2022 NFL Draft Prospects: Running Back

4/26/22: Hall had an excellent workout at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, showing a superb combination of size, speed and explosion. He established himself as the top running back prospect for the 2022 NFL Draft and will probably go early in the second round. There is an outside chance Hall sneaks into the end of the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Hall is a physical back who was a huge point producer for Iowa State in 2021. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry for 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns. On top of being a tough runner, Hall was a productive receiver out of the backfield with 36 catches for 302 yards and three scores. Hall impressed 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 pick after the first round.

4/26/22: Walker was on fire in 2021, putting up big numbers and carrying Michigan State to an undefeated record entering November. He didn’t have 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. Walker helped himself with a fast 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. As long as teams are okay with his medical report, Walker should probably get selected in the second round.

4/26/22: White split carries with James Cook, among others, in the typically crowded Georgia backfield, but White impressed in his opportunities. Teams sources say they are grading him on Day 2 and think he could be a starter in the NFL. They like his combination of size, power, speed and natural running ability.

As a runner, White is a load. He is a true power back who runs over defenders and constantly bursts through tackles. With his power and strength, White earned the nickname of Zeus in college, and he is a very physical. White constantly breaks tackles and does a fantastic job of keeping his legs churning after contact. He is a decisive runner who charges downfield and is not one to dance in the backfield. White displays zero hesitation to stick his nose into a scrum and power through the defense to generate positive yardage. His power allows him to finish runs well, and he will consistently drag tacklers behind him. White has a real burst to hit the hole and acceleration to get downfield. He also shows good balance and patience that allow him to flow to the line before darting downfield.

7/3/21: White ran well in 2020 as the lead back for Georgia. He showed speed, instincts and physicality. White flashed ability as a freshman, running hard on 78 carries.

4/26/22: Robinson had a very good 2021 season, showing some natural running ability alongside size, quickness, toughness, and an ability to pick up yards after contact. Some scouts have compared Robinson to former North Carolina running back Javonte Williams, a 2021 second-round pick by the Denver Broncos. Like Williams, Robinson is big, strong, and a downhill runner. Those sources say Robinson has more wiggle and elusiveness then Williams. Some teams have Robinson as their top-graded draft-eligible running back, with a second-round grade while others prefer Breece Hall or Zamir White. Robinson had a disappointing Senior Bowl, but he was solid at the combine.

7/3/21: Robinson has been a steady backup at Alabama over the past few seasons while being buried on the depth chart behind the likes of Najee Harris and Damien Harris. If Robinson is the the three down starter in 2021, he could be a riser.

4/26/22: Spiller was held back in 2021 by inconsistent quarterback play, plus defenses stacked the box to dare the Aggies quarterback to beat them through the air. Spiller’s tapes as a receiver against Colorado and Alabama were impressive and will help him with pro evaluators. Some team sources have compared Spiller to former Texans back Arian Foster. Some area scouts have concerns about Spiller’s speed, but he is a well-rounded back who some teams graded on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.

7/3/21: Spiller ran hard for the Aggies as as an underclassman. In 2020, Spiller averaged 5.6 yards per carry for 1,036 yards with nine touchdowns. He also had 16 catches for 174 yards. Spiller averaged 5.4 yards per carry in 2019 for 946 yards with 10 touchdowns. That season, he caught 29 passes for 203 yards. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Spiller is put together well with a nice combination of size and quickness.

4/26/22: Cook split carries in Georgia’s crowded backfield, but he flashed playmaking ability with special speed to break off long runs. He was solid rotational back for the Bulldogs and would have been a dominant starter at most schools. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Cook worked out well and ran a fast 40.

For the NFL, Cook looks like a rotational running back who could provide a speed element and be a special teams contributor. If Cook were thicker and bigger like his brother Dalvin, the Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowler, he would be rated higher.

7/3/21: Cook is a talented back who has had a hard time seeing consistent carries in Georgia’s loaded backfield. NFL advance scouts, however, liked him enough to rate him highly on their preseason watch list. Cook and Zamir White could produce a big 2021 season together.

4/26/22: Badie is a tough runner who has strength and quickness in a compact build. On top of running well, Badie showed excellent receiving ability for three straight seasons. His ability to contribute on third downs could make him a solid No. 2 rotational back in the NFL, and he might develop into a bigger role. Badie turned in a solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl and followed that up with a good combine.

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.

4/26/22: In 2021, Pierce was a physical load as a runner, but he went under the radar with Florida underachieving its way to a 6-7 season. Pierce is a powerful back who charges over defenders and has a second gear to the next level. He also enters the NFL with very little mileage because the Gators split the carries between Pierce and two other backs. While Pierce never produced a big stat line, he has the skill set to be a better pro than college player.

Pierce put together a phenomenal week of practice at the Senior Bowl. He was the best back on either team in Mobile, running with power, decisiveness and physicality. In the pass-blocking one-on-ones, he was phenomenal in blitz protection. Teams have speed concerns with Pierce, and Pierce didn’t ameliorate them because he put up one of the slower, although not awful, 40 times at the combine. Still, Pierce could be a sleeper who ends up being a steal in the 2022 NFL Draft.

4/26/22: Price ran well enough in 2021 to snag a Senior Bowl slot. He did not have an awful week in Mobile, but he also did not dominate enough to boost his draft stock. Price helped himself at the combine with a fast 40-yard dash. He could be a solid mid-round pick with upside.

7/3/21: Price ran really well in a limited number of attempts in 2020. He averaged 6.8 yards per carry and turned 85 carries into 581 yards with four touchdowns over five games. Florida International struggled defensively, and that hurt him as well. Price is built well and has some quickness to go with his size. Advance scouts were impressed with his skill set and pro potential.

4/26/22: Williams is an undersized back. He also hurt his draft stock with a very slow 40 at the combine. In 2021, he averaged 4.9 yards per carry for 1,002 yards with 14 touchdowns. He also had 42 receptions for 359 yards and three scores. His production was consistent with his 2020 season. Williams could compete to be a backup and special teams contributor.

4/26/22: Borghi ran well in 2021, although Washington State did not give him a big workload in terms of carries.

7/3/21: Borghi has run well the past few seasons, showing quickness and strength as a tough runner. He only played in one game in 2020 because of injuries, but he ran for 95 yards on 10 carries against Utah. In 2019, Borghi ran really well in Mike Leach’s offense while showing excellent receiving ability with 86 catches for 597 yards and five scores through the air. His receiving ability could cause him to be a riser throughout the 2022 NFL Draft process.

4/26/22: Haskins turned in big performances against Washington and Ohio State. He was a tough runner and showed a nose for the end zone. Haskins is a powerful, physical back who could help himself by running fast in pre-draft workouts.

7/3/21: Haskins was power runner and bell cow back that flashed some next level ability in 2020 and 2019. In 2021, it would help him to show more receiving ability out of the backfield as he only has six career receptions with zero coming in 2020.

4/26/22: White was a solid runner for the Sun Devils, but he was most impressive as a receiver and produced really well through the air for Arizona State. White was solid, but unspectacular, at the Senior Bowl.

7/3/21: The Pac-12 did not play much football in 2021 thanks to its incompetent leadership, which hurt the development a lot of the conference’s student athletes. White was one of those players who was hurt by lost games given how he was playing phenomenal football, averaging 10 yards per carry for 420 yards and five touchdowns. It will be interesting to see if White can stay consistent in 2021. If he does, he will be a fast riser.

4/26/22: Ingram did not see a big workload in 2021, but he flashed some ability and was productive in limited opportunities. On top of running hard, he showed some receiving ability as well. At the combine, Ingram had a quality workout. He has the skill set and upside to be a good mid-round value.

7/3/21: Ingram didn’t get into a groove running the ball for Texas in 2020, but he did’t play badly. After the season he transferred to USC. In the previous two seasons, Ingram showed that he is a built power back who is also a dangerous receiver out of the backfield. He was a nice outlet receiver for Sam Ehlinger over 2019 and 2018, showing an impressive ability to adjust to passes for a thick build back. If Ingram shows the speed to hit the hole and dominates as a runner in 2021, he could become a rising prospect.

4/26/22: Verdell averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2021 for 406 yards and six touchdowns. He also had eight receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown. In early October, Verdell went out for the season with a lower-leg injury. Verdell is a tough runner who can wear down defenses.

7/3/21: Verdell was a steady producer for Oregon in 2019, ripping off some big runs and having a monster performance against Utah in the Pac-12 Championship game. Verdell averaged 6.2 yards per carry in 2019 for 1,220 yards with eight touchdowns on the year. He also had 14 receptions for 125 yards. Verdell played in five games in 2020, before breaking his thumb, which ended his year. Verdell isn’t a big back, but he has speed and cutting ability.

4/26/22: Brooks ran well for Oklahoma in 2021. He was not able to show receiving ability because the Sooners didn’t utilize him in the passing game. Brooks declared for the 2022 NFL Draft after the season, but he probably should have gone back to school.

7/3/21: Brooks sat out the 2020 season. He was the Sooners’ feature back during the 2019 season, and he ran well for them. He showed nice quickness and has quality size. Brooks could take on a larger workload as a junior because the Sooners may do less running with their quarterback. It would help Brooks’ draft stock to show more receiving ability in 2021.

4/26/22: Pacheco was not very productive in 2021, but Rutgers struggled in conference play, and playing from behind hurt Pacheco’s opportunities. He helped himself with a fast 40 at the combine.

7/3/21: While Pacheco has not produced a big statistical year, he has been a tough runner for the Scarlet Knights and NFL advance scouts put him on their preseason watch list. He could rise with a big 2021 season because he is tough runner who has some strength.

4/26/22: Smith ran well for Baylor in 2021, averaging 6.2 yards per carry for 1,601 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes for 75 yards. Team sources say they are projecting Smith as a backup and special teams contributor.

4/26/22: Allgeier was very good for BYU in 2021. He is a tough runner and scoring threat. Allgeier would be rated higher if it weren’t for some physical limitations, like the lack of speed that was illustrated at the combine.

7/3/21: Allgeier had broke out in 2020, ripping up the easy BYU schedule while also benefiting from a future top-five pick at quarterback and multiple pro prospects on the offensive line. Still, Allgeier averaged 7.5 yards per carry and found the end zone 13 times. It will be interesting to see if he can stay consistent in 2021 after losing a lot of pieces from his supporting cast and in the face of a more challenging schedule.

4/26/22: Brown was a well-rounded back for West Virginia. He’s solid, but unspectacular. Brown hurt himself at the combine with a slow 40.

7/3/21: Brown ran well for West Virginia in 2020, showing an ability to handle a good work load. He also was impressive as a receiver out of the backfield, hauling in 31 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns. If Brown builds on that season, he could be a riser in 2021.

4/26/22: Bell was a quality runner for San Diego State in 2021, but he needed to show more receiving ability in pre-draft workouts.

7/3/21: Bell played well in seven games in 2020, averaging 5.6 yards per carry for 637 yards and six touchdowns. He also flashed some receiving ability for the Aztecs.

4/26/22: At many schools, Mason would have been a starter, but at Georgia Tech, he was stuck behind a potential NFL starter in Jahmyr Gibbs. Mason was solid in his limited opportunities during 2021. He should have gone back to school, but he entered the 2022 NFL Draft.

7/3/21: Mason was a tough runner for the Yellow Jackets the past three seasons. He has good size and enough quickness to hit the hole. In 2021, it would help Mason to show more receiving ability because he only has 15 career receptions.

4/26/22: Ebner produced well in some limited opportunities, but for the NFL, he looks like a backup running back who would mainly appear on a roster as a special teams contributor. Ebner put up a good 40 time at the combine.

7/3/21: Ebner has not produced much as a runner for the Bears over the past few seasons, but he flashed enough as a receiver to get included on NFL teams’ preseason watch list. As an outlet receiver, Ebner has been a steady and good contributor. If he shows more running ability as a senior, he could rise.

4/26/22: Marks did not produce big numbers in 2021, and he was dealing with a lower leg injury from early October on. He decided to enter the 2022 NFL Draft.

7/3/21: Marks has been part of a rotation with the Bulls, but he flashed impressive ability the past three seasons. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry in 2020, ran for over thousand as a sophomore, and had 845 yards as a freshman with 13 touchdowns. As the feature back in 2021, Marks could produce a massive season and be a riser for the 2022 NFL Draft.