The Depth Of The 2018 NFL Draft At The Running Back Position Is Impressive, And There Are Going To Be Some Late Round Running Backs That Will Have A Chance To Be Contributors In The NFL.
Jarvion Franklin
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Jarvion Franklin was a productive, four-year starter for Western Michigan and has a chance to be a contributing late round pick for a team in the 2018 NFL Draft.
There isn’t a whole lot that pops off the tape about Jarvion Franklin, but he does a lot of the little things well. Jarvion Franklin shows good vision and adequate patience. He lets his blockers set up in front of them, shows the ability to navigate through the line of scrimmage, and has a knack for finding running lanes. He’s a no-nonsense runner that doesn’t dance around in the backfield and will take whatever the defense gives him.
Franklin doesn’t have a very impressive athletic profile. At 239 pounds, this isn’t necessarily surprising, but it does limit his ability as a runner. His explosiveness numbers at the combine were sub-par, and it shows in his tape. He doesn’t have particularly good burst, and his change of direction skills are just average. While he does show a little bit of elusiveness in the open field, he probably projects as much more of a straight line runner in the NFL.
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Franklin’s lack of athleticism limits what he is able to do around the line of scrimmage. You won’t see him making it to cutback lanes on a regular basis. His lack of burst shows up in the time that it takes him to get to the hole from time to time, and he might struggle against better athletes in the NFL. He just doesn’t have the athleticism to dominate around the line of scrimmage.
Jarvion Franklin is a tough runner. He doesn’t necessarily have the best balance through contact, but he fights for every yard and never gives up on plays. In combination with his size, Jarvion Franklin is a capable runner between the tackles, despite his overall lack of elite athleticism. His pad level isn’t always good, and this is something that he probably needs to improve at the next level if he wants to be a contributor in the NFL. If he can fix his pad level, his effort and size could make him a serviceable between the tackles runner.
Jarvion Franklin has a ways to go before he can carve a role out for himself in the NFL, and he doesn’t have the benefit of being an elite athlete, but vision and size can go a long way in the NFL. If Franklin can improve his pad level and continue to improve his pass protection, he could find a way onto the field in certain situations.
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