Top Rookie Running Back Landing Spots

From the moment the NFL playoffs begin, we NFL fans are getting a layout of how the first round along with the other rounds will go in the upcoming NFL Draft. Once the Super Bowl ends and we have a winner, we know exactly what all picks 1 through 32 of each round will be, outside of potential future trades of course. Over the last two weeks of the off-season with free agency, trades, and cuts, the NFL has been nothing but surprises. This has got to be one of the most exciting NFL free agency periods we’ve seen in a long time. Potentially one of the most exciting ones ever.

Here, I will be targetting some of the top rookie running back landing spots. Can it change? For sure, but I will do my best with what I know today. I will be working off where I think the best running backs will land and what teams are good fits. If you missed the NFL Combine, we have you covered here with all of the official results. Could there be a first-round running back taken? I don’t think so, but that’s for you to decide as we look at the 2022 rookie running back class and their potential landing spots. Let’s get right into it with Top Rookie Running Back Landing Spots.

– Dynasty Home –

Breece Hall, Iowa State

Best Fit: Buffalo Bills or Seattle Seahawks

The 2022 NFL Combine didn’t disappoint when it came to Breece Hall. A three-down back with a good combination of size (5’11, 217 pounds), athleticism, contact balance, and vision should lead to future success for the 20-year-old back in the NFL.  Lately, the running back position has been devalued in the perspective of NFL teams. Last year, we saw Najee Harris as the only running back taken in the first round at pick 24 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. This year, I could see that happening again. The Buffalo Bills have a few needs and cornerback looks like the need and such, but I could see them making a crazy move in the first round at pick 25 and going with the best running back in this class with Hall. Sure Devin Singletary went off at the end of the season, but he’s in the final year of his contract, and giving Josh Allen a better running back and better running game around the goal line would be a plus. It’s a crazy move so early, but I could see it happening.

A more realistic landing spot though is in the second round to the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks hold both pick 40 (from Denver Broncos) and pick 41. Pete Carroll loves to run the ball, we know that. They have a big hole at quarterback, but I expect them to their first-round pick that they got from the Denver Broncos. With one of their two back-to-back second-round picks, I can see them spending it on Hall. What does a rookie quarterback love? A running back who can both run and catch the ball, be a safety blanket when needed, and get those extra yards when it counts. Hall is a good running back. He needs to improve on his pass blocking, which I’m sure Pete Carroll can work on with him.

Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

Best Fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As of now, Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, and Giovani Bernard are all free agents leaving just Ke’Shawn Vaughn as the only running back on the roster. With Tom Brady coming back, he may get a running back to sign that he wants, but how much longer will he play beyond this season? Rumor has it, Hall may be the best running back coming into the 2022 NFL Draft, but may not be the first one selected. A name I hear constantly of being the first running back off the board is Kenneth Walker III.

After two average seasons at Wake Forest, the Demon Deacon transferred to  Michigan State his junior rushing for an astonishing 1,636 yards, and 19 total touchdowns. His downside prior to the NFL Combine was his lack of catches made in his three-year college career with 19 total receptions, 13 of which were with Michigan State. Well doubters, put that on the backburner now as Walker proved his ability to catch and run with the ball. Now Tampa Bay holds the 27th pick of the first round in the 2022 NFL Draft and he could go there to them. Worst case, he falls into the second round, but Tampa Bay is able to still scoop him up at pick 60. One way or another, Walker will hear his name called sooner than later in the draft.

Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M

Best Fit: Atlanta Falcons

Let the red flags fly as many are understandably pushing down Isaiah Spiller in rookie mock drafts and probably NFL mocks as he is recovering from an abdominal injury. He didn’t run the 40-yard dash, but he did take part in the vertical and broad jumps but did not rank among the top running backs in either jump. With the impressive Combine performances of Hall and Walker, Spiller is dropping down draft boards. That being said, there’s no better place to drop than to the Atlanta Falcons at pick 58 in the second round, or worse, pick 74 in the third round. Either way, the Falcons get a much-needed upgrade over Mike Davis or the aging Cordarrelle Patterson who just signed a 2-year, $10.5M deal to stay with the Falcons. All in all, neither of them is the long-term answer and Spiller would be a fantastic addition to an offense in desperate need of some weapons. The Falcons “need” a much-upgraded player at the running back position, and they get their guy who is patient, explosive with the cuts up the middle, and a touchdown anytime waiting to happen.

Rachaad White, Arizona State

Best Fit: Arizona Cardinals

One of the running backs that you need to get excited for is staying in Arizona himself. The Arizona Cardinals let Chase Edmonds walk and signed James Conner to a 3-year, $21 million deal to stay in Arizona. A backfield that likes to run a 1-2 punch has a void and no better than the best pass-catching running back in this draft as early as the third round (pick 87). The Arizona Cardinals are in need of more weapons as Christian Kirk left in free agency, AJ Green is aging and may come back as a depth piece, leaving DeAndre Hopkins and Rondale Moore as the only true wide receivers. Sure, Zach Ertz signed and had a nice season last year, but he’s on the wrong side of 30. Getting White gives this offense something it needs to fill that Chase Edmonds gap and would be a very nice compliment to the goal line back, Conner. White may not have that speed teams want, but he has the hands that coaches will love. He will be a solid third-down back and someone that can be in the backfield at the same time as Conner himself. A true dual-threat that this team needs.

Brian Robinson Jr, Alabama

Best Fit: Miami Dolphins

After being the first one to sign a free agent running back in Edmonds, Mike McDaniels also signed his former running back Raheem Mostert. What do the 49ers like to do when it comes to the NFL Draft? Find gems. Where did Mike McDaniels come from? Exactly! Here I see Brian Robinson landing in Miami. He won’t be a Day 2 pick in the NFL Draft, but I could hear his name being called as soon as pick 121 by Miami. His quickness and burst through tackles make for a nice secondary piece to a Mostert that this team will need. Miami will more than likely looking to run a committee backfield, and with an aging Mostert (will be 30 next month) more depth to a backfield that is needed gets it.

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– Dynasty Rookie ADP –

James Cook, Georgia

Best Fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New York Jets

Yes, I have Walker being pegged to Tampa Bay, but we all know how the NFL Draft goes. This is assuming they pass and go elsewhere at other positions like OL or EDGE. So next I have James Cook, brother of Dalvin Cook, heading to Tampa Bay. The ageless Tom Brady is looking for a good pass-blocking back that can be anywhere on the field when needed. With lots of tread on the tires, the Bucs get a piece that is needed at pick 91 in the third round. Whether they are able to re-sign Fournette or not, Cook can play that James White role that Tom Brady had in New England.

The second option is with the New York Jets. The depth behind Michael Carter is well, essentially non-existent. The Jets recently resigned Tevin Coleman, but that is probably more of a roster holder than anything else. The Jets get a position of need on Day 3 and add depth to the running back room early at pick 111 of the fourth round.

Zamir White, Georgia

Best Fit: Baltimore Ravens

Looking at this backfield, you have JK Dobbins coming back off an injury, an aging Gus Edwards also coming off an injury, and Ty’Son Williams who was extremely underwhelming last year. That’s it. As usual, the Ravens don’t care who is in their backfield as it seems like they will always plug in a running back and give them the ball multiple times and let Lamar Jackson run the ball like a running back. Last season was a disaster for Baltimore and here I have them adding an explosive piece in Zamir White. The benefit of White is that Georgia doesn’t run their running backs into the ground. Like Cook, White also has a lot of running left to do, without having much work in college. His stats may not show what he can do, but the tape surely does. In my mind, White could be the steal of the draft that we are all sleeping on.

Dameon Pierce, Florida

Best Fit: Houston Texans

With a bunch of has been running backs, the Houston Texans finally add a young player late in the NFL Draft. Dameon Pierce could go as soon as round four (pick 108) or as late as the dreaded round six (pick 183). Pierce may not have as much hype as the other running backs in the Draft but could be a cheap gem a team could need. The Texans don’t have many pass-catching weapons and drafting Pierce gives them that need at running back that fell in the draft. Houston has many other needs, that’s why I have a huge gap with Pierce. Many teams may look at his lack of experience at Florida being a rotational piece, but Houston sees his size and power along with his good hands to be a back that can be added into the rotation and brought in, especially at the goal line.

Tyler Badie, Missouri

Best Fit: New York Giants

The New York Giants have been nothing but hell with Saquon Barkley ever since taking him #2 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. He had a stellar rookie year, but the last couple of seasons have been nothing but an unfortunate disaster for the generational talent due to injuries. With Barkley going into his fourth season, the Giants aren’t really moving in the right direction. Going into Day 3, they grab a running back at pick 112 (fourth round) in Tyler Badie. Badie is a  running back with patience behind a line and an effective back as a receiver as he broke out in his senior year with 1,604 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns along with an eye-opening 54 catches for another 330 yards and four more touchdowns. Badie provides the upside the Giants need in case Barkley doesn’t return in 2023.

Jerome Ford, Cincinnati

Best Fit: Las Vegas Raiders

The new regime in Las Vegas has no relation to Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake is not the answer behind him. Jacobs is going into the final year of his rookie contract, though the fifth-year option is available. Being that this is a Josh McDaniels offense, I can see a running back headache being formed here, but also one to think of for 2023 and beyond. In the fourth round at pick 126, we see the Las Vegas Raiders take a chance on Jerome Ford. His elite speed and natural feel as a rusher is something that McDaniels looks for, especially in his days with the New England Patriots. Jacobs now has a target in his back as Ford looks to take the ball from him. Could this be a dreaded RBBC in the making?

I know there are other running backs out there, and I would love to discuss them with you! What are your opinions? Am I too high or too low on anyone? Hit me up on Twitter @RyanMiner_FFB and let me know how you feel!

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