The combine is drawing to a close, so who were the winners out of the RB class out of this years NFL combine?
The hype certainly surrounding Saquon Barkley, the pin-up of this year’s draft, didn’t disappoint though and showed why he’s considered this year’s first pick.
Posting a 40-yard dash time of 4.40, 29-reps on the bench press and an outstanding 41.0″ inch vertical, he proves he could be the total package in the NFL.
But, who were the other winners coming out of the RB class? Here are three names I thought showed a solid display and boosted their stock.
Nyheim Hines, N.C. State
One of the sleepers in this years RB class had a great performance at the combine. Although some have concerns over Hine’s height at 5’8″, his productive showing can only reassure teams he is good to go in the NFL.
Hines posted the quickest time of all RBs with a solid 4.38 sec 40-yard dash. He also posted respectable numbers in the vertical jump at 35.5″ inches and 4.35 sec in the 20-yard shuttle.
He’s an explosive runner with the ball in his hands, also an excellent returner in punts and kicks. He reminds me of Cordarelle Patterson in terms of a potential gadget player, except for the fact that he’s less fluid in motion and maybe less elusive, but in terms of value, he could add extra dimensions to any team.
Kalen Ballage, Arizona State
If you’re looking for a bigger type of RB who still packs a certain degree of speed, then Ballage could be just the RB you’re looking for. This 6’1″ 227 pound Arizona state RB has experience as an offset runner and a pass catcher out of the backfield.
Ballage’s excellent frame has the ability to break tackles but also gain yards with short bursts in open space. Unlike Hines, he’s definitely more of a traditional cowbell back but does have some capacity to be a catching threat.
His numbers were solid but not mind-blowing as some may have anticipated, but he definitely enhanced his stock with a 4.46 time on his 40-yard dash, 33.5″ inch vertical, and 4.35-second 20-yard shuttle, a decent showing although, in contrast, a 15-rep bench press was uninspiring.
Bo Scarborough, Alabama
Arguably the biggest winner of the combine is Scarborough who many predicted could fall as late as the 7th round in 2018 NFL Draft.
Not only did Bo show he’s quicker than many believed, running a 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds, he also showed incredible lower body strength amassing a 40.0″ inch vertical, proving his athletic ability could be transformed into explosive running.
The potential of Scarborough is high as he has both the height at 6’1″ and weight at 232 pounds that many NFL scouts look for in an RB. Noting that, if he can improve in catching out of the backfield he could be devastating.
I compare him to Derrick Henry of the Titans: big, physical, and a strong one-cut runner; if he’s running straight, he’s hard to stop but needs to work on being more elusive.
So as the combine draws to a close, it brought us a few surprises, but let’s look out for what numbers prospects post on their Pro Days. It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks with free agency also starting March 14th.