Finding Broncos: Two Dynamic Running Backs to Watch for on Day 2

With the status of Javonte Williams up in the air, the Denver Broncos will be adding to their running back room. The draft class has a good group to choose from, and these two make sense for the offense Sean Payton runs.

Tajae Spears | RB | Tulane

Pros:

Compactly built with room to add some mass in the upper half.
Intense lateral agility that allows for elusive jump cuts.
Stop and start ability is a plus.
Doesn’t take square hits frequently and bounces off tacklers easily.
A lower center of gravity that provides high-level contact balance.
Good physicality between the tackles for a runner of his size.
Fluid mover In open space
Constantly rips long runs after breaking contact in the first two levels.
Dynamic red zone threat with a nose for the endzone.
Solid pass-catching ability with natural hands.

Cons:

Smaller back but is proportionally built well.
Limited to outside the tackles as a runner at the next level.
Pass protection was a question on tape as he wasn’t used often.
Wasn't relied on heavily as a pass catcher, so some projection is needed there.
Sometimes overly patient, allowing backside defenders.
He suffered a torn ACL in his past
Not an overly creative runner behind the line of scrimmage.
He needs to do a better job of setting up blocks at the point of attack.

Overview:

Tyjae Spears is an incredibly shifty running back that is hard to bring down with the ball in his hands. A player with a high upside as a change-of-pace back and as a projectable threat out of the backfield as a receiver, Spears brings a versatile skill set to the fold. Despite not being a prototypical running back with size, Spears plays above his weight class and with great vision to exploit defenders and get to the second level quickly.

Spears would be best used as a rotational back in a committee, but he has enough ability to take charge and create explosive plays, given a steady volume of touches at the next level.

Fit with the Broncos:

With Javonta Williams coming off a significant knee injury and possibly missing the start of the season, Spears could slide in and have an immediate impact as part of the running back rotation. Though not a true bell cow, a player of this caliber should see anywhere from seven to ten touches per game early on, with more volume coming as he adjusts to the speed and strength of the NFL game. Should the Broncos bring in a veteran back to pace the room, Spears would be a great addition to an offense that prioritizes getting running backs into space as receivers out of the backfield.

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Devon Achane | RB | Texas A&M

Pros:

Elite-level speed pops with his background as a track and field athlete.
4.32-second 40-yard dash at the Combine
He has home run ability every time he touches the ball.
A slippery runner that is hard to find behind the line of scrimmage.
He uses his smaller stature to his advantage to find creases and burst through them quickly.
Gets to top speed efficiently and shifts gears well.
Explosive in the open field as a receiver out of the backfield.
Can line up as a receiver to offer more dynamic ability to his skill set.
Thick build in the lower half.
Short-area quickness is a plus.
Smooth pass catcher in open space when the pass is on target.
Kick return ability adds to his profile.

Cons:

An incredibly small player at the position, measuring in at 5-foot-8 and 188 pounds at the Combine.
Lateral agility is lacking for a smaller player.
Outside the tackles only at the next level.
He relies more on speed than vision and can sometimes outrun his blockers.
Pass protection as a whole is lacking.
Power running is not an option, but he can be more physical than he appears at times.
Goes down on first contact too often.
Route running ability suffers due to lack of change of direction ability.
Can get caught dancing behind the line of scrimmage rather than making a decision.
Drops too many passes outside of his framework.

Overview:

Despite being a diminutive player, Achane is lightning in a bottle. His high-end speed and explosiveness are game-changing, particularly in open spaces. At the college level, Achane offered a dynamic play-making threat that teams had to key in on regularly.

At the next level, Achane figures to be a change of pace back and third down threat with upside as a pass catcher and a special teams player early in his career as an explosive kick returner.

Fit with the Broncos:

When Sean Payton was with the Saints, they prioritized utilizing their running backs out of the backfield as pass-catching threats in open space. For Denver, Achane would offer a significantly more explosive skill set than any running back that Payton has had in his coaching career. Achane's speed in open space could create great mismatches in the flats, potentially creating explosive plays at will. Should he be available on Day 3, Achane would add the dynamic ability out of the backfield that the Broncos expected from Mike Boone over the past couple of seasons.

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