Paul James, RB, Rutgers: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report

After an injury plagued collegiate career, can Paul James make some noise before the NFL Draft?

No prospect in the draft seemingly had a tougher time with injuries than Paul James throughout his time as a Scarlet Knight.

The senior running back battled injuries time and time again during his collegiate career, costing him what many thought would be a memorable tenure at Rutgers.

Does James still have a future in the NFL? Let’s take a look at his draft stock.

Vitals

Sep 6, 2014; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Paul James (34) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of their game against the Howard Bison at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /

Ht: 6-0

Wt: 215 pounds

Class: Senior

Hometown: Glassboro, NJ

Strengths

James has the size to make it as a professional running back. He runs very much like Ryan Mathews of the Philadelphia Eagles. Although he obviously has a ways to go to be considered on Mathews’ level, James has quick feet, keeps his body squared, and stays balanced through contact.

The hard-running former Rutgers standout can also get upfield in a hurry and was consistently a viable option coming out of the backfield for the Scarlet Knights.

Weaknesses

To keep it short and to the point: James is a project player. His past is marred with injuries and they’ve slowly torpedoed his draft stock. James will have to prove to professional teams that he can not only stay healthy, but can remain so throughout a full NFL season, training camp and all.

Verdict

A plethora of injuries zapped James of a promising collegiate career. He never showcased any consistency at Rutgers until his senior year, when the team used a running back by committee approach, and even then he still missed a couple of games due to injury.

James certainly has a future in the NFL and some team will still take a flier on him, it just might not be until the draft is over.

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