Boston College Running Back A.J. Dillon declares for 2020 NFL Draft

Boston College running back A.J. Dillon has officially declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

The running back class for the 2020 NFL Draft has gotten deeper. Several underclassmen have declared already, including Arizona’s J.J. Taylor and Maryland running backs Anthony McFarland and Javon Leake. Now, Boston College’s A.J. Dillon has entered the draft.

Dillon has been productive in the ACC ever since he was a freshman. He had 1,589 yards on the ground his freshman year and 14 touchdowns, while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He missed a couple of games as a sophomore, but still finished with 1,108 yards and 10 touchdowns. Dillon had his best season in 2019, finishing with 1685 yards and 14 touchdowns, while catching 13 passes for 195 more.

As far as a prospect goes, A.J. Dillon is known for his ability to run behind his pads and his initial strength. He has great contact balance, something that is vital for running backs to succeed at the next level. There are times where Dillon flashes his explosion running between the tackles. He also continued his production after a major offensive line turnover for Boston College heading into 2019.

Physicality is one thing, but there are things that are concerning regarding his stock. He doesn’t have very good lateral quickness, and even though he has good explosion at times, it doesn’t show up when attempting to make defenders miss.

Dillon has also caught just 21 passes in college, and teams will want to see that he can be a three-down player. Something else to monitor with Dillon is the tread on the tires. He does have 845 carries through three college seasons, which is just 70 less than Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor.

Where A.J. Dillon will be selected in the 2020 NFL Draft will depend on how many underclassmen declare and how he tests at the combine and performs in drills. His physical nature and ability through contact should still find him a role somewhere in the NFL.