Green Bay Packers Draft: Pre-Combine Rankings for Positions of Need
By Dan Dahlke
Need #6 – Running Back
Top-10 RBs
- Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State (6-0, 225)
- Paul Perkins, UCLA (5-11, 215)
- Derrick Henry, Alabama (6-2, 242)
- Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech (5-10, 215)
- Devontae Booker, Utah (5-11, 212)
- Alex Collins, Arkansas (5-11, 218)
- C.J. Prosise, Notre Dame (6-1, 220)
- Kenyan Drake, Alabama (6-1, 210)
- Jordan Howard, Indiana (6-1, 225)
- Jonathan Williams, Arkansas (5-11, 219)
The Breakdown: 2016 is another good year for running backs. Even though Elliott maybe the only one off the board in the first round, guys like Perkins, Henry, and Dixon offer some dynamic playmaking ability out of the backfield and should be selected in the second round.
While both Perkins and Dixon are shifty scat backs who can make guys miss in the open field, Henry is a pure downhill runner and a handful to take down. He cuts better than people give him credit for, and his straight-line speed is often overlooked.
Booker and Prosise are well-rounded backs with a good blend of power and speed. They’re also both good receivers out of the backfield. Drake is another halfback in this category, but he should be available later in the third or fourth round and could contribute immediately in the NFL as a third-down back.
Collins is a violent runner, and perhaps one of the funnest players to study in this group. He’s a one-cut runner who lowers his shoulder and runs over defenders in the hole. He also possesses good breakaway speed.
Kelvin Taylor, Josh Ferguson, and Aaron Green are potential day three backs I like quite a bit. Ferguson has all the makings of being an excellent third-down back at the next level. He’d be great value as a fifth or sixth round pick for a team like the Packers.
Next: Need #7 - WR