NFL Draft Sleeper Running Backs

When I think of drafts I always remember the saying “you can’t win the league in the first round.” To me, this means finding players in the late-round who represent a great value and can become important pieces for championship runs. We have seen it time and time again with late-round picks playing huge roles for championship teams. One specific player comes to mind as a 6th rounder that has won seven Super Bowls. Yes, Tom Brady is the answer. Today we will be looking to find the next running back to offer value in the late rounds. After going back through the last few years of the draft, you can see a host of productive NFL running backs that have fallen into the late rounds.

Some of the notable names that have been taken in the fourth round or later include: Elijah Mitchell (6th), Tony Pollard (4th), Aaron Jones (5th), Chris Carson (7th), and Devonta Freeman (4th). There are plenty of other backs who have made contributions from the later rounds and we are going to find a few candidates for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Pierre Strong Jr.

5’11 205 pounds, South Dakota State

4.37 40-yard dash 36″ vertical jump – Full Combine Results

Coming out of South Dakota State, Pierre Strong Jr. had an extremely successful college career albeit against FCS competition. Still, Strong shows great promise to be an NFL running back. He posted a 1686-yard final season, leading the FCS in yards while punching in 18 touchdowns. He also grabbed 22 catches for 150 yards. With his top-end speed, great burst, and ability to find the running lane he is a true home run threat with the ball. Strong is an excellent north and south runner and is an above-average cutter to get himself to the next level. Strong has the speed and size of an NFL running back and a team will be getting a good prospect late in the draft. He has the ability to be a good committee back right away and is likely be an injury away from leading an NFL backfield.

Sincere McCormick

5’9 205 pounds, Texas-San Antonio

4.6 40-yard dash 33.5″ vertical jump – Full Combine Results

Next is Conference USA Offensive Player of the year Sincere McCormick. Last season he handled 298 carries for 1479 yards while scoring 15 touchdowns. McCormick is a tough runner who runs with good balance and reads his blocks well. Although he has only averaged 22 receptions per season in college, he has displayed great hands and the ability to hurt opposing defenses with his receiving ability. He has also shown the willingness to take on big defenders in pass protection. McCormick seems to get better as the game goes on. Some areas of concern include his decisiveness at the line of scrimmage and he will need to improve his post-cut acceleration. He has already received a massive workload with almost 800 college touches which is good because he can handle the big workload, but also a negative since he comes into the league with a bunch of wear and tear on his body.

Ty Chandler

5’11 204 pounds, North Carolina

4.38 40-yard dash 31″ vertical jump – Full Combine Results

After transferring from Tennessee for his final season, Ty Chandler led the Tarheels backfield with 1092 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chandler is a patient runner and uses his blockers well. Chandler excels in tight spaces, making smooth and sudden cuts. He shows good burst and once he gets to the second level he is able to outrun defenders to pick up chunk plays. He has shown soft hands when catching passes and is a plus pass blocker. Chandler has shown his versatility by also proving to be an effective kick returner.

Kevin Harris

5’10 221 pounds, South Carolina

Did not run the 40-yard dash at combine 38.5″ vertical jump – Full Combine Results

Kevin Harris is one of my favorite late-round targets in this year’s rookie class. In 2020, he looked to be one of the top running backs in the class compiling 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. After having back surgery in the offseason and missing all of spring practice, Harris never quite looked the same. When healthy, he was able to display some key attributes I look for when finding running backs. He showed great patience, vision, and quick decision-making when reading the defense. Combined with great lower body strength and decent burst, and the previous production in a tough conference, you have a late-round flier with upside. Harris has had very little work in the passing game and had seven drops in just 48 catchable targets. He will need to improve his skills on passing downs to be trusted or he may be limited to a rushing down role.

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Abram Smith

6′ 213 pounds, Baylor

Full Combine Results

After being converted to a linebacker two seasons ago, Smith was moved back to running back and excelled as the lead back. He rushed for over 1600 yards on 257 carries while finding the endzone 12 times. He was not very active in the passing game with only 13 catches for 75 yards. He did not participate in the 40-yard dash or vertical jump at the combine, so questions arise about his speed. As a runner, he displays patience in letting the play develop and is a bruising back at the point of contact. Coming into the season, Smith had only received 12 career collegiate carries. This tells me there was a lot of development in his game and somebody that is willing to persevere and work to perfect his craft. Some of his knocks include his ability to effectively change speeds, running too upright, and does not possess great burst.

Jashaun Corbin

5’11 202 pounds, Florida State

Full Combine Results

Jashaun Corbin comes into the NFL draft without huge production at the college level. He ran for 887 yards his Senior season with an average 6.2 YPC while catching 25 passes for another 144 yards. Corbin has shown great vision and ability to find the open lane through contact to gain additional yards.  Corbin is a good receiver and has experience in running a variety of routes while at Florida State. Corbin is very comfortable running through tackles and even though he lacks elite speed he is fast enough to pick up chunk plays. Some of the things that make him a later-round running back is lack of elusiveness, not a quick transition between cuts, and the inability to turn the corner on outside runs.

Ty Davis-Price

6′ 211 pounds LSU

4.48 40-yard dash 30″ vertical jump – Full Combine Results

While he has not put up eye-popping numbers while at LSU he does possess a good blend of size and athleticism to be successful in the NFL. Davis-Price is a great cutter and has the size to fight through arm tackles. He shows his strength on runs and consistently drags tacklers when fighting for extra yardage. Davis-Price displays good balance that helps him stay upright through contact. Although he has not had a lot of receptions he shows good hands and the ability to track the football for difficult catches. He is a plus blocker and will be able to earn coaches’ trust early with this coveted skill. He will need to improve his patience to allow lanes to open up and learn how to feed off his blockers to garner more production. With his unique blend of size and athleticism, he makes for an intriguing NFL prospect in the later rounds.

Whether you are looking for late options for your favorite team or looking for late-round gems for your dynasty squads, the NFL draft is a fun and exciting time to watch teams change their futures. For these players landing spots will be paramount, so keep an eye out for these players on draft day and we will see which one of these backs can be the next late-round gem.

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