3 sleepers Philadelphia Eagles drafted who could become stars

Gainwell is the latest in a pipeline of Memphis running backs to the NFL, following Antonio Gibson, Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard. He opted out of the 2020 season, but as a redshirt freshman in 2019 he ran for 1,459 yards (6.3 yards per carry) with 13 touchdowns on the ground. He also saw time out in the slot as a pass catcher, on his way to 51 receptions for 610 yards and three more scores. Playing mostly soft competition is a thing for those who want to make it one, but Gainwell had over100 total yards and a rushing score against Penn State in the Cotton Bowl to finish that 2019 campaign.

At 5-foot-8 and 201 pounds, the Eagles may see some Darren Sproles in Gainwell. But that’s an underestimation. A clip that has made some rounds shows Gainwell is not afraid to stick his nose in things as a pass blocker against a player that went in the top half of the first round.

According to Pro Football Focus, Miles Sanders had the second-worst receiving grade among running backs last year (33.9). He was top-15 in targets at the position with 52, but his 197 receiving yards fell outside the top-30 at the position.

Solely based on his receiving chops, Gainwell is an immediate threat to Sanders’ snap share. He could be far more than that eventually, perhaps by halfway through his rookie season.