2020 NFL Draft: Even without Travis Etienne, RB class still strong
Even without the Clemson product, the 2020 NFL Draft is loaded at the running back position.
Earlier this week, Clemson running back Travis Etienne surprised us all when he announced that he will be forgoing the 2020 NFL Draft and returning to school. Etienne is an incredibly talented and explosive running back prospect who would have undoubtedly been in the conversation to be the first back off of the board in the 2020 NFL Draft. That being said, even with Etienne out of the mix until 2021, there is a lot to like about this running back class.
We all know that NFL teams do not value the running back position at high as they used to, but there are still three backs in this class who could legitimately go in the first round. D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor and J.K. Dobbins are all extremely talented backs who will be on the radar for teams in the first round. If Etienne were in the 2020 NFL draft class, he would be in the conversation as well.
Swift is an incredibly quick and elusive player who can dominate as a runner and a receiver. He is a perfect fit for the modern NFL and is currently the favorite to be the top running back off of the board in April.
Taylor had an incredibly productive career at Wisconsin. Despite only playing for three seasons, he leaves as the sixth-leading rusher in college football history. Taylor shows great ball carrier vision and fantastic instincts with the ball in his hands. He also has an impressive combination of power and speed that will play at the next level.
Dobbins was probably the best running back in college football this season and is undoubtedly in the RB1 mix as well. Dobbins also shows incredible ball carrier vision and he works through traffic extremely well. He cuts on a dime, is naturally elusive in the open field and shows fantastic contact balance. Dobbins is also a great pass-catcher out of the backfield whose combination of skills will fit the modern NFL extremely well.
Even after those top three, we have guys like Zack Moss, Cam Akers, Eno Benjamin and a personal favorite of mine, Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Each of these guys is a potential day two selection who has obvious upside at the next level.
Anthony McFarland, J.J. Taylor, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Lamical Perine and AJ Dillon are all interesting day three prospects who could come in and make an immediate impact at the next level.
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Simply put, if you need a running back, the 2020 NFL Draft has you covered. This class has legitimate big-time talent at the top and impressive depth throughout the position. There are plenty of speed guys, power guys, receiving backs and even guys who can do it all. Etienne is an impressive talent who has a bright future, but the 2020 NFL draft class does not need him. There is still plenty of running back talent to go around.