Philadelphia Eagles: Miles Sanders will be best RB in 2019 NFL Draft class

The Philadelphia Eagles found a gem in second round running back Miles Sanders.

The Philadelphia Eagles are arguably the smartest and most well-run organization in the entire NFL. Howie Roseman and company have done a brilliant job of building their roster in recent years, consistently finding impact players on both sides of the ball and keeping incredible depth all over the place.

The Eagles continued their successful team building in the 2019 NFL Draft, filling current and future needs with talented players who will undoubtedly help them going forward. Their trade up for left tackle Andre Dillard in the first was impressive, but I particularly like what the Philadelphia Eagles were able to do in the second round. Their additions of running back Miles Sanders and wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside are going to make a big difference for this team.

Arcega-Whiteside is a gifted receiver who is undoubtedly going to make an impact in their offense, but in this piece, we are going to focus on the immensely talented Sanders.

Sanders enters the NFL out of Penn State, where he sat behind Saquon Barkley for two years before getting a full-time opportunity. Last season, Sanders burst on to the scene, piling up 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns on 220 carries (5.8 yards per carry average).

He was also a bit of a threat in the passing game, catching 24 passes on the year for 139 yards. Simply put, he was one of the best running backs in college football last season and clearly has a bright future ahead of him.

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Sanders was a big-time recruit out of high school and the fact that he could not get on the field much his first two seasons should not be held against him. Barkley is an incredible talent who would have held almost anybody on the bench. We were able to see more than enough out of Sanders last season to get a feel for how he will translate to the next level. Personally, I am a big fan.

The Penn State product is an extremely patient back who will wait for his holes to open up before making a decision. He processes quickly and shows impressive ball carrier vision for a young back.

Sanders is a smooth runner who gets to his spot quickly and shows impressive quickness and agility in small spaces. He also shows great instincts as a runner, finding small holes and creases as the play unfolds. I like Sanders’ ability to finish as well. He consistently squares up and stays low on contact, keeps his feet moving throughout the contact and shows an impressive ability to maintain balance.

Sanders does not show the most explosive speed in the open field. He is not going to be much of a big play guy at the next level. That being said, he is an extremely smart player who is always finding positive yards. he is a true three-down back who can handle a big load and will be a consistent performer at the next level.

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The Philadelphia Eagles have invested rather heavily in Sanders and I fully expect him to be their number one ball carrier right away. He is the most talented back on the Eagles’ roster and undoubtedly fits their offense well.

There is not a bunch of prime competition, but I fully expect Miles Sanders to be the best running back from the 2019 NFL Draft.

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