LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire: A 2020 NFL Draft prospect to watch

LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire is an interesting 2020 NFL draft prospect to keep an eye on.

When Alabama hosts LSU this weekend, there will be a ton of 2020 NFL Draft talent on the field. There will be so many top-tier 2020 NFL draft prospects in this game, that it will be impossible to get a good look at every relevant prospect on only one viewing. We will undoubtedly be going back to this tape multiple times throughout the 2020 NFL Draft prospect.

Guys like Tua Tagovailoa, Joe Burrow, Jerry Jeudy, Grant Delpit and Henry Ruggs III will get most of the attention in this game. Those guys are all almost guaranteed to be first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, with most of them being likely top-ten selections. However, there are plenty of other talented prospects to keep an eye on in this one.

In particular, I will be watching LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire closely. Edwards-Helaire has impressed me this season and I think he has a chance to be a great value selection late in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Listed at 5-foot-8, 209 pounds, CEH is certainly a bit on the small side. That being said, he uses his lack of height as an advantage, hiding behind his offensive line before breaking out and picking up yardage before the defense even knows what happened to them.

Edwards-Helaire is an extremely patient runner who does a great job of waiting for his blocks before making a move. He shows good short-area quickness and fantastic instincts with the ball in his hands. CEH is a naturally elusive runner both in traffic and in open space. He also shows good burst through the hole once he finds some space.

His quickness and ability to juke defenders in space are impressive but do not sleep on CEH’s ability to finish runs with power. He is not the most naturally powerful runner, but Edwards-Helaire’s stout, compact frame allows him to get small and create natural leverage. His competitive toughness also stands out in these finishing situations, as CEH consistently fights for every single yard he can get.

On top of his obvious ability as a runner, CEH is a strong pass-catcher out of the backfield. He does a great job of naturally creating separation with his quickness and shows a strong pair of hands. CEH consistently catches the ball away from his body and does a great job of getting upfield quickly. He is a natural hands catcher who smoothly and efficiently transitions from receiver to runner, picking up many yards after the catch.

Simply put, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is an extremely talented running back who is getting slept on when it comes to the 2020 NFL Draft. He has taken his game to the next level this season (683 yards and eight touchdowns on 115 carries through eight games) and has a chance to burst onto the scene with a strong performance against Alabama.

Even if CEH remains under-the-radar, he has a great chance of becoming an impact player at the next level. All aboard the Clyde Edwards-Helaire hype train, there is still plenty of room available.