2022 NFL Draft Notebook: Taking a look at the 2022 running back class
By John Blair
- When evaluating Iowa running back Tyler Goodson the first thing that stands out is his ability to help in the passing game. Over the past two seasons, he has caught 39 passes for 318 yards and shows naturally soft hands when making the catch. As a runner, he displays good vision and does a very good job of reading his blocks. Unfortunately, though his NFL upside might be limited as he does not show much power and only possess average speed. If he has another big season this year he could be a fourth or fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
- Going into the season a lot of people have Texas A&M running back Isaiah Spiller rated as the top back in the 2022 NFL Draft, however his film doesn’t deserve this high of a ranking. When watching him the first thing that stands out is that his power is being overrated and he is not near the power back some draftniks make him out to be. He also displays inconsistent hands having dropped four of the 27 passes thrown his way.
- Jerrion Ealy has the skill set to be a good change of pace running back in the NFL. To start with he is one of the quicker running backs in the SEC and has surprising power for a player with his speed and size. He is an excellent receiver as well having caught 86% of the passes thrown his way over the previous two seasons. Another added benefit with Ealy is his ability to return kicks having brought two kickoffs back for touchdowns so far during his college career.
- While the player who is receiving most of the hype in the Miami Hurricanes backfield is quarterback D’Eriq King, he is likely not even the top NFL Draft prospect in Miami’s backfield. That honor goes to running back Cam’Ron Harris who shows an impressive combination of speed and size. At 5-foot-10 and 210 he is one of the bigger backs in this class and he runs with the power you want to see from a player his size. He shows impressive speed as well, having broken off numerous long runs last year. If Harris can see more carries this year he easily could sneak into the second day of the 2022 NFL Draft.
- A big school sleeper in the 2022 NFL Draft is James Cook of Georgia. While Cook has never rushed for over 350 yards in a season and will be a backup this season when he does get the chance to carry the ball he makes the most of his opportunities. He has averaged over six yards per carry each of the past three seasons and averaged 14.1 yards on 16 receptions last season. As a prospect, he shows good speed and the hands to be a threat in the passing game.