NFL Draft Profile: Tyler Badie, Running Back, Missouri Tigers
#1
Pos: RB
Ht: 5080
Wt: 197
Hand: 0928
Arm: 2938
Wing: 7200
40: 4.45
Vertical: 33.5
Broad Jump: 1001
DOB: 2/7/_
Eligibility: 2022
New Orleans, LA
Briarcrest Christian High School
Tyler Badie
Missouri Tigers
One-Liner:
An above-average mover with a respectable receiving profile, Tyler Badie’s small frame, lack of power, stiff hips and uncreative running style will limit him in the league. While he can contribute in the NFL, he lacks differentiating traits.
Pros:
While Missouri’s offensive film has been inconsistent at best in recent years, a bright spot was always #1. Tyler Badie, who was named permanent team captain in 2021, has experience both as a workhorse and change of pace back for the Tigers. A sudden and explosive mover both linearly and laterally, the Louisiana native routinely makes clean soft changes of direction with sound body control. He is shifty in space and times his cuts very well. He makes solid jump cuts both in space and in traffic. Badie’s long speed is above average. Moreover, the undersized back has a thick frame and persistent leg drive that make him harder to wrap up and drag down. He maintains an active off-hand to keep defenders at a distance. What’s more, Badie’s low center of gravity affords him notable contact balance. Additionally, the experienced back plays off of his blocks well. He reads second-level defenders and hits gaps without hesitation. He is a pure north-south runner. A versatile back, Badie is reliable at the catch point. As a route runner, the Missouri standout is too quick for most linebackers. Once he has secured the pass, Badie seamlessly transitions from pass-catcher to ball carrier. He can improve his route running with coaching. In pass protection, Badie has solid vision and respectable technique. He is willing and able to be physical. At the next level, Badie may find value as a returner on special teams.
Cons:
Though Missouri’s star runner proved himself in an expanded role in 2021, his ceiling in the NFL is limited. First and foremost, Badie is small. At the 2022 Senior Bowl, he measured in below 5080 and weighed 199 pounds. What’s more, his power profile is underwhelming. The New Orleans product’s short arms hurt his active off-hand’s overall efficacy. Additionally, Badie is unlikely to run through tacklers in the league. He does not always fall forward and struggles to work through arm tackles at the first level. Further, Badie lacks top-end speed. His ostensibly stiff hips make him lose his footing through sharp changes of direction. Moreover, Badie is an uncreative runner who needs to play within structure to a fault. His scheme-versatile athletic profile is undercut by his inability to improvise. He lacks patience, almost always hitting the first gap he sees. His low-risk, low-reward style does not play to his strengths. He attacks crowded boxes instead of bouncing the run to a clear outside lane. Once he makes his cut, Badie is generally a linear runner. Though the Missouri standout has various promising receiving traits, he has a very small catch radius. As a route runner, he employs virtually no salesmanship and telegraphs his routes. He jogs patterns at times and has run a limited route tree. As a blocker, Badie’s power will be tested in the NFL. His technique at engagement sometimes falters.
Summary:
Missouri’s standout back is an exciting prospect with a questionable NFL projection. Tyler Badie is an above-average mover with a respectable receiving profile. That said, his small frame, lack of power, stiff hips and uncreative running style are concerning. While Badie has the talent to contribute in the league, he does not boast differentiating traits. The Tigers’ star can make a roster and even see the field early; he can be a steady piece of a running back rotation in time.
Background:
Born February 7th in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tyler Badie has an incredible story and has always been a gifted person and athlete. His family was displaced by Hurricane Katrina; as a result, they moved to Randallstown, Maryland. While there, he was a sprinter for the Owings Mills Track Club and competed in the 2011 AAU Junior Olympics. After his junior year of high school, Badie and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He was an immediate-impact multisport athlete at Briarcrest Christian High School. A talented basketball player, Badie’s best athletic feats came on the gridiron. As a junior, he ran for 400 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries. He also caught 17 passes for 157 yards. As a senior, he toted the ball 193 times for 1,186 yards and 18 touchdowns; he recorded 16 receptions for 306 yards and three touchdowns. On the year, he had six games of 100 or more yards. That season, Briarcrest made it to the state quarterfinals with a 9-2 record. Badie played in the AutoZone High School All-Star Game and was nominated for Tennessee Titans Division 2 Class AAA Mr. Football. After his high school career, the Louisiana native received a three-star ranking from 247Sports Composite Rankings. The same outlet named him the 1527th-overall player in his class, the 28th-ranked all-purpose back that year and the 43rd-best recruit from Tennessee in 2018. An immediate standout at Missouri, Badie was third on the team with 809 all-purpose yards in 12 games as a freshman. He ran for 437 yards and two touchdowns on 4.9 yards per carry while hauling in 12 passes for 130 yards. The team’s primary kick returner in 2018, Badie averaged 22 yards per attempt. In recognition of his stellar debut campaign, league coaches placed Badie on the SEC All-Freshman Team. As a sophomore, the talented back led Missouri with 928 all-purpose yards and averaged a team-leading 77.3 yards per game. He put up 457 rushing yards on 4.2 yards per carry with three touchdowns. What’s more, his 32 receptions led the team; his 356 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns were each second among Missouri players. His catch total was the most by a Tigers running back in 10 years and marked the first time since 1995 that a running back led the team in receptions. Badie was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2019. In 2020, the athletic runner was named to the Hornung Award Watch List. He recorded 242 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 498 carries. Further, he made 28 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He was the only Missouri player to catch a pass in all 10 of the team’s games. His six total touchdowns were second-best on the team. He was, again, named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. As a senior, Badie broke out after an already-impressive start to his career. He ran the ball 268 times for 1,612 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught the ball 54 times for 330 yards and four touchdowns. He led the team in receptions, receiving touchdowns, all rushing statistics and total touchdowns (including quarterback, Connor Bazelak). During the season, Badie was named permanent team captain. He was awarded First-Team All-SEC honors and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in sport management in the Spring of 2021.
Grades:
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
6.7 / 7.4
Quotes:
“I feel like I have no flaws in my game. Durability is there, catching ability is there, everything I’m doing is there. So I just tell teams that I’m the perfect scheme for whatever you want me to do. You want me to run through the tackles, I’ll do it. You want me to run outside zone, I’ll do it. You want me to catch the ball, I’ll do it. Special teams, I’ll do it. So I just feel like there’s no knock in my game, so I just tell teams, all 32 teams, and I feel like they believe in what I’m saying.” -- Missouri RB Tyler Badie
“I told the scouts that I’m going to be a mismatch nightmare wherever I go. I already dominated the SEC, and I competed with the guys who are top-ranked, so I wanted to go out there and prove myself to everybody.” -- Tyler Badie at Missouri pro day
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