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2022 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch: Ohio State vs. Michigan

By Andrew Fischer

Nov 20, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) celebrates his touchdown during the first quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) celebrates his touchdown during the first quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan RB Hassan Haskins. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan RB Hassan Haskins. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Michigan RB Hassan Haskins

Hassan Haskins is a classic power running back reminiscent of Big Ten days of yore. The 6’1” 220-pound senior from Eureka, Missouri, was a lightly recruited 3-star running back. This was likely due to the 4.74-second 40-yard dash he ran in high school. Although Hassan Haskins doesn’t have breakaway track speed, he could still help some team looking for a complementary bruising running back in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Along with Blake Corum, Haskins is one half of the Wolverines’ dynamic duo at running back. It’s up in the air whether Corum will play Saturday against Ohio State, which makes Haskins that much more important. In his senior season, Hassan Haskins has posted the best numbers of his career. He has more rushing yards this year (1,063, which is good for third in the Big Ten), than he had in his previous two years combined (997). He’s tied for third in the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns, with 13 and that’s a testament to his ability to run through tacklers and gain yards after contact.

Despite his lack of top end track speed, Haskins isn’t exactly a plodding running back that picks up three yards and falls forward. He has legitimate athleticism, and when combined with his prodigious frame, that gives him an advantage at running back. Haskins played basketball and ran track and field in high school, and he’s shown a penchant for hurdling defenders who try to go low on him to make the tackle.

He also played defense in high school and even played some linebacker for Michigan in 2019. That’s becoming a bit of a trend in college football, where teams are taking defensive players and sticking them at running back. Baylor back Abram Smith played some linebacker for the Bears before racking up over 1,200 rushing yards this year. Wisconsin breakout star Braelon Allen was actually recruited as a defensive player but has shredded defenses this season by running for more than 1,000 yards on 7.6 yards per carry. Teams seem to be finding out that putting the ball in the hands of their best football players can make good things happen, and 2022 NFL Draft scouts are surely taking note.

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