Adrian Fedkiw
Cue up the Ezekiel Elliott debate again.
The Ohio State running back Elliott revealed in an interview with the NFL Network Thursday that he will have a pre-draft visit with Philadelphia.
Ezekiel Elliott mentioned Philly first when asked what teams he has setup for interviews. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/77wbR4wpYt
— Ty (@HandsTeamTy) April 7, 2016
Buckeye RB Ezekiel Elliott said on TA tonight that he has visits with the Bears, Dolphins and Eagles set up. Already went to Dallas.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 7, 2016
Elliott is considered to be the best running back in the draft class and could be a top-10 pick, but is it worth taking him at No. 8? He ran for 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns last season and has been connected to the Eagles since they traded DeMarco Murray to the Tennessee Titans last month.
When you look at what the Eagles are going to do offensively under Pederson, they want to be a slow and conservative power attack which is going to churn a lot of clock and rely on their defense to win games. The Kansas City Chiefs ran the second fewest plays per game (59.3) last season when Pederson was the offensive coordinator under Reid and had the sixth highest run/pass ratio at 46 percent.
Elliott has the prototypical size and athleticism for a workhorse running back to go with the balance, vision and patience to attack in between the tackles. He doesn’t hesitate and powerfully finishes his runs with natural forward lean to pick up every inch he can. When the Eagles go on one of those methodical 12, 13, 14-play drives against a fatigued defense, who’s going to stop Elliott near the goal line?
Those are some of the reasons why you’d take him, but what about the other side of the ledger?
Next year’s running back class might potentially be LOADED if some of the underclassmen standouts elect to forego their senior seasons. It starts with Leonard Fournette, who I believe is going to be a better pro than Elliott. Nick Chubb, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Samaje Perine and Wayne Gallman might also be part of the class. Cook and Freeman are the only two upcoming 2016 seniors on the list.
With the Eagles re-tooling instead of rebuilding, I think it’s likely that they won’t pick in the top 10 next year, but if they’re in the teens or 20’s, one of those backs will be available. Hell, they might still be there in the second round too. Over the last five drafts, only six running backs were taken in the first round and just two were top 10 choices. Three of those picks went 28th or higher.
So what would you do?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPiyOd5vmYE
Here’s a scouting report of Elliott:
STRENGTHS: Elliott is extremely well-rounded as a runner with ideal size for the position along with coordinated footwork that is always in sync with his eyes. He runs with natural pad level and fantastic forward lean, using his balance, leg drive and relentless fight to move the chains and pick up every inch he can. Plays with a strong intensity for the game.
Elliott is at his best on counter run plays, stopping on a dime and transitioning his weight to shoot through holes and dart through the second level of the defense. He displays outstanding vision to quickly read blocks and rarely runs with hesitation, bouncing away from would-be tacklers without slowing down.
WEAKNESSES: Elliott needs to become more consistent as a receiver and needs refinement as a blocker, but it’s tough to find weaknesses in his run style, which is why he could projects as one of the top running backs and a likely first-round pick in the 2016 class.
OUTLOOK: Elite, three-down running back who has the ability to excel in every facet of the game. Elliott has rare combination of size, athleticism, pass-catching and blocking skills and his competitive nature is always bubbling on the surface. While he’s had to handle a heavy workload over the last two seasons, Elliot should still come out of the gates as one of the most productive young running backs in the league.