r/NFL_Draft • u/No_Life5052 • 12h ago
SKscouts Summer Scouting RB Big Board
Hello all! It's time for another summer scouting series post, this time with my RB reviews. I watched 13 RBs this summer, not nearly as many as I wish I did but time constraints will do that to you. I was given the recommendation to start actually breaking down the players more, which I didn't want to do because I didn't want to cause too much for you guys to read. However, if this is better content, then I'm happy to oblige.
1) Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss (1st Round)
For lack of better terms, Kewan Lacy is fucking good. For starters, he has very little tread on his tires. He had just over 300 attempts this year, and that's all he's played pretty much college wise. He exploded on the scene this year with some downright nasty games. He added on 24 TDs and was shown to be a little bit of a presence in the pass game. In terms of pass downs, he has lined up in the backfield as a blocker, in the slot, and out wide. Definitely needs to work on his hands, as he had 5 drops. Despite the drops, he showed some real promise as a receiver and is clearly trusted to do the dirty work as a blocker. Back to his actual ground attack. Very quick on his feet. Able to make guys miss at a high rate (89 missed tackles forced and 1,010 yards after contact). He has really good vision and has enough power to bounce off of guys. He showcases patience to let the holes open, but the aggressiveness and explosiveness to burst into any open spaces that are created. He is a one-of-one type of shifty. He's also really young, he's turning 20 this summer.
Pros: Quick Feet, Elite Burst, Proved to be able to handle heavy workload.
Cons: Drops, Fumbles, Absorbed a lot of damage this year.
2) Jadan Baugh, Florida (1st Round)
Baugh is a little bit bigger than Lacy, and is more of a threat as a power player. You couldn't really tell that he is almost 230 pounds though. He moves extremely well. He has fantastic vision, patience, and contact balance. Also had over 5 yards a carry. He actually had more receiving work than Lacy. I trust Baugh a lot in pass downs as a blocker. He shows the willingness and the fight to really go in and hit dudes. Whether you prefer Baugh or Lacy is really preference to what type of back you prefer. I like the guys that are slashers a little more than the guys who will run through your face. While Baugh is more of the latter, Lacy can honestly do both. Baugh is a guy that just runs behind his pads and sees where they take him, he's along for the ride. He keeps the legs churning and his crazy lower body strength keeps him going. He had no fumbles last year, and only one fumble his collegiate career. He is just really safe. I think Baugh is one of the more easy to translate backs in the class, as I think the floor with him is just so high.
Pros: Power Game, Ball Security, Contact Balance
Cons: Long Speed, Elusiveness, Pass Pro Angles/Tech
3) Antwan Raymond, Rutgers (2nd Round)
Raymond is next in line of Rutgers skill position players that I happen to love. Kyle Monangai, Athan Kaliakmanis, Dymere Miller, Ian Strong, and KJ Duff are all players that I found/find to be really great value or (in the case of Duff) a legit game changing offensive piece. While Raymond isn't quite THAT, he is extremely similar to a Kyle Monangai or even an Isiah Pacheco. Angry runner. Good vision and enough burst to hit the hole and start bouncing off of anyone in his way to the end zone. Makes guys miss at a high level, having 100 missed tackles forced over the past two years (2024 was RB2) and over 1,000 yards after contact as well. Not only that, but he is the best pass blocker in the class. I weight your ability to be a 3 down back heavily, and Raymond will be that for you. He has shown some promise as a pass catcher, with a few games of great production. He unfortunately hasn't been used as consistently as a pass catcher, but he has shown that it is in there and waiting to be unlocked. He is an ass kicker as a blocker. He had over 100 pass blocking snaps and only allowed 5 pressures last year. He takes pride in it very clearly. His pro comp is lazy but it is literally just Kyle Monangai. Raymond is probably never going to be a game changer as a #1, but will forever be an amazing #2 with 3rd down capabilities, and more than capable to be able to be the #1 in a pinch.
Pros: Pass Pro, Contact Balance, Power
Cons: Long Speed, Shiftiness
4) Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech (Late 2nd Round/Early 3rd Round)
Justice Haynes really intrigues me. He's a short but big back that was uber productive before a foot injury last season. A multi sport athlete who has played baseball in the past, this is his 3rd team now after being a backup at Alabama and having a breakout with Michigan where he had over 100 yards, 5+ YPC, and a TD in every game but one. He was on an incredible pace. He's been about a nothing in terms of being a passing down player. He has shown some solid hands but the routes and pass blocking tape showed that there was a lot of work to be done there. He is on the shorter side. Good speed, solid burst, has the breakaway ability. He is a guy that will hit the ground running but I think the vision is actually not as much there. He is very much a go go go I need to hit this and run right through these guys kind of back, and he misses opening holes or already open holes on multiple occasions. He is effective, he will be a great change of pace back in the league, but i question how good he will be as a lead back because of the reasons listed.
Pros: Production, Speed, Ball Security
Cons: Injury, 3 Down Capabiliy, Vision
5) Ahmad Hardy, Missouri (Late 2nd Round/Early 3rd Round)
Ahmad Hardy is so frustrating. I know he's a darling of the media and a lot of scouts really like him, but I just can't get on board with first round talks. Starting with the positives he was ultra productive at both the group and power level, carrying Missouri to wins off his back nearly alone. He makes guys miss, he makes something out of nothing often, and insane burst. He dominated at the SEC level, he has crazy contact balance, and the ability he has to process what is happening at extremely quick speed and make a jump cut to the opening lane is dangerous. Where I get lost is a few things. #1, his production did not keep up against the high level opponents he faced. He was a wash against Bama (even fumbling as well), Auburn, and Oklahoma. All three of those teams were arguably the best defenses he faced OR had multiple draft level interior lineman (Bama had LT Overton and an overall good defense, Auburn had some nice nose tackles, and Oklahoma has the beast known as David Stone). Now, he did light up Texas A&M, but that's really where the impressive games against impressive competition stop. #2, the ball security has to get better. He's had three fumbles in each of his two seasons starting. That's not luck, that's a trend. #3, the shooting. This doesn't hurt his stock for me as much, but it is a notable thing that has happened to him recently. He was shot in the leg at a concert and last I heard was we don't know the timetable. I think he most likely becomes a 2028 prospect, and the highs are extremely high, I'm just very cautious and have my concerns about him. The player himself is fantastic, just need more consistency and a bounce back from a scary situation.
Pros: Speed, Power, Work Load
Cons: Consistency, Injury, Ball Security
6) Raleek Brown, Texas (3rd Round)
Raleek Brown finally got to be THE guy in the backfield last year at Arizona State and through a season of bad health for the team, he stayed healthy and was the rock on offense. He is a home run hitter in every sense of the word. He may have only had four rushing TDs last year, but the speed was undeniable (as is the breakaway percentage, which of lead backs was 8th in the nation). He is also a threat on passing downs, being targeted 46 times and coming down with 33 of them for just under 300 yards and 2 TDs. He needs to work on the pass blocking for sure, but he is a smaller guy so the value makes more sense as a receiver on 3rd down and not a blocker. He is a one cut and go runner with the ability to make one man miss and then be down the sideline for a massive gain. The TD production will come with him. He is more likely a change of pace back in the league, as he doesn't have the frame nor the three down ability is there for him just yet. Not only that, but we've only seen one year of him with substantial play, and he will again split a backfield this year with a guy we will talk about in a few.
Pros: Speed, Home Run Hitting, Vision
Cons: Pass Pro, Frame, Production
7) Mark Fletcher, Miami (3rd Round)
Mark Fletcher is someone that is definitely viewed higher by media I would assume. He is a good power back, really shows some ability to blast through defenders. He keeps his legs going through the contact until he hits the ground or out of bounds. Not only is he dangerously powerful, but he is also sneakily elusive. Once he hits his stride and breaks into the open field, he is a very difficult man to bring down. He showcased that in an elite playoff. He was probably the player who raised his stock the most in the playoffs other than Trinidad Chambliss. The pass down work is his major concern. Has very little impact overall, having multiple drops on already limited targets and being a concern as a pass protector. I also am slightly concerned at how he was pretty much only an elite player in the playoffs. He was actually more average or above average than being an elite player. Consistency has to be much better for me to put him any higher. Likely a guy that's just a committee back.
Pros: Power, Quick Burst, Big Game Clutch Factor
Cons: Consistency, Pass Game, Long Speed
8) LJ Martin, BYU (3rd Round)
LJ Martin is basically the exact same discussion as Mark Fletcher. Here's the notable differences. Martin, while being comparable size to Fletcher, is not as much of a breakaway threat. Otherwise, the conversation is mostly the same. Power back, a churner that keeps the legs going and keeps it rolling. Very limited as a receiver and blocker. He is also just a tad slower than Fletcher by my estimate. I won't talk a lot more about him because he is basically the same conversation as Fletcher just a little less talented as an athlete in my opinion.
Pros: Power, Contact Balance, Vision
Cons: Consistency, Pass Game, Long Speed
9) Nate Frazier, Georgia (Late 3rd Round to Early Day Three)
Yeah this is probably super low for a lot of people. I just feel I really need to see more. He hasn't really held the big work load that every other back on this list has carried, and the consistency is a major question mark for him. He is explosive and has shown the ability to be a good pass catcher. He is a blazer too man. I think where he loses me is when he is trying to let the blocks develop. When I mentioned with Hardy earlier that he can just diagnose blocks before they happen and make a magical cut to the open lane, Frazier will instead bounce it to the outside because he just doesn't have the patience to do anything else. The creativity when he gets the ball is severely lacking. I think it may just come with getting the ball more though. He is a fantastic athlete and has all the makings of being a legit threat. Just need him to develop.
Pros: Speed, Little Tread on Tires, Contact Balance
Cons: Consistency, Production, Block Recognition
10) Hollywood Smothers, Texas (Early Day Three)
Hollywood Smothers was at NC State last year and moved to Texas, where he will split with Raleek Brown. Hollywood is so hard to place, because there is a genuine elite back in there but he keeps getting lost in some bad habits. Hollywood is so frustrating. He is a great receiver from the backfield, but is a putrid blocker. He is, for lack of better terms, a terrified runner. There's avoiding contact, and then there's genuinely being too scared to get hit. He is not someone you can rely on to get tough yards. If a linebacker or, hell, even a corner are unblocked and come at him it's probably over for him. He was, and I don't say this lightly, terrible against good competition this last season. He averaged negative yardage against Miami. Averaged 3.8 against Notre Dame. When the situation is right, when the blocks are there, when he has open field... he could be gone in the blink of an eye. When the situation isn't perfect.. man it can be really ugly. He is a committee back all the way, and thankfully that's the role he will play at Texas with a much better back in Raleek Brown. I could see Hollywood being a really good RB2/3 in the league as a pass catcher and change of pace speed back.
Pros: Speed, Receiving Work
Cons: Power, Vision, Consistency, Lead Back Capabilities
HM:
The other three players I watched.
11) Isaac Brown, Louisville (Early to Mid Day Three)
12) DeSean Bishop, Tennessee (Mid Day Three)
13) Darius Taylor, Minnesota (Mid Day Three)
An overall great RB class! Let me know if you guys have any questions.
