2016 NFL Draft: Will Peyton Barber be the next late round running back to thrive in the NFL? Find out why he has a chance to be in the Peyton Barber scouting report.
You hear it every year, “you can get good running backs late in the draft”. To a degree, that statement is true. However, I would alter it a bit to say that good running backs can be found late in the draft to fill a specific role. Peyton Barber is one of those late round backs with a specific skill set that an NFL team could utilize. That skill set is that of a power back, the kind of guy you put in on the goal line and just let him out physical opposing tacklers.
Combine
40 yard dash – 4.64 seconds
Bench press – 20 reps
Vertical jump – 32.5 inches
Broad jump – 111 inches
3 cone drill – 7.00 seconds (best among RBs)
20 yard shuttle – 4.21 seconds (best among RBs)
60 yard shuttle – 11.65 seconds
Strengths
Barber has excellent foot speed. He uses these quick feet to make clean cuts and slip through cracks in the offensive line. He combines his ability to get through tight spaces with good vision to find the hole. Overall, he’s a very nice package of finding space and wiggling through it to pick up yards. These are great, and somewhat rare, traits for a short yardage back to have.
Barber is also a pretty physical runner. He has some pop and can handle a workhorse share of carries. He’s a north and south style runner which goes perfectly with his ability to find space and punch opponents in the mouth.
Weaknesses
Barber is not a great runner per say. He doesn’t have great burst, often times being brought down at the line of scrimmage because he isn’t quick enough to hit the hole. He also lacks balance which limits his elusiveness to next to zero.
Barber’s strength is his physicality, but he’s not overwhelmingly powerful. He will lower the shoulder and break some tackles, this isn’t a kid who will carry multiple defenders for several yards. In terms of NFL powerBarber is decent, but not great.
Overview
Barber has potential to be a short yardage running back in the NFL. His quick feet, good vision, and physical nature make his the ideal style to pick up those tough yards at the next level. However, Barber isn’t a true powerhouse who will just run everybody over. And because his other skills are so lacking, if he doesn’t make it as a short yardage guy then he probably won’t make it at all.