A Kansas City Chiefs fan’s guide to the 2019 Draft: The Running Backs

The Little Guys

Justice Hill, Oklahoma State

Justice Hill of Oklahoma State is another player I profiled in my combine standout post. He is one of the few running backs at the combine that really ran well with a 4.40 second time in the 40-yard dash. His tape shows that big play speed and he would certainly be a dangerous matchup weapon both carrying the ball and catching passes out of the backfield. However, he is probably the player in this category that will go the earliest so the Chiefs would have to decide his big play upside was worth drafting in the early to mid rounds despite not having the size to be an every-down NFL back.

Bryce Love, Stanford

Bryce Love of Stanford may be the biggest known name on this list but that doesn’t mean he should be the most coveted on draft day. He definitely has shown the ability to be a productive big-play back in college but he has a lot of wear and tear on his tires for a back that’s just 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds. He also wasn’t as involved in the passing game as you would like when looking for good fits in Andy Reid’s offense. I wouldn’t hate Love as a late round pick but he’s not a guy that I would even commit a mid-round pick on when there are better players or other positions to target.

James Williams, Washington State

If you are looking for a pass catching weapon, James “Boobie” Williams from Washington State may be the guy for you. Williams caught over 200 passes in his three seasons of playing for Washington State including 83 passes his senior year. He measured in a little smaller than expected at 5-foot-9 and 197 pounds. Williams can be a productive runner as well but he really needs space to work with which is why he’s so good when catching passes out of the backfield. He’ll never be a guy that gets 20 carries between the tackles in the NFL, but I would be fine if the Chiefs took a mid to late round shot on Williams and would trust that Reid would find ways to get him the ball in space.

My Pick:

Darwin Thompson, Utah State

While James Williams was really close to winning this spot, Darwin Thompson of Utah State narrowly won the spot as my favorite smaller back on this list. While Thompson is just 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds he runs stronger than the other smaller back. He has short powerful legs that remind me a little of Darren Sproles in terms of his build. He’s not as explosive as Sproles but he’s definitely an intriguing mix of power and agility that create yards through different means.

Thompson wasn’t used a ton in the passing game at Utah State but when he was he looked natural at it. I think he would be a steal in the later rounds and will likely be a productive weapon and contributor for years to come in the NFL, especially if a coach like Andy Reid gets his hands on him.

Next up let’s look at my personal favorites of the remaining backs.