2018 NFL Draft Prospects: Running Backs

By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: [email protected]
Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell for updates.

The top 2018 running back prospects available for the 2018 NFL Draft. * – denotes 2019 prospect. ** – denotes 2020 prospect.

This page was last updated April 24, 2018. Follow Walter @walterfootball for updates.

1. Saquon Barkley*, RB, Penn State
   Height: 6-0. Weight: 233. Arm: 31.39. Hand: 9.5.
   40 Time: 4.40.
   Projected Round (2018): Top-5 Pick.
   4/24/18: Barkley is a once-in-a-decade-type running back prospect, and if it weren’t for need at the quarterback position, he would be the No. 1-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Barkley has devastating quickness to hit the hole and accelerate downfield. Along with great speed, he has tremendous balance, vision, cutting ability, elusiveness and power. Barkley looks like a better prospect than Ezekiel Elliott, and is proving that he is a prospect of similar caliber to players like Leonard Fournette and Todd Gurley. There is no doubt that Barkley is an elite prospect and currently is the top offensive skill-position prospect for the 2018 NFL Draft. He is in the running to be the top prospect at any position.
   
   At the NFL Scouting Combine, Barkley was out of this world with a 40 time that was amazing at his size. Barkley’s 40 was better than other recent running backs like Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara. Barkley also turned in great jumps that demonstrated his explosiveness and was superb in the running back drills. His combine performance locks him into the top-four picks of the 2018 NFL Draft and bolsters his chances of going No. 1 overall.
   
   On the year, Barkley averaged 5.9 yards per carry for 1,271 yards with 18 touchdowns. He had 54 receptions for 632 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver.
   
   7/17/17: Barkley was excellent in 2016, and NFL sources have already said they think he’s a stud back for the next level. The sophomore averaged 5.5 yards per carry on the year for 1,496 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also made 28 catches for 402 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver.
   
   Barkley was very impressive as a freshman in 2015 when he averaged 5.9 yards per carry for 1,076 yards with seven touchdowns. He also caught 20 passes for 161 yards and a score. Barkley was very impressive running for 194 yards on 26 carries against an Ohio State defense loaded with NFL talent. Barkley is a tough runner with a burst.





2. Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
   Height: 5-11. Weight: 214. Arm: 31.25. Hand: 9.13.
   40 Time: 4.54.
   Projected Round (2018): 1-2.
   4/24/18: Some team sources think that Michel won’t make it to their second-round pick and believe that he could go late in the first round. Michel is viewed as the second-best running back prospect for the 2018 NFL Draft by many teams, and in speaking with team sources, they say that Michel has a 50-50 shot at being a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He did well in the combine field drills, but didn’t electrify with his 40-yard dash.
   
   Michel averaged 7.9 yards per carry in 2017 for 1,227 yards with 16 touchdowns. He would have been a three-down starter at most schools, but Georgia had a huge stable of backs whom the coaches spread carries to. To close out his collegiate career, Michel was excellent at breaking off long runs and running all over good defenses to propel Georgia past Auburn and Oklahoma.
   
   7/17/17: Michel played well in 2016 while serving as the backup to Nick Chubb. On the season, Michel took 152 carries for 840 yards – 5.3-yard average – and four touchdowns. He also had 22 receptions for 149 yards.
   
   At most schools, Michel would be a starter, but he has been Chubb’s backup for the vast majority of his collegiate career. Still, Michel is a rushing threat with deceptive speed. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry in 2015 for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 26 receptions for 270 yards and three scores. Michel looks like he could be a mid-round steal for a NFL team.



3. Derrius Guice*, RB, LSU
   Height: 5-10. Weight: 224. Arm: 30.75. Hand: 9.
   40 Time: 4.49.
   Projected Round (2018): 1-2.
   4/24/18: At the NFL Scouting Combine, Guice had a good workout with a fast 40 and did well in the field work. Guice averaged 5.3 yards per carry in 2017, totaling 1,251 yards with 11 touchdowns. He had 18 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns as well. Guice was banged up and missed the Week 5 game against Troy with a knee injury. Late in the regular season, Guice was looking better and seemed to regain some of his speed as he got healthier. Guice is a tough runner with speed, strength, good instincts, and running ability. He could be a good three-down starter in the NFL. Guice has a shot at being a late first-round pick and shouldn’t last long if he slips to the second round.
   
   7/17/17: With Leonard Fournette in and out of the lineup with an ankle injury in 2016, Guice took advantage of a larger-than-expected workload to have a breakout sophomore season. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry for 1,387 yards with 15 touchdowns, plus took nine receptions for 106 yards. Guice had some massive games with 252 yards versus Arkansas and 285 yards rushing against Texas A&M. He is a tougher runner with quickness.







4. Ronald Jones II*, RB, USC
   Height: 6-0. Weight: 200. Arm: 31. Hand: 8.75.
   40 Time: 4.65.
   Projected Round (2018): 2-3.
   4/24/18: Jones ran really well for USC in 2017, showing more decisiveness and displaying more power after gaining weight in the offseason. On the season, Jones averaged 5.9 yards per carry for 1,550 yards with 19 touchdowns. He also had 14 receptions for 187 yards and a score. He has serious speed to break off long runs on any carry and is a real threat to take any carry the distance.
   
   Jones is a fast and shifty runner with starting potential. He needs to gain more weight for the NFL in order to be a three-down back capable of handling a big work load. Jones pulled his hamstring at the combine on his 40-yard dash run, and in reality, he is more of a 4.4- or 4.5-second runner for the 40.
   
   7/17/17: Jones has been a tough runner for the Trojans since his first season, when he averaged 6.5 yards per carry for 987 yards with eight touchdowns. Jones improved slightly in 2016 with an average of 6.1 yards per carry for 1,082 yards and 12 touchdowns. Over two seasons, he has a total of 18 receptions. With Sam Darnold carving up defenses, Jones should have plenty of good running looks in 2017.



5. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
   Height: 5-10. Weight: 220. Arm: 32. Hand: 9.63.
   40 Time: 4.52.
   Projected Round (2018): 2-3.
   4/24/18: Chubb averaged 6.0 yards per carry in 2017 for 1,345 yards with 15 touchdowns. The senior had two receptions for 20 yards as well. His production was suppressed by Georgia splitting the carries among a huge stable of backs. Scouting sources liked what they saw from Chubb in 2017, and he looked back to his old form. Chubb is faster, more physical, tougher to tackle, and more decisive than he was in 2016. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Chubb had a good workout, running well in the 40 and looking good in the field work.
   
   7/17/17: In 2016, Chubb averaged 5.0 yards per carry for 1,130 yards with eight touchdowns. He had five receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown as well. Chubb didn’t quite have the speed and explosion that he had before his 2015 knee injury. Considering it was only about a year since he was hurt, that is understandable.
   
   Prior to his season-ending knee injury in 2015, Chubb had picked up where he left off as a freshman. The sophomore averaged 8.1 yards per carry for 747 yards and seven touchdowns in his shortened 2015 season. In 2014 while splitting time with Todd Gurley, Chubb averaged 7.1 yards per carry for 1,547 yards with 14 touchdowns. He also caught 18 receptions for 213 yards and two scores.
   
   Chubb is akin to a human bowling ball, rolling over tacklers and and being a physical force in the SEC. He is a powerful runner who also has the quickness to rip off yards in chunks. He also is an explosive track competitor.



6. Kerryon Johnson*, RB, Auburn
   Height: 5-11. Weight: 213. Arm: 32.5. Hand: 9.75.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.54.
   Projected Round (2018): 2-3.
   4/24/18: Johnson was solid in the field work at the combine, but did not run the 40-yard dash. Some teams like him in the second round and others project him into Round 3.
   
   Johnson carried Auburn to wins over Alabama and Georgia to put his draft stock on the map late in the 2017 season. Versus both defenses loaded with NFL talent, Johnson showed real quickness with good cutting ability, vision, and decisive downhill running. He also played banged up, illustrating his toughness to withstand a heavy work load and some hard hits. In 2017, Johnson averaged 4.9 yards per carry for 1,391 yards with 18 touchdowns. He also had 24 receptions for 194 yards and two scores.
   
   Johnson was the workhorse for Auburn in 2017 and the team engine for their second-half surge. Johnson ran for 895 yards and 11 scores in 2016.





7. Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State
   Height: 5-10. Weight: 224. Arm: 31.5. Hand: 9.13.
   40 Time: 4.46.
   Projected Round (2018): 2-3.
   4/24/18: Penny ran well as a senior, using his size to roll over a lot of weak opponents. He averaged 7.8 yards per carry for 2,248 yards with 23 touchdowns, plus made 19 receptions for 135 yards and two scores. As a junior, Penny averaged 7.4 yards per carry for 1,005 yards with 11 touchdowns. He caught 15 passes for 224 yards and three scores that season as well.
   
   Penny is a thickly built downhill runner. He has a surprising burst to hit the hole and accelerate to the second level. Penny is fast for a big back and can run away from the defense after getting to the open field. His second gear is very impressive and makes him dangerous to rip off long runs on any carry. Penny combines quick, feet, good balance, and decisive running to be a dangerous runner for a zone-blocking system. That kind of system would be his best fit in the NFL.
   
   As a receiver, Penny is a great fit for the current offensive systems in the NFL. He runs good routes, has soft hands, and is able to find soft spots in the defense for his quarterback. Penny’s issues with learning could be seen at the Senior Bowl, where he had an unimpressive week of practice. He was playing slowly, seemingly thinking too much on the field. As a result, Penny might need some developmental time with the play book before he is able to make an impact for his NFL team.
   
   “Penny is super talented,” said a top NFC executive. “He is a smooth runner, athletic, has some [speed], is good in the pass game and a returner. His makeup and work ethic [are not] great. He has learning issues, so he might need to start with a 7-8 touches per game role until he learns to enough to gradually expand it.”



8. Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 228. Arm: 29.13. Hand: 8.75.
   40 Time: 4.46.
   Projected Round (2018): 2-4.
   4/24/18: Ballage had an impressive week of practice at the Senior Bowl. All week, he was a powerful North-South runner with a physically imposing downhill style. Where Ballage really impressed was with his serious burst to get downfield in a hurry. He showed surprising speed for a big back. Ballage also did well as a check-down receiver. He really helped himself in Mobile and could be a second-day pick.
   
   There is a lot to like about Ballage for the NFL. To go along with size, Ballage is surprisingly fast. He has a real burst with first-step quickness to hit the hole before it closes. Even though Ballage is a big back, he is more elusive in the open field than a power runner who runs through tackles. As a receiving back for the NFL, Ballage is very impressive. He has soft hands to make receptions and runs good routes. Ballage is hurt by having inconsistent production from college despite a skill set capable of putting up some massive seasons. Because of his height, Ballage can be an upright runner, and that leads to defenders landing some hard hits on him. A few team sources said that Ballage has questionable makeup and some think he plays a bit soft.
   
   In 2017, the senior averaged 4.3 yards per carry for 657 yards and six touchdowns. As a junior, Ballage had 536 yards with 14 touchdowns on the ground. He made 44 catches for 469 yards and a touchdown as well that season.



9. Nyheim Hines*, RB, N.C. State
   Height: 5-9. Weight: 197. Arm: 30.75. Hand: 8.88.
   40 Time: 4.38.
   Projected Round (2018): 3-4.
   4/24/18: Hines is a speedster back who produced a lot of big plays for N.C. State in 2017. He a broke out on the season, averaging 5.6 yards per carry for 1,112 yards with 12 touchdowns. He had 26 receptions for 152 yards as well. Hines didn’t contribute much as a runner before 2017, but he did have 43 receptions for 525 yards as a sophomore. On special teams, Hines averaged 25 yards per kick return over three years with two touchdowns. He averaged 11.3 yards per punt return with a touchdown in 2017.
   
   Hines would fit best in the NFL as a change-of-pace receiving back who also contributes as a returner. He could be a nice speed weapon for an offense. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Hines showed how devastatingly fast he is with his superb 40-yard dash time.



10. Mark Walton, RB, Miami
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 202. Arm: 30. Hand: 9.25.
    40 Time: 4.60.
    Projected Round (2018): 3-4.
    4/24/18: In 2017, Walton averaged 7.6 yards per carry for 428 yards and three touchdowns across four games. An ankle injury, which required surgery, caused him to miss the majority of the season. Walton had a scary slow 40 time at the combine, and that is going to hurt him. Still, there are team sources who like Walton and think that he has three-down starting potential in the NFL.
    
    In 2016, Walton averaged 5.3 yards per carry for 1,117 yards with 14 touchdowns. He also had 27 receptions for 240 yards and a score. His freshman year saw him average 3.5 yards per carry for 450 yards and nine touchdowns with 22 receptions for 293 yards and a score. Walton is a smaller backup receiving back for the NFL.





11. Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State
    Height: 5-11. Weight: 223. Arm: 31.38. Hand: 8.88.
    40 Time: 4.54.
    Projected Round (2018): 3-4.
    4/24/18: At the Senior Bowl, Samuels had an impressive week of practices and showed off his excellent receiving skills. Samuels totaled 76 receptions for 597 yards and four touchdowns in 2017. On the ground, he averaged 5.2 yards per carry for 403 yards and 12 touchdowns.
    
    Samuels is a unique prospect for the next level. The senior was listed as a tight end, played some H-back, took carries out of the backfield, and also was split out wide. In speaking with scouts, they like Samuels, and some think that his best fit in the NFL would come as a third-down running back. They think he has really good hands, is a nice receiver, and could also run the rock in those situations. They think that Samuels could be tried as a fullback as well, but being a running back is his best fit. Samuels is a superb route-runner with subtle quickness and athleticism that makes him a mismatch weapon. Samuels could be a steal as a passing weapon on Day 2.
    
    7/17/17: Samuels has been a productive player for the Wolfpack, but he needs to improve his lead blocking for the NFL. As a junior, Samuels snagged 55 receptions for 565 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had 33 carries for 189 yards and six scores. In 2015, Samuels caught 65 passes for 597 yards and seven touchdowns. He also made 56 carries, averaging 6.6 yards per attempt, with 368 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.



12. Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa
    Height: 5-9. Weight: 194. Arm: 29.88. Hand: 8.13.
    40 Time: 4.54.
    Projected Round (2018): 3-5.
    4/24/18: Wadley had a quality week of practice at the Senior Bowl. In Mobile, he showed his versatility as a runner and receiver. Wadley will be a nice fit for a passing offense.
    
    Wadley averaged 4.4 yards per carry in 2017 for 1,109 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also had 28 receptions for 353 yards and three touchdowns. Wadley turned in a huge performance to almost lead Iowa to an upset of Penn State. In his senior season, he was excellent as a receiver and also flashed as a kick returner.
    
    7/17/17: Late in the 2016 season, team sources told WalterFootball.com that Wadley was really impressing them. The junior averaged 6.4 yards per carry in 2016 for 1,081 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also contributed as a receiver with 36 catches for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Wadley totaled 83 carries for 496 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore.



13. Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon
    Height: 5-11. Weight: 229. Arm: 32. Hand: 9.5.
    40 Time: 4.55.
    Projected Round (2018): 3-5.
    4/24/18: In 2017, Freeman averaged 6.0 yards per carry for 1,475 yards with 14 touchdowns. The senior took 14 receptions for 164 yards as well. The big power back was unable to participate in the Senior Bowl.
    
    7/17/17: Freeman was banged up in 2016 and didn’t look like the same player as the year before. He barely played against Nebraska and missed the game against Colorado with a leg injury. Freeman returned to the field afterward, but he wasn’t the same as evidenced by his games against Washington (11-50), California (15-10) and Arizona State (17-38). Freeman averaged 5.6 yards per carry in 2016 for 945 yards with nine touchdowns. He had 23 catches for 144 yards as well.
    
    Freeman was the bell-cow back for the Ducks the previous two seasons. He impressed as a freshman by averaging 5.4 yards per carry for 1,365 yards with 18 touchdowns while also picking up 16 receptions for 158 yards and a score. Freeman was even better as a sophomore, averaging 6.5 yards per carry for 1,836 yards with 17 touchdowns. He added 26 receptions for 348 yards and two scores as well.





14. Josh Adams*, RB, Notre Dame
    Height: 6-2. Weight: 213. Arm: 33.75. Hand: 9.25.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.57.
    Projected Round (2018): 4-6.
    4/24/18: Adams ran really well in 2017, with the Fighting Irish fielding one of the best ground attacks in the nation. Behind a tremendous offensive line, Adams was a tough runner, using his size to be a downhill power back while still possessing enough quickness to break off long runs. Adams averaged 6.9 yards per carry for 1,430 yards with nine touchdowns on the year. He had 13 receptions for 101 yards as well. Adams ran for 933 yards as a sophomore after putting up 835 yards as a freshman.



15. Kyle Hicks, RB, TCU
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 204. Arm: 32.5. Hand: 9.5.
    40 Time: 4.53.
    Projected Round (2018): 4-6.
    4/24/18: Hicks has some fans in the scouting community as a rotational back. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2017 for 637 yards with four touchdowns while being part of a rotation at the position. The redshirt senior had 30 receptions for 291 yards and a touchdown as well. Hicks showed serious receiving ability with 47 catches for 417 yards and two touchdowns in 2016. That season, he also averaged 5.1 yards per carry for 1,042 yards and 12 touchdowns.



16. John Kelly*, RB, Tennessee
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 216. Arm: 31.38. Hand: 9.38.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.54.
    Projected Round (2018): 4-6.
    4/24/18: Kelly is a tough runner, but he has a limited skill set for the NFL. The junior averaged 4.1 yards per carry in 2017 for 778 yards with nine touchdowns. He also had 37 receptions for 299 yards. Kelly put together a strong start to the 2017 season before Tennessee struggled in the final two months of the year. In the NFL, Kelly could be a quality backup and rotational back, but he could lack the skill set to be a three-down starter.



17. Chase Edmonds, RB, Fordham
    Height: 5-9. Weight: 205. Arm: 31.13. Hand: 9.
    40 Time: 4.534
    Projected Round (2018): 5-7.
    4/24/18: Edmonds was playing well at the East-West Shrine before an injury knocked him out of practice. Teams had durability concerns about him, so that injury could be harmful to his draft stock. As a senior, Edmonds ran for 577 yards on 136 carries with five touchdowns. He totaled 1,799 yards as a junior, 1,648 as a sophomore and 1,838 yards as a freshman. Edmonds had 52 touchdowns over those three seasons while also showing some receiving skills. Sources say that Edmonds impressed them with his combine workout.



18. Martez Carter, RB, Grambling State
    Height: 5-9. Weight: 205.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.51.
    Projected Round (2018): 5-7.
    4/24/18: In late September, team sources told me that Carter was a player who really impressed scouts this fall. One area scout said that Carter is a bigger Tarik Cohen and is arguably as good as Cohen was in college during 2016. They also say that Carter impressed them in 2016, when he averaged 7.7 yards per carry for 906 yards with 11 touchdowns. Carter added 28 receptions for 351 yards and three scores that season, too. The senior averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2017 for 854 yards and 10 touchdowns, plus took 33 receptions for 449 yards and two touchdowns.



19. Roc Thomas, RB, Jacksonville State
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 198. Arm: 31.63. Hand: 9.25.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
    Projected Round (2018): 5-7.
    4/24/18: Team sources told me that Thomas impressed him in the fall. The senior averaged six yards per carry for 1,065 yards with 13 touchdowns in 2017. He also made 21 receptions for 244 yards. As a junior, Thomas averaged 6.2 yards per carry for 782 yards and seven touchdowns, plus had 16 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown. Thomas started out his collegiate career at Auburn before transferring to Jacksonville State.



20. Justin Jackson, RB, Northwestern
    Height: 6-0. Weight: 199. Arm: 30.63. Hand: 9.25.
    40 Time: 4.50.
    Projected Round (2018): 5-7.
    4/24/18: Jackson averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2017 for 1,311 yards with 11 touchdowns. He had 44 catches for 276 yards as well. The senior didn’t play as well in the early portion of the year and looked banged up. Additionally, Northwestern’s offensive line was terrible and struggled to open holes. The Wildcats also lacked receivers who could keep teams from stacking the box. Jackson had a mixed week at the East-West Shrine and was solid at the combine.
    
    7/17/17: Jackson is an impressive runner who has been extremely productive the past three seasons. As a junior, he averaged 5.1 yards per carry for 1,524 yards with 15 touchdowns. He also caught 35 passes for 219 yards. Jackson ran for 1,418 yards as a sophomore and 1,187 yards as a freshman with 43 combined receptions. Jackson lacks size for the NFL, but he could be a change-of-pace and receiving back.



21. Ralph Webb, RB, Vanderbilt
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 202.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.54.
    Projected Round (2018): 5-7.
    4/24/18: In 2017, Webb averaged 4.3 yards per carry for 831 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also notched 13 receptions for 188 yards and a touchdown as a receiver. Webb played better than the numbers illustrate, as he went against much more talented defenses that sold out to stop him. Webb didn’t impress at the East-West Shrine and didn’t participate in the combine.
    
    7/17/17: Webb goes under the radar at Vanderbilt, but he has been one of the more steady backs in the SEC the past few seasons. Webb averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2016 for 1,283 yards with 13 touchdowns. He caught 21 passes for 166 yards. The previous year, he averaged 4.2 yards per carry for 1,152 yards and five scores. Webb chipped in 24 receptions for 188 yards and two scores, too. As a freshman, he ran for 907 yards. Webb is a smaller back who might not be a starter in the NFL, but he could be a solid rotational back who also contributes in the passing game.



22. Ito Smith, RB, Southern Miss
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 202.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.51.
    Projected Round (2018): 5-7.
    4/24/18: Smith was a steady runner for Southern Miss over the past three seasons. He also has a nose for the end zone and receiving ability for the NFL. As a senior, Smith averaged 5.7 yards per carry for 1,321 yards with 13 touchdowns. He had 36 receptions for 370 yards as well. Smith averaged 5.5 yards per carry for 1,459 yards and 17 scores as a junior with 43 catches for 459 yards and two scores. In 2015, he averaged 6.6 yards per carry for 1,128 yards with 10 touchdowns and 49 receptions for 515 yards with three scores. Smith’s consistent play earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he turned in an average week. He didn’t participate in the combine.



23. Lavon Coleman, RB, Washington
    Height: 5-11. Weight: 223. Arm: 30.5. Hand: 9.25.
    40 Time: 4.65.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: In 2017, Coleman averaged 4.6 yards per carry for 407 yards with four touchdowns. He had 13 receptions for 155 yards as well. He was the power-back backup to Myles Gaskin, but Coleman is a solid player. At the combine, Coleman recorded slow times that will hurt his draft stock.
    
    7/17/17: Coleman is a thick back who combined with Myles Gaskin to form a tough rushing duo for Washington. In 2016, Coleman averaged 7.5 yards per carry for 852 yards and seven touchdowns. That was big increase over rushing totals of 176 and 565 in the previous two seasons. Coleman isn’t much of a receiver, totaling just 18 receptions over three years.



24. Darrel Williams, RB, LSU
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 229. Arm: 30.88. Hand: 9.13.
    40 Time: 4.72.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: Williams handled 145 carries in 2017, averaging 5.7 yards per carry for 820 yards with nine touchdowns. He also had 23 receptions for 331 yards. Williams was the backup to Derrius Guice, but played more than expected because of Guice’s knee injury. Williams was a also backup as a junior, sophomore and freshman to Guice and Leonard Fournette.
    
    Williams had a solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl. He could compete to make a roster as a third-string back and special teams contributor. Williams had a very slow 40 time at the combine that will hurt his stock.



25. Bo Scarborough*, RB, Alabama
    Height: 6-2. Weight: 228. Arm: 33.5. Hand: 10.
    40 Time: 4.52.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: Scarborough averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2017 for 596 yards with eight touchdowns on 124 carries. He had 17 receptions for 109 yards as well. Scarborough has the upside to have produced more, but Damien Harris served as Alabama’s feature back while others were splitting carries with Scarborough. Scarborough left school early, which was a questionable decision. On the negative side, he didn’t play well enough or produce enough to prove he can be a NFL starter. On the positive side, he probably would have had fewer carries as the third-string back behind Damien Harris and Najee Harris in 2018. Both of them are more talented than Scarborough.
    
    7/17/17: Scarbrough emerged as a potentially devastating workhorse running back at the end of the 2016 season. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry on the year for 812 yards with 11 touchdowns. He is similar to Derrick Henry with the size to run over defenders and a surprising burst to break off long runs for a big back. Scarborough could be a workhorse back for the NFL.



26. D’Ernest Johnson, RB, South Florida
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 210.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.54.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: Johnson put together an impressive week of practice at the East-West Shrine, and team sources told me they liked what they saw out of him from a speed and athleticism standpoint. Johnson is a slashing back with receiving ability. In 2017, Johnson averaged 4.1 yards per carry for 796 yards with seven touchdowns. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry for 543 yards with eight touchdowns in 2016. Johnson had 28 receptions that season and 26 in 2015.



27. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Colorado
    Height: 5-8. Weight: 190.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.52.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: Lindsay put together a good week of practice at the East-West Shrine. He showed nice quickness and cutting ability. In 2017, Lindsay averaged 4.9 yards per carry for 1,474 yards with 14 touchdowns. He also had 23 receptions for 257 yards and a score. As a junior, Lindsay averaged 5.1 yards per carry for 1,252 yards with 16 touchdowns. He caught 53 passes that season for 493 yards and a score.



28. Justin Crawford, RB, West Virginia
    Height: 5-11. Weight: 199. Arm: 32. Hand: 9.13.
    40 Time: 4.61.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: As a senior, Crawford averaged 5.6 yards per carry for 1,061 yards with seven touchdowns. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry for 1,184 yards and four scores with 14 receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown as a junior.



29. Jarvion Franklin, RB, Western Michigan
    Height: 5-11. Weight: 239. Arm: 31.25. Hand: 9.25.
    40 Time: 4.63.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: Franklin is a thick back who had three seasons of good production in college. As a senior, he averaged 5.2 yards per carry for 1,228 yards with 11 touchdowns. Franklin ran for 1,353 yards as a junior and 1,551 yards as a freshman. He also caught over 60 passes over his collegiate career.



30. Kamryn Pettway*, RB, Auburn
    Height: 6-0. Weight: 233. Arm: 31.25. Hand: 9.5.
    40 Time: 4.74.
    Projected Round (2018): 6-FA.
    4/24/18: Pettway was suspended for the 2017 season opener. After that, he averaged 4.0 yards per carry for 305 yards with six touchdowns. He also made three catches for 32 yards. Pettway lost the starting job to Kerryon Johnson, plus missed the final four games of the regular season with a shoulder injury. Pettway decided to enter the 2018 NFL Draft, which was a big mistake as he could go undrafted. With Johnson moving on to the NFL, Pettway could have been Auburn’s starter in 2018. Pettway recorded a very slow 40 time at the combine.
    
    7/17/17: The power back Pettway was a rotational fullback in 2015 before becoming Auburn’s feature runner in 2016. During a breakout season, Pettway was one of the top backs in the SEC as he averaged 5.9 yards per carry for 1,224 yards with seven touchdowns. Unsurprisingly with Auburn’s offense, he didn’t get thrown the ball as he had only two receptions on the season.



31. Jeffery Wilson, RB, North Texas
    Height: 5-11. Weight: 210. Arm: 31.5. Hand: 9.25.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.54.
    Projected Round (2018): 7-FA.
    4/24/18: Wilson averaged 6.5 yards per carry for 1,215 yards with 16 touchdowns. He caught 24 passes for 168 yards. Wilson ran for 936 yards as a junior an 830 yards as a sophomore.



32. Nick Wilson, RB, Arizona
    Height: 5-10. Weight: 199.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.53.
    Projected Round (2018): 7-FA.
    4/24/18: Wilson averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2017 for 614 yards and six touchdowns. He missed some time with an ankle injury. Wilson didn’t participate in the combine.
    
    7/17/17: Wilson averaged 5.8 yards per carry in 2016 for 320 yards with three touchdowns. He also made two receptions for 11 yards. Wilson missed seven games because of injury in 2016.
    
    Wilson had an impressive debut in 2014 with an average of 5.8 yards per carry for 1,375 yards and 16 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he missed four games and saw his total dip to 725 yards with an average of 5.5 per carry and eight touchdowns. He has to stay healthy in 2017 to help his draft stock.

NFL Picks - Dec. 21


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 18


NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 16


2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4