2022 NFL Draft Prospects: RB

Kenneth Walker
RB/WR, Michigan State

Height: 5-10. Weight: 210.

Projected 40 Time: 4.5.

Draft Network:
Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III is a Wake Forest transfer who has exploded onto the NFL draft landscape throughout a highly successful 2021 campaign for the rejuvenated Spartans. Walker’s role at Wake Forest was as a depth player in a non-traditional RPO offense. While Walker’s physical skill set was able to flash on film for the Deacs, his transfer to Michigan State has allowed him to play a starring role and offer more insight into what his role as a featured back would look like. Of his transfer from Wake Forest, Walker III said “"at Wake, I felt like I wasn't able to showcase all of my skills. I believe I can be versatile. I can cut. I can run downhill. I believe I'm an explosive back." But at the time, Wake was his best offer—Walker III only had offers to three FBS programs coming out of high school (Wake Forest, Kent State, and Arkansas State). Demand won’t be a problem now. Walker III projects as an early-down back and high-volume ball-carrier at the NFL level and offers enough dynamic play in lateral situations to be considered someone capable of working off-script and creating for himself when the point of attack fails to create room to work. Walker III’s resume has little question as a ball-carrier but the supplementary areas of his game can still unlock further levels to his skill set and help him become a more complete player at the NFL level.

Ideal role: Early-down featured running back

Scheme tendencies: Multiple backfield alignments (offset, pistol), mixed concepts (zone more frequent)

Profootball Network: 
Kenneth Walker III Scouting Report

Few players have bolstered their NFL Draft stock the way that Walker has in 2021. Walker nearly matched his career highs in just three games. He reached a new career mark in terms of rushing efficiency, and went on to win the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s best running back. In a running back class that might not have any runaway leaders, Walker’s sudden success bears importance. Could the Michigan State RB unexpectedly become one of the first running backs off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft? Let’s look at his recent Michigan State tape to see if the traits match the production.

Kenneth Walker’s athletic profile

Walker isn’t an overwhelming size threat to the level that Isaiah Spiller is, but he still passes the required threshold for density. Walker is 5’10”, 210 pounds, and has a frame that’s put together well. Within that frame, Walker has a lot of valuable traits, but his athleticism is what stands out both in space and in congestion. Walker might not be an elite athlete, but he has a few very proficient athletic traits. The Michigan State RB is spry and explosive with his initial cuts in the backfield. He can divert course with suddenness. He gears up quickly after cuts and attacks open space with decisiveness. Going further, Walker has loose hips, and they enable him to stack cuts and evasive maneuvers. He also has great lateral agility, which he’s shown more than once when evading surging defenders in the backfield. Furthermore, Walker has solid speed in open space. He stretches the boundary and makes use of open lanes once he reaches them.

Execution beyond the physical traits

Walker’s athleticism checks the box, but the Michigan State RB goes above and beyond with his execution. Walker’s most exciting executional trait might be his contact and overall balance and how he uses that balance. Walker has high-level contact balance and density as a runner. He can shed leg tackles and contort to extend runs through congestion. When Walker is faced with immediate contact, however, he can lower his shoulder into impact and bounce off defenders. He often finishes his runs with physicality and actively seeks to maximize big gains. Walker’s physicality plays a hand in emboldening his contact balance, but the Michigan State RB has great overall balance as well. He adjusts his rushing angles with ease while keeping speed and inspires confidence with how low he is as a runner. He has a great center of gravity and can lean into direction changes without sacrificing his movement freedom. With this balance, Walker is instinctive with how he combats and negates tackling angles. Among other things, Walker is decisive and urgent when choosing initial lanes. He also flashes great full-field vision and can manipulate second-level defenders with his elusiveness and elite creative instincts. Going further, Walker has shown he can employ a stiff arm to negate defenders who encroach on his space. He’s also flashed as a receiver. The Michigan State RB shows glimpses of body control, and he has the lateral agility to make the first defender miss on designed catches.

Areas for improvement

Going down the RB checklist, there isn’t a lot that Walker lacks. Having said this, the Michigan State RB isn’t a perfect prospect. He can improve both as a runner and in other phases of his game. Starting with his rushing ability, Walker sometimes falls into contact when his first cut doesn’t create space. He’ll sometimes defer to congested lanes when he has avenues to bounce outside. Additionally, Walker sometimes over-complicates his footwork in the backfield and lets defenders close in. He also occasionally works himself into a corner when moving to the outside. His high-level creative capacity can be a double-edged sword at times. Going further, Walker’s vision — while solid — can be spotty at times. It doesn’t seem to be an issue of what he’s seeing, but rather what he’s doing. He can go on auto-pilot with his cuts at times, but he’s shown he can play controlled and composed, nonetheless. Physically, Walker’s size — while also solid — is not overwhelming for larger defenders. Furthermore, he doesn’t have surefire breakaway speed. He can extend space but won’t always get away. Last but not least, Walker needs to improve his pass blocking. He’s not good there, and that will impact how NFL teams view his three-down viability. Walker doesn’t always square up and engage his opponents. He too often drops down when blocking, taking himself out of protection.

Walterfootball: 
12/4/21: Walker has been on fire in 2021, putting up big numbers and carrying Michigan State to an undefeated record entering November. He hasn't had the opportunity to show more receiving ability, because the Spartans don't feature their running backs in the passing game.

Walker has a strong build to run hard between the tackles and pick up yards after contact. Team sources say Walker is a well-rounded runner, is tough, and knows how to tote the ball, but they feel he lacks a dominant trait for the NFL. They feel he could be a really good starter in the right scheme with talent around him.

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Breece Hall
RB, Iowa State
Height: 6-1. Weight: 220.
Projected 40 Time: 4.53.

Draft Network:

System:

Scheme tendencies: Heavy zone-based blocking scheme offense that incorporates lots of 11 and 12 personnel sets

2021 projected role: Third-year starting running back that’s expected to continue to be the top option

Pros: Hall is an upright and flat-footed runner that doesn’t display an initial turbo button, but can build up speed when given a runway. In the Iowa State offense, he was given a variety of responsibilities in both the passing and running game. Primarily an off-tackle runner (852 of 1,572 rushing yards came from off-tackle runs), Hall is detailed with keeping his shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage in order to examine the entire picture ahead of him. His extra attention to detail and required footwork during inside zone plays have helped him experience high success levels with seeing and executing backdoor cuts. The Cyclones rusher has high levels of initial quickness to stop and react to unclear pictures at or behind the line. Jump cuts, side steps, and violent one-leg jab steps into the ground have all been consistent and effective moves for him. When entry points are clear, Hall attacks creases with a full head of steam and keeps his legs churning upon first exposure to contact. Seems to be most confident when aligned in the pistol formation (3-4 yards behind QB), as many of his most explosive runs have come from that pre-snap alignment. Hall has created a natural habit of putting two hands on the ball and covering it up when expecting contact or just prior to arrival points of contact (only two fumbles in 465 career carries).

Cons: Hall’s biggest area of concern and where he will need to become more consistent is in between the tackles. On inside runs that were outside of the red zone area, Hall only collected 263 yards (out of 1,572). While his runs extending beyond the C-gap are noteworthy, he's experienced difficulties on runs in interior gaps. A constant theme with Hall is that he has a habit of wanting to perform quick spins while in the middle of running lanes along the interior. With mixed results, it’s a habit that he may need to break as it could constantly present trouble for him on the next level. As a pass protector, he isn’t afraid to throw his body into harm's way of incoming blitzers of free runners toward the quarterback. His take-on tactics and overall technique need work. When completely unsure of what to do or not confident in his arrival times, he turns into a cut blocker that has had mixed results.

Profootball Network:
Breece Hall Scouting Report

The famed Najee Harris handily led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2020, but he did not take home the yardage crown. That honor went to Iowa State’s Hall, who amassed a whopping 1,572 yards. That’s 106 more yards than Harris in one less game. On top of his yardage production, Hall was also the only Division I-A running back besides Harris to eclipse 20 touchdowns on the ground. Hall’s all-around excellence earned him Heisman consideration, and it also earns him plenty of notoriety heading into the 2021 season. But will it also garner him a spot in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft? For that, we have to look past the box score and to the field.

Breece Hall’s athletic profile

Athleticism isn’t a deal-breaker at the running back position, but it certainly helps to have a solid toolbox at your disposal. There’s no question that Hall’s scouting report checks that box. Standing at 6’1″, 215 pounds, Hall has a well-built frame, and he has solid long speed for his size. He’s also undoubtedly explosive, possessing excellent short-area burst, both laterally and vertically. With his speed and stride lengths, Hall can elongate spaces, but he makes the most of smaller spaces and opportunities in crowded areas. The Cyclone has solid natural elusiveness, which allows him to create for himself to some capacity. He’s an instinctive mover in congestion, whose strong footwork and loose hips allow him to stay on his feet and continually analyze available space. Expanding on his movement ability, Hall can sink his hips and burst forward when changing directions. He has undeniable twitch, and he transfers weight very well. His explosiveness is best in short areas, but it can extend well down the field. That burst allows Hall to clear holes and get into space, where his skill set shines.

Execution beyond the physical traits

As alluded to above, it helps players to have plus athletic traits. However, there are other, more operational traits that also provide comparable value. For running backs, these traits include vision, contact balance, and receiving ability. Hall isn’t a perfect prospect in the operational department, but he does have one standout trait that amplifies his profile — vision. Hall’s vision stands out as one of his defining traits. The Iowa RB is fairly consistent picking out lanes through which to explode. With this vision, he found space with an incredible consistency in 2020. Beyond the line, Hall owns exceptional full-field vision at the second level. With his combined vision and natural elusiveness, Hall can manipulate angles and methodically extend his runs. Beyond that, Hall has a few more strengths. He owns a formidable stiff arm, and he has some measured contact balance, although he’s not elite there. Additionally, Hall is a decent blocker and has proven himself to be a competent receiver out of the backfield. Over two years, he has 46 catches for 432 yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s shiftier after the catch, and that extra dimension gives him even more long-term upside.

Areas for improvement

Hall is explosive, elusive, and proactive in finding space to work with. That’s an excellent foundational combination for a running back. Even so, there are some lesser parts of his profile, some of which he can improve on in 2021.

Hall has a well-sized frame, but he’s not overly powerful. Despite his statistical production, he’s not quite as physical as advertised. The Iowa State RB doesn’t drive through defenders consistently, and he can also be more consistent with his contact balance. Hall’s size isn’t a hindrance, so there’s a chance he could add a more physical element to his game. Nevertheless, as it stands, his style features more finesse than force. In a similar vein, Hall can sometimes play himself off-balance when trying to elude. Because of this, as good as he is at extending space, I wouldn’t say he’s an elite natural creator. He’s a well-rounded running back, but he doesn’t have the elite stop-and-start ability or the tackle breaking capacity you’d expect. Among other things, Hall is prone to the occasional missed lane when using his vision behind the offensive line. The Iowa State RB can also be tentative and indecisive, and he doesn’t quite have the physicality to compensate when that happens.

Walterfootball: 
12/4/21: Hall is a physical runner who has been a huge point producer for Iowa State this year. To put a cap on the regular season, Hall torched TCU to the tune of 242 yards and three touchdowns on only 18 carries. This year, Hall has averaged 5.8 yards per carry for 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns. On top of being a tough runner, Hall has been a productive receiver out of the backfield as well with 36 catches for 302 yards with three scores. Hall was impressive in 2020 as well, averaging 5.6 yards per carry for 1,572 yards with 21 touchdowns. That season, he had 23 catches for 180 yards and two scores. Hall has impressed team sources, and they think he could provide some nice value as a mid-round pick.

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Breakdown:

Tyler Badie
RB, Missouri
Height: 5-8. Weight: 198.
Projected 40 Time: 4.45.

Draft Network:

Tyler Badie was a 3-star recruit coming out of Briarcrest Christian. He played in the AutoZone High School All-Star Game. He was a Tennessee Titans Division 2 Class AAA Mr. Football nominee. Badie was a two-sport athlete, adding basketball to his resume. According to 247 Sports, he ranked as the No. 28 all-purpose back and No. 43 recruit in the state of Tennessee. He is known as a dynamic space player that excels with the football in his hands. He is electric with incredible burst and speed to take it the distance. 2021 was his first season as a bell cow or workhorse running back and he did not disappoint.

Ideal Role: Complementary/secondary back, change of pace

Scheme Fit: Stretch zone rushing attack, pistol formations

Walterfootball:
12/4/21: Badie is a tough runner who has strength and quickness in a compact build. On top of running well, Badie has shown excellent receiving ability for the third straight season. His ability to contribute on third downs could make him a solid No. 2 rotational back in the NFL who might develop into a bigger role.

7/3/21: Badie was the backup to Larry Rountree over the past few seasons, but he flashed and showed next level ability. Badie is smaller back with quickness, but he could be poised for a huge 2021 season as the lead back for the Tigers. While Badie has not had big production on the ground, he has been an excellent receiver, collecting 72 receptions over his first three seasons of college football.

Highlights:

Kyren Williams
Running Back
School: Notre Dame
Current Year: Redshirt Sophomore
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 195 pounds

Draft Network:
Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams is an all-around running back who should provide his NFL team with plenty of value on all three downs at the next level. Williams’ best skills may ironically come on passing downs—he’s a former wide receiver at the high school level and those talents are quite evident in watching him as a pass-catcher. But Williams’ best trait overall may well be his work in pass protection, a skill that isn’t the primary role of his position but can be a major factor in early NFL impact and will boost his value as an every-down player. Williams is perhaps the most impressive back in pass protection I’ve watched in several seasons. His work in scan protections shows his excellent vision to identify pressure opportunities while also making rapid decisions to pivot and attack with physicality to help stonewall blitzers. All of this work comes out of “want to” and intelligence, as Williams doesn’t carry the kind of frame that you would typically associate with this kind of praise. As a ball-carrier, Williams has done well to make the most out of sub-par conditions in 2021 and has run tough behind a modest offensive line that lost a lot of its traditional luster this past season amid struggles to win the point of attack and an offense that didn’t always create strain to loosen up opposing defenses. Williams runs harder than his size as a fringe 200-pound back, but he’s by no means a power runner and is best suited for a wide zone system that will allow him and his nimble feet to string out the POA before locating and attacking a vacant gap.

Ideal role: Third-down running back and rotational member of a backfield by committee on the early downs.

Scheme tendencies: Inside or wide zone heavy rushing system. Teams with back motion as indicators will maximize his receiving skills and find use for his versatility as a player. 6+ man protection schemes.

Profootball Network:
Running backs don’t always get their due respect on the draft circuit. The “running backs don’t matter” movement has contributed to this in recent years. The movement, as controversial as it may be, is not without merit. Running backs are more replaceable than other positions by virtue of their skill set. They’re also fairly dependent on the offensive line in front of them. That said, there are rare traits coveted each year — explosiveness, vision, and contact balance. Running backs with these traits, in conjunction with one another, can maximize opportunities given to them by their blocking units. Additionally, running backs with receiving ability provide heightened value and utility in multiple phases. It’s not that running backs aren’t important, it’s just that, to be unique, you have to have an uncommon trait — Williams may very well fit this description.

Williams’ athletic profile
Williams stands at 5’9″, 195 pounds. Physically, he doesn’t fit the workhorse mold that some former Notre Dame RBs — like Josh Adams and Dexter Williams — have filled in the past. Nevertheless, Williams produced like a workhorse in 2020, and he has an amalgamation of traits that demands he receives ample opportunities. First and foremost, Williams is a stellar athlete. The Notre Dame RB possesses searing explosiveness downfield with wicked short-area burst. He’s explosive out of cuts and shifty and light on his feet. His direction changes are smooth and sudden, and he transfers his weight effortlessly when eluding tacklers. Furthermore, Williams owns exceptional lateral twitch and agility, and his hips are fluid in space. He can disrupt tackling angles and extend plays with his ability to shift back and forth laterally. As exciting as Williams is in short ranges, he works best in space. He has the long speed to separate from congestion and spread the field, owning excellent stop-and-start ability. Additionally, Williams’ loose hips provide him value in space. He can employ jukes and rock-steps while maintaining speed, and these moves can be devastating for unprepared defenders.

Execution beyond the physical traits
Williams is agile and explosive, but he maximizes his physical foundation with intangible traits. The Notre Dame RB has good footwork, approaching holes with solid vision both at the line and at the second level. He flashes anticipation with his cuts, and he can divert course quickly as plays develop. In addition to his vision and footwork, Williams is a steely competitor. In fact, one of the most impressive parts of Williams’ scouting report might be his ability in pass protection. The Notre Dame RB is a willing blocker who throws himself at defenders. He keeps his eyes and feet active when protecting the quarterback, and he’s not afraid to step in and take on the full force of a blitzing linebacker. With his short-area burst, he patrols the pocket as a blocker, and he takes pride in protecting his QB.  As his blocking utility proves, Williams is an all-out competitor that’s fairly versatile. He flashes upside as a receiver with his agility and explosiveness. Additionally, Williams has stellar leg churn through contact. Moreover, he plays with exceptional lean and isn’t too upright as a runner. That allows him to channel his explosiveness into force in certain situations.

Areas for improvement
Williams is an NFL Draft highlight factory with his burst and agility. However, as exciting as he is, he’s not an entirely universal playmaker — at least not yet. Williams’ frame isn’t powerful or forceful, and he doesn’t consistently work through contact. Although his explosiveness can be a viable conduit, the Notre Dame RB doesn’t bring a ton of momentum when lowering his shoulder. He has a reasonably compact frame and does flash contact balance occasionally, but he can build himself up a bit more. At this point, even if he shows it in flashes, Williams doesn’t have overwhelming contact balance. When met with hits at the line, he doesn’t quite have the tools to turn losses into gains. And although he can prolong the inevitable with his agility, Williams tends to work backward to stay on his feet. In doing so, he only digs a deeper hole for himself, sacrificing yardage trying to avoid direct contact. Because of his inconsistency against contact, Williams needs a little bit of space to gear up and evaluate his options. Additionally, while he possesses outstanding vision, he sometimes goes on auto-pilot when approaching the trenches, counting on his explosiveness to carve out a path. He can prematurely lower his shoulder at times as well. This lessens his balance downfield and makes him easier to bring down.


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Mic'd up:

Reserved spot

My #1 RB is RB Walker III.  He's going to be very special for a team, likely a Ravens, Cowboys, or Broncos team that knows what to do with a terrific RB. 

Last year, I wanted rookie RB Najee Harris for the Cardinals (now stuck at PIT for a few more years).