The New England Patriots need a big running back in their offense. Here’s a look at four NFL prospects to consider.
The New England Patriots couldn’t get a yard or two when they really needed it on numerous occasions in 2019. Why not? One reason, of course, is that their offensive line was devastated by health and injury issues much of the season.
Another more obvious reason is size. The current stable of New England backs are on the small side and can’t grind out a yard when they need it, on their own.
I was an advocate last season of bringing back free agent back LeGarrette Blount for the stretch run. Blount is a 247 pound wrecking ball with finesse who could get a yard on his own, and more. The Patriots chose to run with their own backs and it cost them games that they could ill-afford to lose. They paid for the lack in this area. Blount was available for cheap and would have been a great option. They passed.
Can the 2020 draft provide a big back to the New England Patriots?
What’s a “big back” and can the Patriots draft one in the 2020 NFL draft next month? Not an easy question to answer. First, what is a “big back”. I define him as a back who is at least 220 -225 pounds, but preferably greater weight.
While the NFL new model offenses feature smaller more versatile and elusive backs, 2019 proved that having a one or two yard machine is essential unless you have a super back. The New England Patriots do not have that type of back.
Four big backs available in this year’s draft.
So who’s available in this year’s draft that might be a solution? SI.com has a top 20 running backs ranking. How many of these meet the self-applied standard of 220 pounds or more?
Here are the backs on SI’s top 20 list who fit this bill for the New England Patriots.
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin at 5’10” and 226 pounds.
Jonathan Taylor is a super back with the speed, power and size to develop into a top NFL back. As NFL.com
notes, Taylor in three college seasons gained over 6000 yards. That’s production, folks. They note that Taylor hasn’t been much of a pass catcher out of the backfield, but we’re looking for power backs here.
The New England Patriots already have a certain James White, one of the best receiving backs in league history. So that’s not an issue for New England. (White is also from the same school as Taylor).
Taylor looks pretty darn good, but it’s not happening. He’s a high draft pick and the Patriots are not drafting a running back that high, I think.
Two years ago the Patriots selected Sony Michel in the first round and last year a similar back, Damien Harris in the third. It’s unlikely they would invest high draft capital, e.g. a first round pick in a back. But a shot in the third round for a big back might make good sense. That won’t be Taylor.
Zack Moss, Utah at 5’9 and 223 pounds.
Nfl.com describes Zack Moss’ running style as “controlled violence”. Have to like a back that can lower
his shoulder and plow through the defensive line. Not possessing great speed, at 5″9″ and 223 pounds we’re looking at sheer power here. With his power, Moss should be able to bash out a yard or two to keep a drive alive or pound the rock into the end zone from in tight.
All of this sounds really good to me. Maybe a Mack Lee Hill type, a shorter but powerful back who’ll knock you into next week if you get in his way, would be perfect for the New England Patriots. Maybe Moss slides down a bit in the draft.
A New England Patriots nod on one of their three third-round picks make sense to me. Extending drives and scoring TD’s is a good enough reason for a relatively high investment in a back like Moss in the draft.
Antonio Gibson, Memphis at 6’0″ and 228 pounds.
Antonio Gibson is big back at 228 pounds. NFL.com says he might be tabbed as a “Big athlete
with positional versatility.” Besides being big, he can also fly having run a 4.39 second 4-yard dash at the combine. Big and fast. Sounds good so far.
About versatility, seems that being versatile is a feature that the New England Patriots might appreciate.
According to NFL.com, Gibson’s also a kick returner. With his speed, he could be a dangerous weapon in that special teams phase, one where any semblance of a returner was missing from New England last season. Just abysmal.
Gibson is big. Check. Versatile, can return kicks. Check. Has power. Check. He makes the grade.
A.J. Dillon, Boston College at 6’0″ and 247 pounds.
NFL.com says Boston College’s A.J. Dillon “is built like a minibus” with power and the ability to take hits and keep on going.
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I like that description. (Disclosure: I’m a BC grad.) Dillon is a very BIG back. About the size of one of my favorites, former Patriot LeGarrette Blount, Dillon would be a great addition to New England’s rather diminutive backfield tandem.
None of New England’s current stable of backs can slam into a line like Dillon and still have speed enough to churn up large swaths of turf in a single carry. Dillon has the power the New England Patriots need and yet and he can “take it to the house” as they say when he gets into the open field.
Dillon was timed at 4.53 in the 40-yard dash according to NFL.com. For a back of that size – that’s flying. One might call it ramming speed.
What’s not to like here? Dillon would slot right into New England’s backfield as a two-down back and short-yardage specialist. The lack of a drive-extending or short yardage TD running back would be fixed for the New England Patriots by Dillon.
Note: For an excellent in-depth look at A.J. Dillon and the draft, check out colleague Jason Haskins’ article on A. J. Dillon.
So there we have it, 4 big backs who might fit the bill for the New England Patriots in the 2020 draft. The New England Patriots have 12 picks in the draft. Hopefully, one of these 4 and/or other big backs will be selected by New England.
They need a big back to get a yard or two to keep a drive alive or score a TD near the goal line in 2020. We’ll see next month if they make it happen.