Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State
5’10” 203 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.41 seconds
Darrynton Evans stood out in the 40-yard dash, running the second-fastest time of all the running backs. He also posted above-average measurements in the vertical jump and broad jump, and while he sat out the three-cone drill he showed that he is one of the better athletes in this running back class. His size will be a concern in the NFL but his speed
Fantasy Stock
Evans can contribute on special teams and as a receiver, which should help him get on the field as a rookie, but he is probably too small to get a look as an every-down player early in his career. If he lands on a team with a strong offensive line that can open up holes for him I love his ability to burst through those holes and run away from the defense but I do not have much faith in him to consistently create yards for himself by making people miss or fighting through contact. The Chiefs, especially with their ability to find ways to get fast players the ball in space, would be an ideal spot for Evans and his fantasy value. The Colts and Eagles, both teams with good offensive lines that may be in the market for a complementary back to help round out their backfield committees, would also be good landing spots for Evans.
Antonio Gibson, Memphis
6’0” 228 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.39 seconds
Antonio Gibson ran with the receivers at the combine so his 40-yard dash time was overshadowed a bit by some of the other receivers but he would have tied for the fastest time among running backs. We knew Gibson was a stand-out athlete coming into the combine but as his draft stock is built around being an athlete it was important for him to perform well in the athletic testing.
Fantasy Stock
Gibson’s fantasy value is entirely based around the offense he gets drafted by, even more so than other rookies, because his game revolves around his team finding creative ways to get him the ball. He’s big, athletic, and can catch so there is no reason he can’t have fantasy value even if it’s just as a high-upside bench piece that you start when you need an outlier performance to win. The Eagles stand out as a team that needs offensive playmakers and have a creative enough coach to find ways to get him the ball, as well as the usual suspects like the Saints, Chiefs, and Bears that value offensive weapons more than traditional teams do.
Salvon Ahmed, Washington
5’11” 197 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.62 seconds
Salvon Ahmed’s 40-yard dash time was disappointing, and for a player built on speed, it’s tough to overcome that type of performance in the drill that best measures speed. He was below average in both the vertical jump and broad jump and didn’t participate in the three-cone drill. It is not a stretch to say that he will need to improve his 40-yard dash time at his pro day or risk going undrafted.
Fantasy Stock
Ahmed only started one year in college so there is not enough tape on him to counteract a disappointing combine. He looked fine in the pass-catching drills but his feet were a little slow in the new Deuce Staley drill, and obviously he underperformed in the main tests. If he can have a better showing at his pro day I’m still interested in him thanks to the speed and quickness he put on tape, but unless he does it seems likely that he will not land with a team that has a significant opening at running back that would let him offer any fantasy value early in his career.
J.J. Taylor, Arizona
5’5” 185 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.61 seconds
J.J. Taylor was slower than teams would have liked given his size, but he performed well in the agility drills and the bench press. Taylor will need to convince teams that he’s quick enough to overcome both his size and his somewhat lacking speed, which seems like a tough sell for most NFL teams. He showed the ability to catch passes in college so he should get a look somewhere as a third-down back who can make up for size with strength as a pass-blocker. He seems destined to be a late-round selection that a creative team could find a way to use as the season goes on, but I doubt he will be an impact player early in the season.
Fantasy Stock
The best hope for Taylor’s fantasy value is that he goes to a team that has a more established running back who struggles on passing downs, opening up a spot for Taylor to compete for the role of third-down back. The Buccaneers (Ronald Jones) and Titans (Derrick Henry) come to mind as teams who don’t need to invest a high pick in a running back but might want to add a better pass-catching option behind the current starter.
Michael Warren II, Cincinnati
5’9” 226 lbs
Bench Press: 16 reps
Michael Warren II did not participate in any of the athletic testings outside of the bench press because of a sore hamstring, so we’ll have to wait for his pro day to see how he compares to the rest of the class in drills like the 40-yard dash and the broad jump. He did participate in some of the running back drills and for the most part, he looked fine. His feet seemed a little slow at times, but I wouldn’t hold that against him if he truly is dealing with some type of injury. As a very productive college player with some question marks surrounding his athleticism, it makes sense that Warren wants to hold off on the athletic tests until he feels he is completely ready for them.
Fantasy Stock
No movement here, as although Warren participated in some drills and answered interview questions scouts are still going to want to see him run the 40-yard dash at a minimum. If he performs well at his pro day he should be a mid-round pick in the NFL Draft, and if he lands in a spot like Houston or Miami where there is an opening for a running back to come in and win the starting job then he could have immediate fantasy value. His most likely outcome is probably landing a backup job somewhere which would make him a non-factor for fantasy barring an injury to someone ahead of him on the depth chart.
A.J. Dillon, Boston College
6’0” 247 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.53 seconds
A.J. Dillon might be the back that made himself the most money at the combine by running a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash and showing well in the other combine drills as well, as the biggest question around him was how athletic he was for his size. Dillon showed off great speed for a man his size, as well as impressive burst and decent hands in the pass-catching drills. He was a little slower moving his feet in some of the running back drills, particularly the Deuce Staley drill, but aside from that, he had an outstanding performance.
Fantasy Stock
Dillon’s combine performance, coupled with the run Derrick Henry just went on to end the season as a similar style of player, should push up his NFL Draft stock. Dillon should get a long look from any team that needs a running back, and his ability to catch passes means even if he doesn’t land somewhere with a clear path to the starting role his new team should find a way to get him on the field in his rookie season. The Texans, Chiefs, and Falcons should all consider Dillon as a cheaper alternative to the top running backs in this draft class, and teams like the Titans and Jaguars may see Dillon as a similar talent to their current starter that they may be willing to move on from as their rookie contracts expire. Dillon would be a target for me in rookie drafts for dynasty leagues, and if he lands in the right situation he could be relevant in redraft leagues right away.
DeeJay Dallas, Miami
5’10” 217 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.58 seconds
DeeJay Dallas did not stand out in the athletic testing, but he performed well in the drills and showcased enough athleticism that he should hear his name come the NFL Draft. Dallas is a versatile running back, having converted from receiver early in his college career, and can contribute as a special teams player and in pass protection. All of that should help him get on the field as a rookie which is half the battle to become fantasy relevant.
Fantasy Stock
Dallas should land somewhere where he gets a chance to compete for snaps early in his career, although I do not expect him to land on one of the teams with a glaring need for a running back. Somewhere like Tampa Bay or Indianapolis, where there is a starter who has some question marks about versatility or injury problems, seem like more likely destinations. He won’t have value early in the season, but he is certainly a name to keep in mind he gets a chance to play meaningful snaps as the season goes on.
Joshua Kelley, UCLA
5’11” 212 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.49 seconds
Joshua Kelley had a good combine, testing well in the 40-yard dash and also posted the best three-cone drill of the running backs that elected to participate with a time of 6.95 seconds. He even looked a little quicker than I expected during some of the running back drills, and while I’m not convinced he did enough to be drafted as a day-one starter for any NFL team I do think he’ll land somewhere he can contribute early in his career.
Fantasy Stock
Kelley increased his NFL Draft stock, which in turn should help his fantasy stock. He was productive in college and should be able to fit into whatever role his NFL team needs him to in order to get on the field. A team like the Jets, which have an established starter that they may not want to be attached to long term, would be a good fit for Kelley as he does not profile as the specialist type that could carve out a defined role early in his career and he probably won’t be drafted high enough to be a day one starter.
Levante Bellamy, Western Michigan
5’9” 192 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.50 seconds
Levante Bellamy injured himself during the 40-yard dash and was still able to post a time of 4.5 seconds. He also did well in the vertical jump and the broad jump, and while the injury prevented him from running a second 40-yard dash or participating in all of the drills I think as long as he is healthy by his pro day he did enough at the combine to spark some interest for the NFL Draft.
Fantasy Stock
I was impressed by the limited results Bellamy posted, and if he backs them up at his pro day he should ease some of the concerns scouts had about him heading into the combine. It’s tough to project his value without seeing how his pro day goes, but his college production is solid enough that even if he doesn’t improve on his current 40-yard dash time I think he’ll catch on with an NFL team that will let him compete for a role in camp. If that role is a goal-line package he could be valuable right away, if not he’s a name to file away for later in the season.
Brian Herrien, Georgia
5’11” 209 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.62 seconds
Brian Herrien did fine at the combine, although I’m not sure it was enough to really improve his NFL Draft stock. His vertical jump and broad jump were impressive, which backs up his tape of being a runner with powerful legs, but his 40-yard dash time was below-average and seems to indicate he will be a part-time player at best in the NFL.
Fantasy Stock
I’m still a fan of what I saw from Herrien on tape, but he had so few opportunities in college that it’s hard to put much stock in his production especially on a strong Georgia team. He’ll get a chance in the NFL, but for fantasy purposes, he’s probably not worth worry about for the time being. If a team fell in love with him during the interview process, or if he improves on his 40-yard dash time at his pro day, then perhaps he finds his way into a meaningful role early in his career. The more likely outcome is that he is drafted by an NFL team to be a depth piece and never really gains fantasy relevance.
-Dan Adams (@Dadams0323)
What about Evans from App. St. He posted the 2nd fastest 40 and 5th in the bench press and also 10th in the vertical. He was 3rd in the nation in scoring touchdowns and rushed for over 1400yds.
He’s the top one in the 11-20 section of RBs, we covered him. Definitely an interesting prospect.