2020 NFL Draft: Boston College running back AJ Dillon scouting report
Complete 2020 NFL Draft scouting report for former Boston College running back AJ Dillon.
There are plenty of interesting running backs in the 2020 NFL Draft class and while the position has been undervalued in recent years, there will likely be teams looking to snag these top-tier backs in the first or early second round. Guys like Jonathan Taylor, D’Andre Swift and J.K. Dobbins all certainly have a chance to go in the first round, but for teams that do not want to spend an early pick on a running back in the 2020 NFL Draft, there will still be plenty of option.
Today, we are going to focus on AJ Dillon, an exciting running back prospect out of Boston College. Dillon is a big and bruising who had an extremely productive college career and after his impressive showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, Dillon could be a fast riser in the 2020 NFL Draft process.
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 247 pounds
Career Stats (35 games): 845 carries for 4,382 yards and 38 touchdowns
2019 Stats (12 games): 318 carries for 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns
Combine Performance
40-Yard Dash: 4.53 seconds
Bench Press: 23 reps
Vertical Jump: 42 inches
Broad Jump: 10-feet-11-inches
Three-Cone Drill: 7.19 seconds
Combine numbers and measurements come via NFL.com.
Film Review
Dillon is a patient back who shows good ball carrier vision. He does a nice job of finding space and picking the correct hole, especially inside the tackle box. Dillon does not have great change of direction and short-area quickness, but he is a much more fluid runner than you would expect at his size. He can move through traffic and make defenders miss in space a bit.
Once Dillon finds a crease, he shows good burst through the hole, tremendous burst when you consider his size. His long speed is impressive, as he can outrun many smaller defensive backs and his acceleration is solid.
While he can make some plays in space, Dillon really shines when he is able to showcase his power. Dillon is an extremely tough and physical player who will never shy away from contact. He does a great job of getting low at the point of attack and driving his feet through contact. Dillon consistently keeps the pile moving and does a fantastic job of keeping his feet through contact.
Dillon was never much of a pass catcher in college. He has been a full-time running back for three years in college, but only has 21 career receptions. 13 of those receptions came last season when BC tried to get him involved in the passing game more, but he simply looks unnatural and unimpressive as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He does, however, show plenty of promise as a pass protector, understanding blitz pickups well and showing impressive toughness.
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Overall, Dillon is an extremely powerful back who has plenty of athletic upside as a ball-carrier. He should be a tremendous between the tackles runner at the next level and would be a perfect fit for any team looking to run a gap rushing scheme. His inability to make plays as a receiver out of the backfield limits his overall upside, but Dillon has an exciting skill-set that will allow him to be an important member of a backfield committee at the next level.