2020 NFL Scouting Combine: 5 Running Backs to Track for the Jaguars in Indianapolis
With the NFL Scouting Combine set to take place in one short week, it is a worthwhile exercise to look into the position groups and draft prospects who will be participating in the workouts in Indianapolis.
The Jacksonville Jaguars own two first-round draft selections in 2020 (No. 9 and No. 20 overall), so this year's combine will be especially more noteworthy as the Jaguars get an up-close view of their next two first-round players.
In this edition, we will preview the running backs who have been invited to the combine and will be taking place in workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Running backs will workout on Friday, Feb. 28th, the second day of on-field workouts.
For the purposes of this preview, we are going to look at running backs who can perform in a scatback role, catching passes out of the backfield and serving as a change of pace to Leonard Fournette and Ryquell Armstead.
With new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden in tow, the Jaguars would be wise to try to find a running back who can fill the role in his offense that Chris Thompson did in Washington. Thompson was never a featured part of Gruden's rushing attack, but he was frequently used as a pass-catcher who could create mismatches with his speed and quickness.
From 2014-2018, Thompson caught 170 passes for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns, making him an important role player in Washington. While Fournette had a solid 2019, the Jaguars could always look to diversify their running back room and add different styles of backs.
With this in mind, we identified five running backs who will workout at the combine who can contribute heavily to a team's passing offense. Which makes sense for Gruden and the Jaguars?
FSU RB Cam Akers
Despite playing behind some of the worst offensive line units in the country and in several anemic offenses during his career at FSU, Cam Akers did enough to establish himself as one of this year's most intriguing running backs. He has good hands out of the backfield and can be a threat on screens, outlet passes, or down the field. In his college career, the athletic back caught 69 receptions for 486 yards and seven receiving touchdowns, with four of those coming in 2019.
TCU RB Darius Anderson
Nicknamed 'Jet' at TCU, Darius Anderson made a name for himself as a dangerous ball-carrier who can threaten defenses with his speed and agility at all levels of the field. Anderson wasn't used much as a receiver at TCU (43 career catches for 224 yards) but he has the skillset to excel in the role in the NFL. At the Reese's Senior Bowl practices in January, Anderson frequently made life hard on linebackers and safeties with his explosiveness as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, as well as the ability to track a pass downfield.
Arizona State RB Eno Benjamin
Eno Benjamin was one of college football's most productive rushers over the last two seasons, recording over 2,700 rushing yards and 26 carries, but it is his exciting ability after the catch that could entice the Jaguars. From 2018-2019, Benjamin caught 77 passes for 610 yards and four touchdowns, proving to be an effective and dangerous threat out of the backfield.
Baylor RB JaMycal Hasty
A consistent producer on the ground and through the air for Baylor, JaMycal Hasty is one of the more exciting running backs to watch with the ball in his hands in this class. After catching 79 receptions for 485 yards and one touchdown at Baylor, Hasty excelled in pass-catching drills at the Senior Bowl, simply looking too twitchy for linebackers to hang with. His elusiveness, speed, and open-field instincts could all make him a lethal pass-catching threat at the next level.
Miami RB DeeJay Dallas
A former wide receiver, DeeJay Dallas had to play in some bad offenses at Miami but his talent as a receiver out of the backfield is obvious. He only caught 28 receptions for 317 yards and two touchdowns in his Miami career, but this was more so due to the design of the offenses. With the ball in his hands, Dallas is explosive and agile, while demonstrating good hands and instincts for finding soft zones underneath.
