Running back – Todd Gurley – Georgia

Pros:

• Excellent size/speed combo, capable of being effective in any style offense and on any play type.
• Strong runner with powerful legs that make him very tough to bring down.
• Does a nice job of not letting defenders hit him squarely which helps allow him to run through tackles.
• Excellent cut-back runner capable of finding the hole for a big gain.
• Very good out of the backfield as a receiver, should be able to play every down at the next level.
• Great ball security, does not cough up the football.
• Has elite potential and a good chance he can reach it if he stays healthy.

Cons:

• Major injury concern, tore his ACL in November and hasn’t been able to work out since.
• Not only is there the concern that the injury cost him some speed and agility, but he’s at an increased risk of another major knee injury.
• Even if everything checks out medically, he will be unlikely to be very effective as a rookie with him coming back from the injury.

Overview:

From a football standpoint Todd Gurley is the most talented running back to enter the league since Adrian Peterson. His game is comparable to a combination of Le’Veon Bell and Marshawn Lynch. The problem is there is a major injury that needs to be accounted for and that brings a lot of risk.

Gurley pre-injury could have easily been considered a top 5 pick even in today’s NFL that has somewhat devalued the running back position. He is the type of back that could carry a team on his shoulders and run them into the postseason. With the injury though, his draft stock is very much up for debate.

Teams will be able to evaluate the injury, but it doesn’t appear that he will be able to do a full workout to show where he is athletically since the injury. In addition once you have a serious injury like an ACL tear you are at an increased risk of a 2nd tear within the first 5 years. While it’s far from a certainty, teams have to prepare for the possibility. In addition it’s likely that Gurley will need to be limited as a rookie.

While some players (Adrian Peterson) can come back in a short time frame and show no ill effects from the injury, most players need 11-12 months to really get back to where they were pre-injury. Even if Gurley doesn’t start the season on the PUP list, he’s likely to be on a snap count as a rookie.