Philadelphia Eagles Draft Preview | Running Back Positional Rankings
How will the Philadelphia Eagles‘ scheme affect their rankings of different prospects and positions? We take a look at the running backs here.
There is no true off-season in the NFL. Unlike the other professional leagues in America, the NFL has major events every month of the year. Outside of the competitive season, the NFL has the NFL Combine (February), the opening of the “league year” (March), the Draft (April), and OTAs/minicamps (May & June) all leading to the opening of training camps in late July. The NFL is the only 12-month sport in the nation, and in the month of February, one thing reigns supreme:
#DraftTwitter.
Roughly two months stand between you and the NFL Draft. In that time, teams will be finalizing their draft boards: ranking players based on talent, production, potential, intangibles, scheme fit, etc. Over the coming weeks, we will be doing the same thing. Each week leading up to the draft, Micheal Coggin & I will rank the prospects of a certain position based on fit for the Eagles.
More from Philadelphia Eagles
- 4 Eagles on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
- Best Pennsylvania Sportsbook Promos: Win $650 GUARANTEED Bonus PLUS $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket
- 3 Punters the Eagles Must Target to Replace Arryn Siposs
- Cowboys Trey Lance Trade Proves How Screwed They Are With Dak Prescott
- Devon Allen Took Britain Covey’s Job on Eagles
We will discuss & debate the players before finalizing the order; in the same way the Eagles personnel department is currently doing. By the time April rolls around, we will have scheme-specific rankings for each position, which will provide some clarity on the Philadelphia Eagles Big Board as a whole. It’s gonna be a good time.
Our project will start with the running backs this week.
Michael’s Rankings:
- Dalvin Cook, FSU
- Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
- Leonard Fournette, LSU
- Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
- Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
- Marlon Mack, USF
- Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
- D’Onta Foreman, Texas
- Kareem Hunt, Toledo
- Wayne Gallman, Clemson
- Matthew Dayes, NC State
- Donnel Pumphrey, SDSU
Ben’s Rankings:
- Dalvin Cook, FSU
- Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
- Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
- Leonard Fournette, LSU
- Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
- Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
- D’Onta Foreman, Texas
- Donnell Pumphrey, San Diego St.
- Marlon Mack, South Florida
- Elijah Hood, North Carolina
- Kareem Hunt, Toledo
- Matthew Dayes, NC State
MC: First thing I noticed is that you have McCaffrey rated higher than Fournette. I just can’t get on board with him as a definite first rounder. Fournette is unarguably a first rounder…what am I missing on McCaffrey?
BS: McCaff is a late first-round guy for me. He has some of the best vision in this class and runs with extraordinary patience, picking his way to the second level, where he does considerable damage. Though a lot of people try to knock him for it, he plays with considerable power and excellent leverage for his size.
He’s such a smart runner, too–makes great decisions, knows when to pick up a tough three yards and when to try for more. Almost every single game, he resurrects at least one play that should have been bottled up. He gives linebackers and safeties alike nightmares in the passing game and does a fine job when asked to block.
If I’m Doug Pederson and Frank Reich (coaches who worked with the likes of RBs Jamaal Charles and Danny Woodhead), I’ll take McCaffrey’s versatility over Fournette’s specialization.
MC: He’s definitely a playmaker but I don’t think he’ll be high on the final Eagles draft board. I would think Joe Douglas would want a bellcow type of back to accompany Smallwood in the backfield as the pass catcher or change of pace guy.
BS: Yeah, but Smallwood isn’t McCaffrey.
MC: I recognize that.
BS: See, I’ve never gotten the “McCaffrey can’t be a bellcow” narrative. Sure, I’d prefer a guy with a bit more play strength on third and short, but McCaffrey handles penetration so well, it almost doesn’t matter. He can play as a three-down back at the next level.
Let’s move on to a couple of Day 2 guys. I’ve got Perine barely edging out Kamara, but you prefer Kamara–why so?
MC: They’re just very different players. Kamara is a guy who likes to get to the edge and in space. Once he’s there he is constantly looking to cut back to the middle of the field and use the defense’s pursuit against them. He isn’t a guy that’s going to juke people out though…not like Shady used to.
Perine is more of a mauling, physical RB. Good blocker in the passing game. Probably because Mixon was the pass catcher in Oklahoma’s backfield. He hits holes between the tackles with good vision and authority/attitude. I just see Kamara as more in the Pederson-preferred mold.
BS: I think the entire exercise of “What running back fits the Philadelphia Eagles’ scheme” is a really interesting one because this coaching staff has the opportunity to drastically change the philosophy behind their rushing attack.
Assuming RB Ryan Mathews gets cut, Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman will have absolutely zero long-term investments in the running back position coming into the draft. Given the impending releases/retirements of the Jasons (OT Peters and C Kelce), the Eagles also have an opportunity to transition from the undersized, athletic offensive lineman of the past to big, hulking maulers and a more power-based scheme.
Some players might be better fits than other, from what we understand at this juncture, but a whole lot can change between now and then.
MC: We know what kind of offense Pederson wants to run because the blueprint in Kansas City has been successful and he won games in impressive fashion at times this past season. He wants bigger OL and a balanced rushing/passing attack. He employs heavier sets, whether it be multiple TE or a sixth OL, regularly.
The key here is to know that, while the Eagles incorporate a zone-read scheme along the OL, this may be the result of their current OL personnel. It will be interesting to see if they mix more gap-read scheme in moving forward when they (almost assuredly) get bigger along the OL.
In wins against the Browns, Bears, Steelers, and Falcons, the offense focused on a pounding rushing attack with traps & sweeps sprinkled in. Ryan Mathews was a good fit here but couldn’t stay healthy and is about to be cut. IF the organization thinks Smallwood’s ceiling is a 10-touch, “change-of-pace” back, they need someone who can shoulder the load. I think they remain versatile and target RBs (as well as OL) that can run in any scheme.
BS: So here’s my question to you Mike: Given a holistic view of the Eagles situation as we understand it right now, in the beginning of February…do you think they go RB early or late?
MS: Given the depth at this position, I see them shying away from drafting a running back early. For one thing, I don’t think Fournette or Cook will last to 14th overall. McCaffrey is a stretch that early for me and Mixon may be as well because of his off-the-field concerns. I think Rounds 3-5 present the best value in this situation.
Guys like Hunt, Mack, and Gallman are intriguing here. Gallman is a little older but a tough, versatile back that showed he can handle a big workload against elite college talent. Marlon Mack had a productive three year career at USF and is a relatively under-the-radar RB given USF’s lack of national exposure. He has balance, vision, he blocks well, has soft hands. I like this guy a lot as a sleeper.
Kareem Hunt is similar. Both of these guys fit the bill of a zone-read RB, however. Ultimately, it may come down to this: the RB class is deeper than most other positions. The Eagles may think the value is in the middle rounds of the draft and spend earlier picks where the talent is top-heavy: Edge rushers, DL, etc.
BS: I hear you there–if the Eagles aren’t able to grab Cook or Fournette, RB is out of the picture in Round 1.
I’ve heard Mack’s name thrown around as a potential value pick–even heard the Shady comp–but color me suspicious. Mack really feels like a home-run hitter: a guy who can rip off a 40+ yarder at any time, but often ends up losing yardage in his attempts to make too much out of too little.
In today’s NFL, I’m running the ball to eat clock, get manageable down/distance, or set up play-action. It’s a passing league–that’s from where my big, scoring plays are going to come. I’d much rather have a tough-nosed guy who will consistently pick up 3-4 yards.
Which makes me a big Gallman fan. His pad level absolutely terrifies me, but he has a really strong game that isn’t getting talked about enough in this loaded class. The Eagles could snag him in the 3rd/4th round and plug him in as the 1A back with Sproles/Smallwood. Physical, gets skinny, catches the ball well. Lot to like about this guy.
Next: D'Onta Foreman: Prototypical Power Back
Writer’s note: Well, these are our final RB rankings for the Philadelphia Eagles. Let us know in the comments or on Twitter (you can find Michael @MQCoggin and Ben @BenjaminSolak) what you think, and be sure to keep an eye out next week for our WR rankings!
RB Positional Rankings
- Dalvin Cook, FSU
- Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
- Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
- Leonard Fournette, LSU
- Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
- Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
- Marlon Mack, USF
- D’Onta Foreman, Texas
- Kareem Hunt, Toledo
- Donnel Pumphrey, SDSU
- Matthew Dayes, NC State
- Wayne Gallman, Clemson
- Elijah Hood, UNC