FanPost

2017 Chiefs Draft Preview: Running Backs

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

From the FanPosts -Joel

Welcome all to this year's third edition of my 2017 NFL Draft Prospect Preview (QBs and EDGE).

For those that were not here or those living under a rock (I kid ... just those unaware), last year I did positional Draft Prospect Previews of positions I thought the Chiefs would / should be looking at in the NFL Draft.

This edition is on Running Backs which I consider an area of potential improvement for KC. Jamaal Charles may be cut, and he may not, but either way some form of insurance for him is required. Charmander is not a guy worthy of sticking around and Spencer Ware has proven he can't handle being THE guy.

I don't believe running back is a hard need, it's just an area that can be improved upon. Ware and JC / or a free agent can be adequate however the latter half of that duo is not proven. If a good value appears at running back in this draft, taking a flier on it would be a smart move going forward. Next year's running back class isn't quite as top heavy as this one but the second and third tier talent should be as good and maybe deeper so if JC sticks around with a restructured deal, I would advocate for a Ware-JC-Darrin Reaves running back rotation for 2017.

The format of this series, every edition will have the same general format, which is as follows: Prospects Name - Position - School - Measurables

Combine Results (I will be updating them when they come out in a final version)

Strengths - Random notes I had scribbled down as consistent traits I saw when watching film

Weaknesses- Random notes I had scribbled down as consistent faults

Final Word: This is the quick and easy bottom line of how I see the prospect currently and moving forward in the NFL. It has minimal to do with the direct fit to the Chiefs.

I don't want to set inaccurate expectations, this is not a full scouting report on any of these players, it's a preview of them of them for those who are unfamiliar or just want to know the quick n' dirty jist. Full Scouting Reports I will do for my final mock draft and once the Chiefs have made their official draft picks.

Below the Prospect Preview will be the players in order by which I think the Chiefs should consider drafting them and when. This is the section in which I let the Chiefs personnel, needs, coaches, schemes, and so on affect the rankings.

Terms that will be helpful to fully understand what I'm trying to say:

Vision: The ability to see the hole, defenders, and blockers and know which gap is the most open

Anticipation: The ability to see what's going to happen in 2-3 seconds from right now, setting up a block downfield by your speed or angle, knowing where an OL or defender will be coming from

Get Small Through Hole: Ability to contort your body while running powerful enough to not lose much speed when going through a smaller space

Balance: Not only the ability to stay on your feet, but the ability to not lose speed after contact

Stiff/Loose Hips: Referring to change of direction skills, how good are you flipping your hips without slowing down; stiff = bad, loose = good

Meet the Prospects

Leonard Fournette: RB LSU

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Size, speed, acceleration, runs through contact, solid vision, gets downhill fast, acceptable pass blocking, quick feet, can run from multiple formations, balance, runs low, hips rotate well, changes levels go get through holes, utilizes acceleration to get edge

Didn't catch many passes (not used), not super patient, doesn't set up his blocks, may lack anticipation, not the most elusive laterally, workload

Final Word: Fournette is a very specific type of runner, he's planting his foot and getting downhill and doing it quickly. While that may seem a bit limited it's not as bad as it sounds as he can run from any formation and anywhere on the field, he's just not the kind of back to sit back and let the OL do the work until he finds where to go. Fournette could use to gain some vision or anticipation for blocks as he has a tendency to overrun the blocking or shoot off the wrong side of the block. That being said, it often doesn't matter because he's so big, fast, and handles contact so well that even when defenders aren't taken out of the play, he can get by.

Fournette is a nightmare to tackle in the open field and he is rarely being pushed backwards. He takes every bit of contact low and keeps his legs churning consistently. He is a solid pass blocker and receiver even if not asked to do it much. At the end of the day, Fournette will be good as long as he has a clean 2-3 yards to get moving, if he has to start dancing immediately, his feet get a lil' sloppy and he struggles more.

Joe Mixon: RB OK

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Good size, deceptive speed with long strides, good quickness, good feet behind the LoS, good receiver, great hands, vision and patience work together, acceleration, shows lateral wiggle, quick upfield cuts, uses stutter step great, gets skinny through hole, jump cuts and loose hips, runs very clean routes, good anticipation for downfield blocks

Runs high, would like to see him lower his shoulder a bit more, average pass blocker, good not great balance (may be due to upright running style), struggles to see smaller holes at times

Final Word: With Mixon you have to start at the video and his off-field concerns, I will only touch on this briefly as it relates to the draft. He has had one major incident, a few years ago, and from what I've gathered he's stayed relatively clean since and despite being a video, there has been enough time that I don't think it won't kill his stock. Now, on the field, Mixon is an absolute stud showing the ability to be a banger and an elusive homerun threat seamlessly transitioning from one to the other. His feet are very good for someone his size and his ability to go from a long striding, glide to short stutter steps with A+ acceleration is absurd. He has loose hips and shows an incredible amount of elusiveness for a guy of his size.

The two biggest problems I see with Mixon is his upright running style which does limit his yards after contact some. He needs to get his pad level down to protect himself in the NFL. The last part is that he can be too patient at times waiting for a big (or bigger hole) to appear rather than taking a slightly smaller one. I don't think he'll need a great OL but he also won't be able to fully utilize his patiences and footwork behind a trainwreck. Adding in his top notch receiving ability, Mixon is clearly a first round talent at running back.

Dalvin Cook: RB FSU

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Acceleration, doesn't need to be square to get moving, quick feet, good start-stop speed, handles upper body contact pretty well, adequate pass blocking, good receiver, hands catcher, good vision, good from standstill, lateral quickness, more power than looks show, quick feet

Anticipation is a little lackluster, I'd like see him get smaller through holes, balance when hit below the waist, feet chop at times, ball control, one on one moves

Final Word: Cook is a great running back prospect that is very versatile and will work in any blocking scheme and can do just about anything asked of a back. He is a three down guy that will work between the tackles, behind a power scheme, or in a zone blocking scheme. He sees the field well and uses his quickness to get to the open spots very quickly. I would like to see a little more grace and a little less herky-jerky while he sets up blocks and plays. He plays with much more power, especially in the upper body, than one would think with his size and takes contact well. My biggest caveat with Cook is that he is a smaller back that may not have elite top end speed, combined with the quick pitter-patter feet he may leave a little "extra" to be desired from the type of back he is. He certainly makes up for it by being more physical than most homerun running backs and is plenty quick to still create and exploit angles.

Alvin Kamara RB Tenn

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Very quick, fast, good hands, route running ability, shifty from side to side, sets up blocks well, long speed, plays bigger than he is, good vision for cutback lanes, willing blocker, strong legs, gets downfield quick, balance is great, return skills are great

Sleight frame, vision is only adequate, never THE guy, runs upright, not very patient, runs into tackles too often, doesn't generate many missed tackles from a standstill

Final Word: What I love about Kamara is that he has some small running back skills and threatens teams with the long speed and explosive plays but also plays like a bigger back getting downfield quickly and not spending time in the backfield. What I hate about Kamara is that he's a small back that doesn't utilize all the small running back skills that have proven to make them successful. What I mean is Kamara cuts upfield into the first hole he sees or that should be there rather than setting up the play using his quickness and speed. It helps not lose yards but it also limits some of his homerun potential. Some plays his vision looks exceptional, especially at seeing cutback lanes, and other times he runs directly into a tackle from a safety preventing a 50 yard TD run, untouched. Kamara isn't going to create a ton on his own but he's also not limited to relying his OL to do the majority of the work; he's a perfect balance of speed traits and power tendencies that combined with his receiving prowess that he'll be very successful at the next level.

Christian McCaffrey: RB Stan

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Vision, quickness, very good patience, anticipation to set up blocks, change of direction skills, can line up out wide, willing pass blocker, hands catcher, good acceleration, long strider, doesn't waste steps, deep speed, can move without hips square, doesn't come down to all arm tackles, gets skinny through holes

Runs a little upright, size, power is only adequate, not a good pass blocker, stop-start might not be as elite as lateral quickness, big workload,not an elite athlete

Final Word: McCaffrey is starting to get a little underrated in this year's class because of his size and lack of elite athleticism. He doesn't have great speed, or great explosion, or great power but he's not lacking in any of those categories either. He's got a long, lean frame and runs upright which limits his ability to really lower his shoulder (he doesn't do it often anyway) and get a few extra yards through someone. That said, he shows some amazing patience behind the line of scrimmage waiting for blocks to open up the right hole, uses his vision to get there, and his change of direction skills to get there quickly. McCaffrey sets up blocks with his hands on lineman's backs as well as the angles he uses downfield very well. He will need some help from his OL or at the very least the scheme, but he is going to get you the most out the play on a very consistent basis.

Jamaal Williams: RB BYU

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Strong lower body, stout build, plays low, quick enough burst to get through holes, very good balance, runs through contact, solid pass blocker, adequate vision, gets downhill fast, can get the edge when it's given, shows some lateral wiggle, carries the ball securely, angles his body well, falls forward often

Not much of a receiver, lacking home run speed, uses whole body to move laterally, footwork is technically sound but a lil clunky, doesn't create much on his own, works laterally too often

Final Word: Williams is a prototypical two down, between the tackle back that will be a great find for a team in need of one. He has an incredible amount of power, that when combined with his size and pad level makes him a very hard tackle. He shows enough burst and lateral agility to slip by some defenders who don't break down properly (assuming he doesn't run them over) and this also allows him to be effective outside the tackles when it's open. Williams also shows enough vision to find open holes outside of the called player, however he trusts his burst and vision too much and tries to work outside too often for his overall speed. When he's hitting the hole that's called, getting his foot in the ground and up field, he's quite effective. He'll make the occasional big play outside but overall he is better suited running downhill, between the tackles. The biggest problem Williams will run into is he's pretty unnatural at catching the ball and pretty lackluster when running routes, this combined with solid but not great pass blocking will pull him off the field during 3rd downs.

Kareem Hunt: RB Tol

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Stout build, good speed, quick burst through a hole, pad level is amazing, great balance, runs through contact, good vision, gets real small through holes, decent receiving threat as a check down, good lateral wiggle, willing pass blocker, fights for every yard, ball security

Stiff hips, not very patient, competition was lacking, body catcher, homerun speed isn't there

Final Word: Hunt was an interesting watch because he was extremely dominant on tape vs the competition he played. He looked faster, stronger, and quicker than nearly every defender and it was hard to decipher if he was really that good or he was helped by playing subpar players. The Senior Bowl really showed much of the same, Hunt is a low to the ground runner that you can rarely get a good hit on. He sheds tackles extremely well and has excellent balance to keep moving forward. He has good vision to see small creases and can contort his body through them while maintaining his speed and even shows some good elusiveness when defenders square up to tackle him. We've gotten this far and the only real negative is who he played but I do have one more, his hips are stiff. When he cuts upfield on an outside zone or stretch play he has to slow down quite a bit and take some extra steps to redirect his momentum, he's quick when he takes off, but it isn't a quick cut. I don't see Hunt working in a system that asks him to go laterally then upfield super often, the more you can keep his hips squared toward the end zone the better. That said, Hunt can create on his own with start/stop speed and good power so he isn't reliant on his OL.

Wayne Gallman: RB Clem

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Good receiver, great pass blocker, good burst upfield when cutting, a little lateral wiggle, gets small through holes, quick feet, can run inside and outside, good patience, shows a nice jump cut

Average size / speed combo, not super elusive, not a major pile mover, gets lost in traffic too often, average vision, plays high for a non big back

Final Word: Gallman is flying under the radar with Deshaun Watson and Mike Williams stealing most of the attention for Clemson over the past couple years. He shows very good burst and a good feel for ducking in and out of holes to produce between the tackles as well as gain the edge. His ability to keep moving upfield while shifting his hips from one direction to another without slowing down much make him great coming off of hard cuts and allow him to use his nice jump cut. Where he gets into trouble is that he plays too high that even after cutting he doesn't come out with the same explosion he does after receiving the handoff which limits his homerun ability. Despite being able to run between the tackles, Gallman isn't running through a ton of contact or moving many piles. Gallman shows good pass blocking skills as well as receiving skills which could lead to him starting his career as a solid third down back.

Samarje Perine: RB OK

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Big guy, massive legs, runs with a ton of power, runs through first contact very well, always falling forward, changes level of his shoulder to deliver hits, good balance, solid in pass pro, gets small through holes, nimble feet for size, always finishing runs

Not much acceleration, stiff hips, lacking top end speed, vision is only adequate, lacking patience, didn't see many passes

Final Word: These mid to late round backs are much more fun to scout because they have their niche which makes them easier. Perine is an old school, downhill runner that wants to get moving north and south very quickly, and he does it with a ton of power. He does a great job of staying low and balanced on his legs so that he can not just absorb hits but deliver them and keep moving. He shows good enough footwork and flexibility to squeeze through small gaps when he finds them and enough power to draft DL behind him. Getting him moving sideways is a bad idea because he has a tendency to miss cutback lanes and doesn't have the quickest of cuts or best acceleration. He isn't a guy made for the big play but he can run inside or outside (as long as it's getting upfield) and do it was some ferocity. He's also a great goal line back with his low to the ground and power combo. Not really used as a receiver but he was solid in pass pro, best suited as a two down guy in a power running scheme but could have some use as an inside zone runner

D'Onta Foreman: RB UT

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Big bodied, good speed for size, shows some patience and vision, hard to bring down, nimble feet for size, good in pass pro, gets upfield quickly, solid acceleration, nice stiff arm, fluid hips, feet keep moving no matter what, good balance

Homerun speed vs NFL talent or just Big 12 talent, no lateral wiggle, not used in the receiving game, tries to bounce outside too often, runs very upright, leans on his OL if no hole is apparent, start/stop speed is mediocre, ball security issues

Final Word: Foreman is a fan favorite for many not just on AP but all around. It's very rare to get a guy his size as athletic and fast as he is. It really shows that he's able to plow between the tackles moving 3-4 guys five yards downfield before coming to the ground then on the next play bounce outside and beat a linebacker to the edge, at 240 pounds. He has a good burst in a straight line and his feet are pretty light when he's waiting behind the OL, but sometimes he just leans on the OL waiting for them to create for him. I would like to see more aggression out of him at the right times, notice the small crease and take it by making himself smaller rather than waiting for a bigger hole to potentially open up. If making one cut up the field Foreman is quite deadly, once he's going downhill he's hard to stop.

The issue I see with is that he is not a guy that can take his momentum from laterally to forward or going to stopped to going very quickly. Once he slows his momentum the run stalls out making him a perfect fit for a power running scheme or a one cut system.

James Conner: RB Pitt

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Good size, nice burst, balance, gets upfield quickly, ball security, vision is very good, gets skinny through holes, has nice lower body strength, good pass blocker, solid hands, runs through contact, enough lateral wiggle for size

Not a homerun threat, minimal patience, stiff hips, plays high, scheme specific, injury history, runs into OL if no hole, iffy footwork if forced to stop

Final Word: I'm a lil baffled with the lack of James Conner talk in draft circles, the only thing I can come up with is that people are scared of a resurgence of cancer for Conner. He's a big back that gets north-south real fast and gets moving real fast. He's got a good burst that does lose speed making him not much of a homerun threat but picks up solid yards. He shows very tight hips and he knows it by his immediate pushing towards the hole but his great vision allows him to find most of the open spaces. Asking him to move laterally would be a mistake as his feet start to get slow and clunky when he has to go east-west. Conner is a solid pass catcher and pass blocker giving some signs of being a three down back. He's highly specific needing a power run scheme, maybe an inside zone would work, but within that scheme Conner should be a very effective pro and I'm not sure why no one is talking about it.

Tarik Cohen: RB NCA&T

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Great speed, even better acceleration, "human joystick" name may be re-used but it's accurate, lateral wiggle is insane, good balance, good / strong hands, good route runner, above average vision, tries to finish runs hard, changes levels to get through gaps, very loose hips, runs with a good pad level

Small size, despite effort doesn't break many tackles, tries too hard to go outside, doesn't set up blocks with anticipation, too willing to go backwards or completely stop feet

Final Word: Very similar to Pumphrey but probably a more refined and better receiver making him a more promising third down / scat back. Cohen has great deep speed, although I'm not sure it's as game changing as some guys near his size and style. Where Cohen makes up for it is his quickness and shiftiness which is pretty much unmatched in this draft class. His feet move very quickly and has a huge array of jukes, dekes, spins, and stutter steps to get a ton of yards after first contact. His balance is very good for a guy of his size and he fights hard for extra yards, sometimes sacrificing ball security. The biggest issue I see with Cohen, beyond his limited role at the next level, is how he tries to turn every play into the homerun, he'll too often bounce outside or backwards over taking the clear 3-4 yards. In the end, Cohen will probably be a ST, offensive weapon, third down back only in the NFL but he could be very good at it.

Donnell Pumphrey: RB SDST

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Homerun speed, lots of lateral wiggle, acceleration is great, start/stop speed is good, solid route runner, dangerous in the open field, above average balance, gets small through holes, vision is solid, loose hips

Small frame and size, tries to push everything outside, pass pro is bad, easily brought down, can't run through traffic (inside), doesn't show much anticipation, heavy workload

Final Word: Pumphrey is probably the easier running back to scout this year, he's a third down back with homerun ability every time he touches the ball. He's got insane speed and quickness, has good enough vision to find small holes and creases and the acceleration to get through them for big games. He's a bad between the tackle runner that quite often goes down to first contact, due to his very small size and frame. He'll never be a full three down back and probably never be a feature back in the NFL but he has great value as an offensive weapon. If he can work on his hands, he's a body catcher right now, he can become a major threat for any given play..

Brian Hill: RB UW

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Good size, solid speed, runs through contact, maintains balance very well, enough lateral wiggle, plays low, hips are looser than they appear, plays real hard, finishes every run, sets up cutback lanes, good feet, has good anticipation and patience, changes levels and angles through gaps

Not an outside runner, lacks great acceleration or start/stop speed, homefun ability is minimal, wasn't used as a receiver, while he lowers his shoulder well he plays too high, loses 1 on 1 to form tackles

Final Word: Hill is another between the tackle, power runner although he gets there by showing a few different traits. Don't get me wrong, he runs with power and falls forward a lot but he's not running straight through a ton of guys, instead he's setting them up with footwork and using his blockers. He's very good at maneuvering around the line of scrimmage and setting up blocks then squeezing through them using his power and balance. This makes him very effective between the tackles and a good traffic runner. He gets a little out of place heading outside or in open space. He doesn't have the quick twitch ability to outrun a good angle nor the wiggle to make someone with a good angle miss, but he will fall forward and finish the run. He's not super limited given how well he can use blocks but he does have a lower ceiling in some offenses. He's not much of a creator with the ball but as long as the OL is giving him somewhere to go, he'll usually find it. Definitely a back by committee kinda guy but he could prove to be a very good "thunder" to a quicker back.

Jeremy McNichols: RB BSTU

Combine - 40: 10: 3 Cone: Shuttle: Bench: Arms: Vert: Broad:

Power, good speed for size, good out of cuts, solid balance, plays low to the ground, fights through arm tackles, decent hands, good vision for cutback lanes, above average patience, changes levels through holes

Not big, doesn't have homerun ability, not laterally elusive, average acceleration, doesn't finish every run, likes to bounce runs outside, isn't always falling forward, average in pass pro when cut blocking

Final Word: McNichols is a solid all around prospect but doesn't really shine in any particular area. He's got good power with his compact build but isn't a major bruiser getting tons of hard yards. He has decent quickness and shiftiness but doesn't have the acceleration or top end speed to be a threat every time he touches the ball. He sees cutback lanes pretty well but doesn't have great patience when plays are slow to develop and often opts to just bounce outside instead of waiting. He looks best when moving downhill rather than laterally, and despite not being super big, he can run with enough power to be a short yardage back. I think the issue for McNichols is he is swimming with a ton of other players that really excel at something while he doesn't and he doesn't seem to have size/speed combo to rise above their weaknesses. He'll be best suited for a system that has him make 1 hard cut and head upfield.

Where the Chiefs should look to draft them

Fournette - Top 10

Cook - Top 20

McCaffrey - 1st Round

Kamara - 2nd Round

Mixon - 3rd Round

Williams - 3rd Round

Hunt - 3rd Round

Gallman - 4th Round

Perine - 5th Round

Foreman - 4th Round

Conner - 5th Round

Cohen - 5th Round

Pumphrey - 5th Round

Hill - 6th Round

McNichols - 6th Round

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.