Barkley is the best all-purpose back
Miami Dolphins beat writer Omar Kelly breaks down the 2018 NFL draft in a 10-part series. 1. Penn State’s Saquon Barkley – Barkley is the best all-purpose back to come out since Ezekiel Elliott, and it’s possible he can carry an NFL offense in a similar fashion. Put him with a forceful offensive line and Barkley could be a Pro Bowler in his rookie season. Expect him to be a top-10 selection because many evaluators feel he’s the best talent in this draft.
2. LSU’s Derrius Guice – Guice’s punishing running style indicates that he won’t last long in the NFL at 5 foot 11, 218 pounds. He needs to find a balance between being a warrior and selfpreservation to last. His medical reports could influence his draft stock, possibly pushing him into the second day. 3. USC’s Ronald Jones II Jones, who finished his Trojans career ranked fifth in school history with 3,619 rushing yards, is a smooth runner who transitions inside to outside without throttling down. The one downside is that at 6 foot 1, 195 pounds he lacks the ideal build for the position. 4. Georgia’s Nick Chubb Chubb, who shared the backfield at Georgia with some talented backs, is a human bowling ball at 5 foot 10, 228 pounds. He possesses sensational vision, and runs with balance through contract. His medical reports will dictate how high he goes because of his knees.
5. Georgia’s Sony Michel – Michel, a former American Heritage Plantation High standout, compares favorably to Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints because of how dangerous he is in space. He’s the type of talent who can take a dump-off pass all the way downfield. However, he’s had some ball-security issues (12 fumbles over his career) and is a liability as a pass blocker.
Best of the rest: Miami’s Mark Walton Jr., Oregon’s Royce Freeman, Auburn’s Kerryon Johnson, San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny, Arizona’s Kalen Ballage, Alabama’s Bo Scarbrough and Southern Miss’ Ito Smith all have the talent to become featured backs, and should be available on Day 2, if not Day 3 of the draft. And about 10 other backs have the talent to make an NFL roster. Class grade: AThere’s a back for everyone in the 2018 draft class. If a team needs speed, they can pick from USC’s Ronald Jones II and Georgia’s Sony Michel. If a team needs a pass-catching specialist, look no further than San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny and North Carolina State’s Jaylen Samuels. If there’s a need for a bulldozer, then Georgia’s Nick Chubb, Oregon’s Royce Freeman and Auburn’s Kerryon Johnson fit the mold.
Teams in Need: The Browns, Giants, Buccaneers, Lions, Steelers, Dolphins, Eagles and Colts would all benefit from adding a tailback to their stable of runners, and the fact most teams view them as luxuries more than necessities could make this a buyer’s market.
Dolphins’ focus: The Dolphins plan to make Kenyan Drake, who led the NFL in rushing in the final five games of the 2017 season, a featured weapon in his third NFL season. Drake, who averaged 4.8 yards per carry and 7.5 yards per reception, is a well-rounded back, but there are some concerns about his durability. The Dolphins added former Miami Hurricanes standout Frank Gore to complement Drake, allowing him to end his possible Hall of Fame career in his hometown. But Miami needs to find a young back to groom for the future, potentially targeting one in the second or third day of the draft.