Now that the Green Bay Packers have signed Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillon, their plans for running back may have changed a bit. Even with these signings, that doesn’t change the fact that Green Bay may still value taking a running back in the draft—just not quite as early as some may have predicted. Over the years, the Packers have been able to find players like Eddie Lacy, Jamaal Williams, Aaron Jones, and AJ Dillon.
Now, the Packers didn’t quite get the second-round value they were hoping for out of AJ Dillon, but that doesn’t mean they won’t find another key playmaker for Lafleur. This year’s running back class doesn’t have a player who is, in my opinion, head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. How do you break the ties between several promising prospects? You look to the combine for answers.
Here is a list of the best running back prospects from the NFL Combine.
Five Running Backs that Should be on the Green Bay Packers List
His name just seemed to keep popping up when I was doing my research for this article. PFF has him graded out as the 14th-best running back prospect in this year’s draft. His performance at the combine won’t go unnoticed, and it should get him selected a bit higher.
Combine Results :
- 40-Yard Dash – 4.48 Seconds
- 10-Yard Split – 1.53 Seconds
- Vertical – 40″
- Broad Jump – 10’4″
- Three Cone – 6.81 Seconds (Best in RB group)
- 20-Yard Shuttle – 4.06 Seconds
- Bench – DNP
- Athleticism Score/RB Rank – 86 (4th)
- Total Combine Score/ RB Rank – 68 (21st)
I wish the combine had a squat testing drill because I’m confident Corum would have knocked that out of the park, too. I wanted to place him higher on this list, but out of respect for the other players, Corum didn’t test as well as the rest of the pack. Where Blake did excel, however, were some of the drills that weren’t recorded. He is an efficient running back who is competent with his movements. Even though he isn’t the fastest player on the field, he makes up for it with timing, balance, and efficiency. It would be wise for the Packers to keep an eye on Corum heading into the draft.
Combine Results :
- 40-Yard Dash – 4.53 Seconds
- 10-Yard Split – 1.58 Seconds
- Vertical – 35.5″
- Broad Jump – DNP
- Three Cone – 6.82 Seconds
- 20-Yard Shuttle – 4.12 Seconds
- Bench – 27 (Best in RB group)
- Athleticism Score/ RB Rank – 77 (12th)
- Total Combine Score/ RB Rank – 79 (3rd)
The way Benson tested at his size was impressive, to say the least. The NFL ranked him as the number one RB prospect, and it’s hard to disagree. The only things holding back Benson at this point are indecisiveness, wasted movement, and poor vision at times. These could all be cleaned up with the proper coaching. Someone who plays for the Green Bay Packers might be able to teach Benson how to improve on those things.
Combine Results :
- 40-Yard Dash – 4.39 Seconds
- 10-Yard Split – 1.52 Seconds
- Vertical – 33.5″
- Broad Jump – 10’2″
- Three Cone – DNP
- 20-Yard Shuttle – DNP
- Bench – DNP
- Athleticism Score/ RB Rank – 89 (3rd)
- Total Combine Score/ RB Rank – 80 (1st)
Putting Isaac at number two was hard, but it had to be done. His combine performance was worthy of the number-one spot. Guerendo may be the biggest winner of the NFL combine for running backs. PFF graded him as the 11th-best prospect out of college. It’s hard to say he won’t be one of the first five running backs taken off the board. With the emergence of De’Von Achone last season, teams will put a premium on speed. Guerendo was only one-tenth of a second slower than Achane the previous year. The scary thing is that Guerendo is 33 pounds heavier and three and a half inches taller than Achane.
Combine Results :
- 40-Yard Dash – 4.33 Seconds ( Best in RB group, 5th fastest all-time for RB)
- 10-Yard Split – 1.55 Seconds
- Vertical – 41.5″ (Best in RB group)
- Broad Jump – 10’9″
- Three Cone – 6.94 Seconds
- 20-Yard Shuttle – 4.15 Seconds
- Bench – DNP
- Athleticism Score/ RB Rank – 99 (1st)
- Total Combine Score/ RB Rank – 74 (10th)
Honorable Mention
- Braelon Allen – Didn’t Participate in the 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, Three cones, or 20-yard shuttle. Did perform well on the bench (26 reps) vertical and broad jump.
- Jonathon Brooks – Didn’t participate at the combine. The Packers should still strongly consider him on college tape alone.
- Kendall Milton – Tied for best ten-yard split time (1.51 Seconds)
- Dylan Laube – Best 20-yard shuttle time and fifth-best all-time for running backs (4.02 Seconds)
Wright did what he needed to do to cement himself as one of the top running backs in this year’s class. Isaac Guerendo Did everything he could to steal the show, and he was pretty successful, but Wright’s tape is hard to ignore. PFF graded him as the second-best prospect for a reason. He ended the year with a 91 PFF grade, just 0.5 points lower than Jonathon Brookes, who most people have as the best back in the draft. Wright is an explosive player, and right now, every NFL team is looking to get their hands on one.
Combine Results :
- 40-Yard Dash -4.38 Seconds (2nd)
- 10-Yard Split – 1.55 Seconds
- Vertical – 38″
- Broad Jump – 11’2″ (Best in RB group and second best in RB combine history)
- Three Cone – DNP
- 20 Yard Shuttle – DNP
- Bench – DNP
- Athleticism Score/ RB Rank – 93 (2nd)
- Total Combine Score/ RB Rank – 79 (4th)
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