There is a growing movement in the Dynasty community toward “devy” players. The term “devy” refers to developmental players carried on the dynasty league rosters. These devy players are usually college players but can even be high school athletes. Each week, we will look at a different set of devy rankings.
One major consideration for devy leagues, especially at the running back position, is the age of the player. There are instances where one draft prospect is three years older than another. In these cases, we give preference to the younger player. The tailback with the far less mileage could set up for a longer professional career. In addition, let's consider why a player might be several years older than others. The two main reasons are injuries needing redshirt year(s) and how young a player is when he “breaks out”. This is a topic we will delve into in a future article, but the younger the player is when he has the first stellar season the better.
This series of articles will focus on players who should be considered on their respective NFL prospects not college production. We will continue the series with a look at the running backs who will be eligible for the 2016 NFL Draft.
5. Devon Johnson (Marshall) – The Marshall Senior is a bruiser who powers the Thundering Herd offense. Johnson is a converted tight end who is a good receiver out of the backfield and a solid blocker. He had a monster 2014 campaign and is looking to build on his NFL outlook. At 6'1”, 243 pounds, Johnson is able to pick up tough yards and is a red-zone threat.
4. Elijah McGuire (Louisiana-Lafayette) – McGuire might be the most electric back in college football, even though many fans have never heard his name before today. He is on the smaller side (5'11”, 198 pounds) compared to the bigger backs below, but offers the ability to break off big plays almost every down. The Louisiana-Lafayette offense revolves around the tailback. McGuire has good speed and shiftiness, which will enable him to transition to the professional game quickly. Teams will be looking for the next Ameer Abdullah or Duke Johnson Jr to provide a spark to the offense. He profiles as a Day 2 or early Day 3 NFL pick.
3. Corey Clement (Wisconsin) – The talented Clement is having a difficult 2015 season. He suffered a groin injury last week against Alabama, after racking up 35 yards on ten touches, and missed Saturday's game against Miami (Ohio). Clement is a good runner between the tackles and is expected to take on a large role with Melvin Gordon now in the NFL. Hopefully, the bruising back (5'11”, 210 pounds) will be better with the week off to rest. The optimist will look at the week off as saving Clement for the conference games since he was not needed Saturday in the blowout victory. Time will tell.
2. Ezekiel Elliot (Ohio State) – Elliot emerged in 2014 after quarterback Cardale Jones took the reins of the offense. He started the 2015 season on the right foot with a huge game against Virginia Tech in primetime. In that contest against a quality opponent, Elliot gained over 11 yards per carry on his 11 carries. But, the most impressive play might have been his physical block to spring Braxton Miller for his long, touchdown run. Elliot was not nearly as dominant against Hawaii this past Saturday. He is not big (6'0”, 200 pounds), but is not afraid of contact. The Buckeye star possesses great vision, seemingly to hit the right hole every play, and breaking many tackles per game. He is a star. Also of note, Elliot is one full year younger than the player ranked first on this list.
1. Derrick Henry (Alabama) – Henry ran all over Wisconsin in the opener, winning the Maxwell Award Player of the Week. He is a physical runner who has the speed and elusiveness to pick up big yards. Of the 147 rushing yards against Wisconsin, 59 were after contact. That is an amazing statistic. He was little used against Middle Tennessee Saturday. We expect Alabama to lean heavily on the big (6'3”, 243 pounds) ball carrier once the SEC play begins.
Honorable Mention:
James Conner (Pittsburgh) – We feel bad for the big, bruising (6'2”, 220 pounds) ball carrier who had the misfortune of suffering a knee injury and is now lost for the season. Connor tore his MCL in the opener against Youngstown State. Hopes were high for Connor's Junior season after he lost weight in the offseason in order to add speed and explosion to his game. He wanted to improve, even after garnering first team All America honors. Connor was the first Pittsburgh running back to garner the award since “Ironhead” Heyward. This is a name to file away for the 2016 season. The odds are now tilted toward the back returning to school for his Senior campaign.
Alex Collins (Arkansas) – The Arkansas Junior is in search of his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. Collins is able to break off long runs, but does not have breakaway speed. He is versatile but is not big (5'11”, 206 pounds). Collins will see plenty of action as Jonathan Williams is out of action with a foot injury. Collins is a solid, yet unspectacular runner who will need to contribute on special teams early in his professional career. He was not that successful against UTEP and Toledo which leaves us to be concerned for his success once Arkansas moves into SEC play. Williams is much more talented, leaving Arkansas fans yearning for the return of the starting ball carrier.
Kareem Hunt (Toledo) – Toledo's first game, against Stony Brook, was canceled in the second quarter due to inclement weather so the Saturday game against Arkansas was the first official contest for the squad. Hunt led the MAC in rushing last season with 1,631 rushing yards, averaging a whopping average of 8.0 per attempt. For those who were looking for Hunt in the box scores, he was suspended the first two games of the season for a unspecified violation of team rules. The Junior running back has good size (5'11”, 215 pounds) and the ability to break off big plays. He is a player to watch as the season progresses.
Alvin Kamara (Tennessee) – Kamara plays behind the bruising Jalen Hurd but has flashed potential to be a NFL back. Kamara is a redshirt Sophomore who compliments Hurd nicely. Kamara is only 5'11”, 195 pounds, but adds a big-play ability to the Tennessee offense. In the opener against Bowling Green, Kamara actually totaled more yards on fewer touches than did Hurd. We like Kamara and expect the NFL scouts to agree. Kamara was a big-time recruit who started his career at Alabama before going to junior college, then to Tennessee.
Devontae Booker (Utah) – Booker has already celebrated his 23rd birthday and is three years older than a couple of the ball carriers above. That is not a great sign for his NFL future. He has struggled in his first two outings against good defenses (Michigan and Utah State). At 5'11”, 203 pounds, Booker will need to show great receiving ability, pass protection, and speed in order to have much of a NFL career. Yes, we expect the Utah Senior to have big numbers when the conference play rolls around, but this has been an inauspicious start to his final college season.
Kenyan Drake (Alabama) – The 6'0”, 202 pounder played great against Wisconsin in the opener, showing he is in full health after coming back from an injury-plagued 2014. Drake runs upright but is able to pick up solid yards, especially as a receiver. It will be difficult for him to get meaningful touches as long as Henry, Damien Harris, and Bo Scarbrough are healthy. Drake is a great receiver and able to pick up yards in the open field.
Thomas Tyner (Oregon) – Tyner is on the smallish side and plays smaller than his listed size (5'11”, 201 pounds), but is very fast (4.38 40-yard dash). He will miss the entire 2015 season after having offseason shoulder surgery. It was expected that the Junior would battle Royce Freeman for carries, but that will have to wait until next year. Tyner profiles as a scat back for the NFL and will have to prove his durability and strength to overcome his lack of size.
That will do it for the 2016 Running Back Draft Class. Next week, we will look at the 2016 Wide Receiver Draft Class.
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