2020 NFL Draft: J.K. Dobbins has to be in the RB1 conversation

With his incredible performance this season, J.K. Dobbins must be in the RB1 conversation for the 2020 NFL Draft.

When the season began, the top three running backs for the 2020 NFL Draft were pretty obvious. Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, Clemson’s Travis Etienne and Georgia’s D’Andre Swift stood out as the clear top backs in the class and were in a great position to prove themself as possible first-round picks.

While Taylor, Etienne and Swift have all had strong seasons, another back has put himself in the first-round conversation. Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins just may end up being the best of the bunch.

On Saturday against Michigan, Dobbins carried the ball 31 times for 211 yards and four touchdowns. On the year, he has 250 carries for 1,657 yards and 19 touchdowns. Dobbins has also been a bit of a pass-catching weapon for the Buckeyes, hauling in 17 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns this season.

Simply put, Dobbins has been one of the most productive and explosive offensive playmakers in college football this season. He is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate (even though we know the award will go to a quarterback) and should be in the RB1 conversation for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Dobbins is a smart back who shows great natural ball carrier vision. He shows the ability to find the hole quickly and has the athleticism to get into the open space in time. Dobbins is incredibly quick to the hole and shows explosive burst through the hole. His combination of short-area quickness and lateral agility also makes him an incredibly difficult player to tackle in open space.

This season, Dobbins has shown off his explosive skill-set consistently. He is an incredibly talented running back prospect who has massive upside at the next level. On top of that, his ability to make a difference as a runner and a receiver makes him an ideal fit for the modern NFL.

There may not be a running back who goes in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The position has been significantly devalued in recent years and teams are willing to wait on the position and take a shot on players late in the draft.

That being said, whenever the first running back in the 2020 NFL draft goes off of the board, J.K. Dobbins should be in consideration. Guys like Taylor, Etienne and Swift are great, but the group that was once a top three is now clearly a top four.