Broncos Found: Scouting Second-Round RB RJ Harvey

The Denver Broncos drafted RJ Harvey in the second round. What are his strengths and weaknesses?

Nov 29, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (7) runs the ball during the second quarter against the Utah Utes at FBC Mortgage Stadium. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

After a pair of trade-backs, the Denver Broncos finally got their running back at pick No. 60 in Round 2. UCF's RJ Harvey becomes part of an exclusive club of running backs to be drafted by Sean Payton dating back to 2006.

What does Broncos Country need to know about Harvey? Let's dive into Harvey's scouting report to understand why Payton seemed to covet him more than the NFL media consensus, and how he may fit.

Biography

Robert “RJ” Harvey Jr. was born on February 4, 2001, making him 24 years old. He initially committed to Virginia as a quarterback and was part of the Cavaliers' 2019 recruiting class.

After Harvey entered the transfer portal in July 2020, UCF came calling, and that's where he ended up. 

Size & Athleticism

Harvey is only 5-foot-8, but he has a clean and compact build at 205 pounds. He's a good, explosive athlete. 

Key Statistic

Harvey led the FBS in gains of 10-plus yards. 23.3% of his carries eclipsed 10 yards, and 35.1% went for a first down or touchdown. He also averaged 16.4 yards per punt return.

Harvey's explosive-run metrics would have definitely jumped out to Payton and the Broncos.

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Pros

The productivity matches the tape with Harvey, as he is an explosive playmaker with a litany of huge plays in his collegiate career. He has great stamina, which allows him to wear down defenses and still keep churning out plays as the game goes on. His vision to see holes and find the lane is among the best in this class. 

Despite what his size may suggest, Harvey has good enough power as a runner to plow through tacklers. Defenders will need to target his lower half to consistently bring him to the ground. When defenders hit high and slow him down, Harvey does well to keep fighting and churning his legs to push the pile. 

As a runner, Harvey maintains an excellent pad level and stays square to the line, then squares up for contact. He knows how to protect his body and has a good balance to glance off some poor tackle attempts.

Harvey's burst is excellent, and he has a quick accelerator. So, when he gets slowed down or slows himself down to change direction, he's quick to get back up to speed and make defenses pay. 

Harvey's explosive playmaking is helped by his agility and ability to make defenders miss, both as a receiver and runner. He offers a lot out of the backfield as a receiver, though a lot will need to be cleaned up. He also has the potential to be a weapon who can move around the formation and create mismatches as a receiver. 

"When you look at the running skill set, it was, wow, and explosive runs, all of those things," Payton said of Harvey on Friday after the draft. "Then you begin to study the passing game stuff and he’s got soft hands."

Cons

There is a slight concern about fumbles, as Harvey comes in under the one-in-80 mark, which is the lowest threshold teams have, but only barely, at one every 79.6 touches, so it's not as big of a concern as it is with some other backs. His pass protection isn’t a strong point, so on third downs, he will likely be a tell early in his career unless there is rapid coaching and Harvey picks it up quickly to help him grow as much as needed. 

Harvey's patience is hit or miss, as he can let his blocks develop, but at other times, he will press too quickly and miss a lane. This could be a result of the offensive line in front of him in college and their unreliability, but it's something to keep an eye on.

Another issue to watch is how frequently and quickly Harvey is to jump outside the tackles on inside-designed runs. This also could be an issue with the offensive line play at UCF. 

Harvey's instincts aren’t the best, and he doesn’t seem to have a great natural feel for rushing lanes. This can lead to some disjointed movements and may even come off as panicky when working behind the line of scrimmage as a ball carrier. 

Harvey's catch radius isn’t great, and neither is his route running. But there's a lot of potential with Harvey as a receiver, and the Broncos will want to develop him in that role. With how explosive of a playmaker Harvey is, Payton will want to get him the ball in space and allow him to make plays. 

Fit with Broncos

The Broncos needed more explosive plays for offense, and Harvey is an explosive playmaker. The receiving potential is there, and the Broncos coveted that.

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It's tough for him on third down because he lacks blocking chops, which, again, could be a tell for opposing defenses. He may be better suited as a first- and second-down player as a rushing or receiving threat, and be pulled out in obvious third-down passing situations for someone who can help with blitz pickup.