2018 NFL Draft Running Backs

Still working on RBs this week, but having fun seeing the skills of each player. Preliminary breakdown of what I am seeing:

Barkley- best overall game. Clearly the best overall RB, with big separation between himself and the next back.
Guice- best at yards after contact.
Hines- best home run hitter. Get him in the open field and it is over.
Michel- quickest burst through the hole.
Jones- best jump cut and quickest feet. Love the way he moves on the field.
Penny- best vision. Sees developing holes extremely well.
Kelly- best pass protection, and best overall effort from snap to snap.

I don't see the niners giving up on joe Williams. We just paid McKinnon starter money. Breida has earned his spot. Mostert is one of, If not the, best special teamers we have, and mcnichols has great ability catching the ball and in space


I can see us drafting a guy to compete with William's, but it better not be before day 3, imo.

Originally posted by adrianlesnar:
I don't see the niners giving up on joe Williams. We just paid McKinnon starter money. Breida has earned his spot. Mostert is one of, If not the, best special teamers we have, and mcnichols has great ability catching the ball and in space

I can see us drafting a guy to compete with William's, but it better not be before day 3, imo.

He needs to beat somebody out. No reason to avoid bringing a RB in just because Williams is on the roster. If Williams is any good -- surely he can win a training camp competition for a backup role.

Originally posted by okdkid:

He needs to beat somebody out. No reason to avoid bringing a RB in just because Williams is on the roster. If Williams is any good -- surely he can win a training camp competition for a backup role.

He was our best pure runner last year.

Fumbling issues did him in. Not sure about his pass pro but strictly toting the rock he was our best by far IMO

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by okdkid:
He needs to beat somebody out. No reason to avoid bringing a RB in just because Williams is on the roster. If Williams is any good -- surely he can win a training camp competition for a backup role.

He was our best pure runner last year.

Fumbling issues did him in. Not sure about his pass pro but strictly toting the rock he was our best by far IMO

He was losing his job to Breida in the offseason and Mostert nearly overtook him. They IR'd him out of mercy. If he performs the exact same way this year he will be cut. He has to get better.

Originally posted by okdkid:

He was losing his job to Breida in the offseason and Mostert nearly overtook him. They IR'd him out of mercy. If he performs the exact same way this year he will be cut. He has to get better.

Pure runner joe was better. Fumbling got him.

Apparently not the ssme guy in practice.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

I'm one that thinks the 49ers are done adding running backs. @DylanADeSimone tries to convince me in his latest @fourth_nine article that the 6'2" strong running speedster out of Florida is the missing piece to the backfield. https://t.co/MOnYAn2zma

— CrockTIME (@eric_crocker) March 29, 2018

Here's your late rd big back...ran a 4.38 at his pro day

Last year Colbert was drafted as a height/weight/speed guy. I read they wanted a guy with these traits as their 7th round target.

This guy fits that mold perfectly. Little production, but he certainly has the traits you look for.

Originally posted by krizay:

He was our best pure runner last year.

Fumbling issues did him in. Not sure about his pass pro but strictly toting the rock he was our best by far IMO

What are you basing this off of? Because he had success against guys no longer in the NFL late in preseason games?

Because as far as the roster goes, Breida beat him out pretty much from the jump.


Lots of guys with no NFL future look All-Wordly late in preseason games. Williams did himself no favors coming in out of shape as a rookie. This offseason is his next and final chance with the 49ers.


They absolutely should draft someone to compete in case he still can't get it together.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

What are you basing this off of? Because he had success against guys no longer in the NFL late in preseason games?

Because as far as the roster goes, Breida beat him out pretty much from the jump.


Lots of guys with no NFL future look All-Wordly late in preseason games. Williams did himself no favors coming in out of shape as a rookie. This offseason is his next and final chance with the 49ers.


They absolutely should draft someone to compete in case he still can't get it together.

1st preseason game

Breida 2 yard gain
Breida 2 yard gain
Breida no gain on his 3 carries versus 1st string defense.

He and Williams rotated in and out after that versus the same defenses Williams looked better.

2nd preseason game neither really played.

3rd preseason game

Breida 1 carry for 2 yards on his sole carry against the starters. Didnt rush again until the 3rd quarter against backups just like Williams.

Statistically Breida had better numbers this game but watching them run it was easy to tell who was the better runner.


So i base my opinion on apples to apples comparison as Breida was sprinkled in with backups just as much. Atleast much more than you insinuated.

I'm sure Williams will get a chance to prove he's worth a roster spot. But I do not think he will in any way impact their choices when drafting this year. If there's a guy they like they will take him. Or if they don't it will be because they like someone else more. But I do not see them passing on somebody because of Joe Williams.

I actually think they need a runner with some size/power. I think you need a little more balance than they have right now. To me, guys like Chubb, Penny, or Scarborough would be ideal compliments to what we have with the other RBs.

I agree William's needs to earn his spot, but you don't draft a top 100 RB to compete with him. If he does win, you putting that 2nd or 3rd rounder to the bench? Or are you giving up on breidas development? We have too many flat out holes to be looking for trivial upgrades in the first 3 rounds