Sony Michel’s medical issues are a real negative for him. On the other hand, they could prove beneficial for these three RB prospects.
You have to feel bad for Sony Michel as medical concerns threaten to impact his Draft status just days before the big event. On the other hand, other running backs in the draft could really benefit from the questions surrounding the Georgia product.
The Ringer NFL Show broke the story on Tuesday that some teams are concerned with something in Michel’s medical profile. No specifics were given, but it’s awful timing for Michel and his representatives. With the draft just days away, his camp will struggle to placate teams concerned about his health issues.
Now teams that have serious needs at the running back position will need to reshuffle the names on their board. No one can know how far Michel will slip, but it’s safe to assume that more than a few teams will drop him multiple spots in their pecking order at the position. That gives other running back prospects a real opportunity to capitalize on Michel’s misfortune.
The tricky thing for the teams here is the short time frame. Executives really don’t have time to go out and interview other prospects if they had their hearts set on Michel. Even worse, teams that brought in Michel for in-person workouts won’t have the chance to bring in other prospects.
Now it’s time to look at the other players who will be most impacted by Michel’s misfortune. It will turn out to be really good news for two prospects just below Michel on most people’s rankings. It might surprise you to know that it will also be a massive plus for the top tailback in the eyes of most talent evaluators. Read on to discover the three running backs who will benefit the most from Michel’s uncertain medical status.
3. Nick Chubb
Sony Michel, of course, isn’t the only Georgia running back who expects to hear his name called in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. Nick Chubb also expects to become a significant part of some team’s draft class.
As a player, Chubb and Michel are polar opposites. Michel terrorizes defense with his ability to make players miss and sprint past defenders in the open field. Chubb is an absolute battering ram. He has better speed than you think, but his strength is running through defenders.
The difference in styles between the two backs might make you think Michel’s slide might not impact Chubb. In some ways, that’s a correct assumption. However, you also have to consider the possibility that teams who’ve invested serious time scouting Michel have also seen a ton of Chubb.
That’s why I can see a team changing gears and moving the power back up their board. NFL executives gravitate towards prospects they have a certain comfort level with. The sheer amount of tape on Chubb will work to his advantage. Teams that had a high comfort level with Michel will know the most about Chubb too. That should help him take advantage of his teammate’s slide.
2. Ronald Jones II
Jones is a much more similar tailback to Michel in terms of style of play. My suspicion is that a lot of teams had Michel and Jones ranked next to one another. If Michel is forced to drop into a later round, look for Jones to be right there to take his place.
We’re talking about one of the most productive tailbacks in college football last season. Jones racked up over 1,500 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns for the Trojan in 2017. His productivity makes him a very attractive prospect to quite a few NFL teams.
The real question about Jones is how good he can be in the passing game. Despite playing alongside Sam Darnold for USC, he really didn’t flash that sort of ability. If he’s going to make a successful transition to the NFL he’ll need to prove he can be a three down back. His rushing ability isn’t so terrific that it will allow him to function on just first and second down.
Even with those limitations, Jones showed enough during his college days to make him a contender to be a late first or early second round pick. With Michel out of the way, he’ll get a legitimate chance to push his stock into Round 1. That might be a bit of a reach based on his talent level, but it could easily be a consequence of Michel’s fall.
1. Saquon Barkley
There’s zero doubt in anyone’s mind who the top running back in this year’s draft is. Former Penn State star Saquon Barkley is absolutely the cream of this year’s crop.
Given his status as a top-five pick, you may be wondering why Michel’s potential drop might impact his status. The reality is that teams who were eyeing Michel as an alternative to Barkley might now swing back towards the draft’s top running back. In other words, they may view the gap between Barkley and whoever they believe to be the class’ next back to be too great to pass on the Nittany Lions star.
Personally, Michel was the second-best back in this class. He wasn’t necessarily near Barkley’s level as a prospect, but he was close enough to justify passing on the price required to acquire Barkley. Without him as a legitimate No. 2 option to select, teams are going to have to either move decisively for Barkley or get comfortable with another, lesser player.
It’s possible that the Giants could remove the possibility of this scenario occurring by simply taking Barkley with the No. 2 pick. At the moment, it seems more likely that Dave Gettleman will opt for Brandon Chubb at that spot.
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If Barkley does fall to at least the third spot, all hell may break loose. Quite a few teams will be interested in making a bold move up to secure the talented back in the entire Draft. Michel’s absence from that equation could increase another team’s desperation quite a bit.