By: Lucas Kochevar 

​#3 Jordan Addison, USC, 5’11’’ 173 lbs.

• 59 Recs, 875 Yds, 8 TDs
• Games Watched: Utah, Utah (Pac-12 Champ. Game), 2021 Virginia Tech

Film Thoughts: Is a better athlete than I thought. Has decent speed with decent acceleration. Has a well-rounded route tree. Doesn’t have strong hands but can catch the ball in traffic sometimes. He does good work at the line of scrimmage with his release. Makes good adjustments for catching the ball. Isn’t a very willing participant in run blocking. He’s a good YAC receiver. Tries with ball carrier moves but isn’t strong to break tackles.
 
Jordan Addison came over to USC this past season after an unbelievable year with Pittsburgh. His production was cut nearly in half for his transfer to USC and it doesn’t make a ton of sense given that he went to the team that had the Heisman winner in Caleb Williams. It’s not a huge deal during the draft evaluation process, but it has to be mentioned. He has a good route tree, although it’s nothing special. He has good speed with and without the ball. He doesn’t have great acceleration, but creates separation with his route running. I thought he made a concerted effort trying to catch the ball in traffic, but he was inconsistent. Although I like him when he’s targeted, I found that he would simply disappear for long periods of time in the game. I’m not sire if it was the lack of chemistry he had with Williams or a poor fit in Lincoln Riley’s scheme, but it was concerning. I think the talent is there from the receiver we saw at Pittsburgh in 2021, but I’m not sure he’ll be a consistent producer at the next level. 

Sources: Image via Associated Press

By: Lucas Kochevar

​#4 Zay Flowers, Boston College, 5’10’’ 172 lbs.

• 78 Recs, 1,077 Yds, 12 TDs
• Games Watched: Rutgers, Wake Forest

Film Thoughts: Has an extensive route tree. Has great acceleration and good speed. Despite a smaller frame, he’s not afraid to block. Has good hands. Weaves through defenders with ease. Playmaker with the ball. Dives for out of reach passes. Runs jet sweeps for BC a decent amount. Can adjust for the ball. Can improvise routes very well. Isn’t a jump ball threat but makes a concerted effort. Has an aggressive juke. Could struggle against bigger, more physical defenders. Thrives against zone.
 
Zay Flowers is an electric playmaker that can be a vertical threat, as well as an intermediate threat. Flowers has an extensive route tree that includes every level. He’s on the smaller size for a receiver and could find trouble against bigger, more physical man cornerbacks, but against a zone defense he’ll find the holes. He has good hands and the ability to catch passes in traffic. He’s not a jump ball threat, but makes an effort to try and get the ball. He also dives for passes that are just out of his reach. It may seem small, but those are intangibles that the next level need. I think he can carve out a role in many different schemes, but an RPO-heavy one would likely help him a lot. Outside of his size, I think he’s the complete package and I would love to have him on my team. 

Sources: Image via bceagles.com

By: Lucas Kochevar

​#1 Quentin Johnston, TCU, 6’3’’ 208 lbs.

• 60 Recs, 1,069 Yds, 6 TDs
• Games Watched: Oklahoma State, Michigan, Kansas

Film Thoughts: Does a great job high pointing the ball, making contested catches. Route tree isn’t crisp. Tends to catch with his body more than he should. Doesn’t have great speed but can make people miss in the open field. Needs to work on blocking. Works better against man than zone. Has good hands. Can flip around very well. Doesn’t catch in traffic very well. Is able to create separation, but it isn’t consistent.
 
Quentin Johnston is a big-bodied receiver that does a good job high-pointing the ball. He’s smaller than I originally thought, but he still boasts a bigger size than many receivers in this draft class. He doesn’t have a deep repertoire of routes to run, but he is good in the vertical routes and crossing routes. When he catches the ball, he has good change of direction and other ball carrier moves. I think he has strong hands, but he doesn’t utilize them like he should. He has a habit of catching the ball with his body and in certain spots he needs to break that habit. I don’t love that he didn’t go through athletic testing at the combine, but hopefully at his pro day he can show out that aspect of his game. Overall, there are certain holes in his game that make me wary of him as a prospect, but I think he can carve his role in the redzone as a big target. 

Sources: Image via Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire, Getty Images

By: Lucas Kochevar

​#11 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State, 6’1’’ 196 lbs.

• Missed most of 2022 with hamstring issue.
• 2021 stats: 95 Recs, 1,606 Yds, 9 TDs
• Games Watched: Utah, Penn State, Oregon

Film Thoughts: Reliable hands, creates separation via route running. Has good speed, not track runner speed. Has a good release. Needs work on ball security here and there. Doesn’t have a ton of moves after the catch, but he beats defenders with speed. Has good feet near the sideline. Can go up for some catches. Doesn’t have a huge catch radius. Not super physical at the line. Iffy blocker for his size. Decent catch in traffic. His change of direction is great.
 
Jaxon Smith-Nijigba missed nearly all of 2022 a lingering hamstring issue and decided to shut down his season prior to the Peach Bowl versus Georgia. That’s a decision that people might hold over his head, however, JaMarr Chase sat out the entire 2020 season and it didn’t really matter at all for him. That’s my view on his decision for 2022. Either way, his film basically is all from the 2021 season where he was the primary slot guy on Ohio State until he played his best game against Utah in the Rose Bowl. Smith-Njigba isn’t huge and doesn’t have track speed, but his great hands and fantastic route running make him my favorite receiver in the years draft. He changes direction on a dime with or without the ball. He’s not a huge jump ball receiver but has a decent catch radius to handle himself in traffic. He likely needs to work on his blocking, but I think in the right scheme he can be a legitimate threat catching the ball. 

Sources: Image via Jay LaPrete, AP

By: Lucas Kochevar

#2 Chase Brown, Illinois, 5’9’’ 209 lbs.

• 1,643 Yds, 10 TDs
• Games Watched: Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota

Film Thoughts: Handles himself well in trouble, keeps his legs active when moving. Doesn’t shy away from defenders. Does well cutting up field with authority and speed. Has good speed with good acceleration. Has a solid stiff arm but doesn’t use it that much. Patient runner and waits for the hole to open. Decent receiver and route runner. Finds the creases and runs in long strides. Doesn’t have power or strength to move piles. Good at finding running lanes down field.
 
Chase Brown was a consistent performer for the Fighting Illini in 2022 and often put-up high numbers. Brown strikes me as the most well-rounded running back outside of Bijan Robinson. He takes big, long strides and makes quick decisions in traffic. His decisiveness with his cuts is very good as it helps him reach the second level with conviction. I think his patience is also a big strength of his and that helps with the decisions I mentioned earlier. I think he has a good stiff arm and good speed. The acceleration isn’t exceptional but his ability to hit cuts quickly helps cover that up. He doesn’t have much power in his running, but he is effective as a pass catcher. I think Brown can be an great option on day two or day three and work his way into a starting role during the season.

Sources: Image via Charles Rex Arbogast, AP

By: Lucas Kochevar

​#6 Devon Achane, Texas A&M, 5’8’’ 188lbs.

• 1,102 Yds, 8 TDs
• Games Watched: Arkansas, LSU, Florida

Film Thoughts: First things first, I don’t think Texas A&M’s offensive line helped him at all. Looks small on film, doesn’t have a lot of power in his running. Short/choppy steps. Can change direction very quickly. Doesn’t run through defenders well but can slip through and around them. Has solid speed and great acceleration. Doesn’t have a ton of tools in his tool box. Has solid vision. His acceleration looks like he’s gliding and he can break away. He works well as a east-west kind of runner. Runs counter great. Has good hands for catching.
 
Devon Achane is smaller than I thought he was when I first started watching running backs, but it doesn’t take away from his game. He was never a strong power guy or a guy that shrugs off tacklers. He’s a one cut back that worked behind a mediocre offensive line and subpar scheme. He has strong speed and great acceleration that helps him separate from defenders. He runs smart East-to-West and can find his way to the next level. He doesn’t have a signature move that takes defenders off him, but he slips through cracks to find his spaces to run. I think he has solid vision too to find those spots. He needs to put on size to be successful at the next level, as well as a zone scheme that can utilize him properly. 

Sources: Image via Maria Lysaker, USA TODAY Sports

By: Lucas Kochevar

#22 Tyjae Spears, Tulane, 5’10’’ 201lbs.

• 1,581 Yds, 19 TDs
• Games Watched: USC, UCF, Cincinnati

Film Thoughts: Strong base when running, has excellent balance when running. Strong runner, despite smaller frame. Has great speed and good acceleration. Could use improvement in the pass catching game. Manages to slip by and off of defenders in traffic. Solid ball carrier vision, could use work in processing the blocks better. Patient in finding the crease. Doesn’t shy away from contact. Has a solid stiff arm, but not much else. Decent at making cuts. Ball security issues showed up late in the season. Has a great ability of being east-west runner and north-south runner.
 
Tyjae Spears was a key player in Tulane’s incredible season last year that was capped off with a win over USC in the Cotton Bowl. Spears runs with incredible force and balance. He’s a bashful runner that can crank it up a notch when he’s in open space. He slides in and out of traffic with great finesse and has a knack for finding the crease. He doesn’t have great vision immediately when finding the hole, but ends up finding the lane regardless. He makes good cuts and his stiff arm is strong, but those are his primary moves. He needs to work on ball security and his hands, but other than that he reminds me of Doug Martin. I think he can play in a number of schemes and make an impact. 

Sources: Image via Sophia Germer, NOLA.com

By: Lucas Kochevar

#1 Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama, 5’9’’ 199 lbs.

• 926 Yds, 7 TDs
• Games Watched: Arkansas, LSU, Auburn

​Film Thoughts: Follows blockers well, Finds the running lanes. Keeps legs moving, but not very strong/power runner. Great hands, light on the feet like a wide receiver. A patient runner that can make the one cut and zoom away. The speed is one of his strengths and accelerates strong too. Arkansas game a great example of this. His vision is a big strength for him. Doesn’t use a lot of moves to escape tacklers, tends to go down after one or two tacklers. Can bounce outside if absolutely needed. Would absolutely thrive in a wide zone scheme. Didn’t see much pass blocking in film. Every college running back needs to work on pass blocking out of college.
 
Jahmyr Gibbs came over to Alabama after a successful run at Georgia Tech and immediately shot up draft rankings for running backs. Gibbs isn’t a power back at all, but his elusiveness and ability as a receiver makes him a highly-demanded back for a pass-happy team. He’s light on the feet and his vision makes him very appealing prospect, but he tends to fall after contact. He runs similar to a manual engine to me with different gears and his speed is great once he hits that top gear. He doesn’t have a big repertoire of moves to get tacklers off of him, but the way he finds running lanes and makes cuts is how he breaks off big runs. I think he can find great success in zone-blocking scheme. 

By: Lucas Kochevar

#5 Bijan Robinson, Texas, 6’0’’ 215 lbs.

• 1,580 Yds, 18TDs,
• Games Watched: Alabama, Oklahoma State, Kansas

Film Thoughts: A smooth combination of light on the feet with fierce power. Has all the tools in the drawer with stiff arms, spins, and jukes. Really strong at making jump cuts, runs patiently. Can be a threat in the passing game. Has great speed with good acceleration. Has fantastic ball carrier vision. Has improved on the blocking side each year. Would work best in a zone scheme to the outside. Understands angles unbelievably well in traffic and to the outside. Sometimes waits too long on deciding.
 
Bijan Robinson is one of the most complete and best prospects at the running back position that I’ve seen. He glides between tacklers and his running after contact is superb. It takes a gang to take him down. His arsenal is full of every move in the book and even though he doesn’t bulldoze tacklers time after time, he still runs with force and power. His legs never stop moving. His best ability is his jump cuts as that’s his number one move to evade tacklers. He has solid speed with decent acceleration. His vision is strong too as he fines the running lanes and bursts through them. Sometimes I think he waits too long to make that one cut and will get caught up in the pile. He’s a work-in-progress on his pass blocking and pass catching, but he can be effective in that department too. 

Sources: Image via Tim Warner, Getty Images

By: Lucas Kochevar

        The Jacksonville Jaguars have been a very forgettable franchise since they entered the league. Even the 2017 team, which had a terrifying defense, is not talked about ever, despite making the AFC Championship and nearly knocking off the Patriots. However, something has changed in Duvall county with the arrival with the first overall pick, Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars have a potential star at QB but, the weapons around him have to perform. Jacksonville has plenty of playmakers on the team for him to succeed such as, WR's DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault Jr., and Marvin Jones. The one player that I think will be a game changer is RB James Robinson.

        In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Jags selected Travis Etienne with the 25th pick and it was a true head-scratcher. Robinson had just rushed 1,070 yards, which was tied for 5th in the league. He was clearly a top rookie running back in his class and they drafted someone to replace him? Alas, Etienne fractured a bone in his foot and will miss the entire season. This opens up what should be another huge year for Robinson. The undrafted RB led all rookies in rushing yards and was the only appealing part of that Jacksonville offense. 

        The Jaguars hired former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer over the off-season and one thing Meyer always had at Ohio State was a solid running game. Meyer will likely bring some of these value with him from college and should keep Robinson moving. Darrell Bevell is the new offensive coordinator and he spent the past years between Detroit and Seattle. His history with the run game isn't very inspiring, however, he has a good history with the passing attack. Robinson was a very reliable dump-off target for Jacksonville last season and this should keep that part of his game valuable. Robinson is a smaller built back, but runs with some aggression and lowers his shoulders often into his opponent. Robinson reminds me of a smaller and faster Michael Turner. He churns his legs through contact, but has more speed to slide through the gap and break off big runs. 

       Lawrence will be the storyline in Jacksonville, for good reason, but do not underestimate Robinson and his impact on this offense. He has great potential for a similar year and could find himself in the pro bowl.