not an RB out of the backfield.
The 6’1″, 215 back had massive production in the FCS that included several impressive games as a pass-catcher (c/o UNI stats):
287 carries, 1553 yards, 17 TD, 110 yards per game
38 catches, 536 yards, 2 TD
Johnson has a big-bodied build that that lacks elite long speed. While he can block and make big plays out of the backfield, he’s extremely underwhelming as a power runner that we look for when a guy doesn’t run 4.4 40-yard dash.
An H-back role in the NFL looks likely for Johnson; his Senior Bowl workouts should solidify that.
4: David Cobb, Minnesota
Cobb brings a physical style of play that often provides flashes of Marshawn Lynch. It’s a lofty comparison, but one that often pops up on film.
With decent height and a stockier build, Cobb uses his physical body-type to be a workhorse up the middle. Minnesota had a tendancy to pound the rock on offense, something they could do often with Cobb.
His impressive production with the Golden Gophers is largely attributed to his NFL-style. He lacks the flashy, Oregon-style speed, but makes up for it with impressive skills to simply take on defenders.
Because he isn’t as polished in every area – including pass blocking, one that stands out – he’ll probably grade out to roughly a 4th round grade. An impressive Senior Bowl performance can help his stock stabilize.
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3. Jeremy Langford, Michigan State
Sticking with the theme of Big 10 running backs, Langford is also a prospect that brings impressive size and physicality to a position in the NFL that has gotten away from the “ground and pound style”.
He’s been able to impress talent-evaluators with, for his size, fantastic athleticism. The Spartans offense was able to use him early and often in games due to his versatility and toughness on the ground.
With Langford, you’ll sometimes get comparisons to a playing style of Jerome Bettis. Langford doesn’t have the total package that “The Bus” possessed, but there’s definitely a similarity that stands out when he has the ball in his hands.
Unlike other guys in this class, the 6’1″ back does the little things well and could end up being one of the more complete prospects looked at. Like Cobb, I’d expect Langford to be an early third-day pick that could sneak into the end of the second round.
2. Cameron Artis-Payne, Auburn
If anybody in this running back class should be on “sleeper alert”, Artis-Payne is the guy to watch.
During his impressive 2014 run with the Tigers, he was able to pick up 1,600 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
What NFL teams are going to enjoy about Artis-Payne is his ability to hit the hole with great burst. His bowling ball-like stature looks even more impressive when he can effectively turn on the jets between the tackles and make a big play.
His open-field ability is aided by his impressive athleticism and good feet. He’s truly a rare mix of size and playmaking ability. A strong Senior Bowl performance can only help NFL teams’ view of this SEC star.
With everything considered, Artis-Payne will probably receive 3rd-4th round attention from RB-needy teams.
1. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
This one is pretty cut-and-dried. Abdullah has countless traits that NFL teams are looking for, and some team might just fall in love when they see him live at the Senior Bowl.
His 2014 season solidified what most evaluators saw on tape to start with: he’s simply an all-effort back that uses his legs well to completely change games.
He may be slightly behind the Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurleys of the world, but there will be a team early in the second round that is going to jump at the opportunity to add Abdullah to their arsenal.