Clyde Edwards-Helaire would take Chiefs offense to next level

Kansas City lacks a proven, do it all running back. We break down how LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire is a perfect match in Andy Reid’s offense.

The Kansas City Chiefs have set themselves up nicely heading into the 2020 NFL Draft. General manager Brett Veach was able to secure 20 of the 22 starters from the Super Bowl roster. Already proving success with the starting lineup, it makes the 2020 NFL Draft about improving and ensuring players for the near future.

A couple of players returned via free agency on one-year deals, including Demarcus Robinson and Breshaud Breeland. Damien Williams was brought back for his final year on his contract through a club option. Kansas City has an extensive list of players that are in the last year of their current contract. Finding players that can secure some of those spots to save money next offseason will be a priority in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Chiefs running back room is currently crowded with six players under contract. The three running backs that remain from the 2019 season are Damien Williams, Darwin Thompson, and Darrell Williams. Kansas City signed Elijah McGuire, Marcus Marshall, and Mike Weber reserve/future deals. Out of those six running backs, only one is signed beyond the 2020 season being Thompson.

Regardless of how you feel about Thompson’s potential, the Chiefs are going to need more bodies in the running back room. Each of the running backs from last season had some flashes, but none of them have proven to be the guy to this point. Bringing in another back with a higher upside could be a good move for Kansas City in 2020.

Even if you don’t value the running back position in the first few rounds of the draft, the Chiefs might feel differently. Finding a running back that can not only create yardage of their own when defenders get into the backfield but be a weapon in the passing game as well is not on the roster at this moment. A player that possesses these skills is LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Scouting Report

A one-year starter at LSU, Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the featured back in LSU’s shotgun, zone-heavy run scheme. His best performances came in big games (four of his seven 100-yard rushing games in 2019 were against top 10 ranked teams, including Florida, Auburn, Alabama, and Clemson). In 2019, he made First Team All-SEC, Team MVP, Team Captain, led the SEC in rushing touchdowns, and led the team in rushing. He finished the season with 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns along with 55 receptions for 595 yards and one touchdown.

Running Game

Standing at 5’7″ and 207 pounds, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, might be a smaller running back, but he knows how to use that to his advantage. Using his low center of gravity, CEH displays excellent contact balance and short-area quickness to avoid defenders that penetrate the line of scrimmage. Size alone makes it challenging to get your hands on him, but when you couple that with his jump cuts and spin moves, CEH has little difficulty eluding immediate contact.

Edwards-Helaire is a patient runner that will allow his blocks to develop while he presses the line of scrimmage. He does a fantastic job of manipulating second-level defenders by pressing a gap to force them to commit and then bouncing outside with very good burst. With good lower body strength and excellent balance, CEH can work through the smallest of holes between the tackles while breaking tackles in a confined space.

While CEH displays good power in one-on-one situations, he doesn’t have the size or power to move the line in short-yardage situations. Instead, he will use his ability to slip through small gaps. When he’s unable to make it through a hole, he always falls forward or spins forward for a few extra yards.

Once Edwards-Helaire gets through to the second-level, he continues to manipulate angles to gain leverage on second-level defenders. While his lack of top-end speed might limit some of his playmaking ability to take it to the house at times, he still has the juice to make big gains.

Notice in the play above how CEH manipulates the safety into thinking he’s going outside, forcing him to open up his hips, allowing Edwards-Helaire to cut back inside. While he wasn’t able to take it all the way, it picked up a massive gain. His special teams contributions over the years show up consistently when working in the open field.

Circling back around to his contact balance and refusal to go down on first contact, this is another area that Edwards-Helaire proves his lack of height won’t limit him. Arm tackles will simply not work when attempting to bring him down. Given his lateral agility, good luck getting squared up to land a hit. CEH has a good mixture of short-area quickness and aggressive power to his game. He has no problem lowering his shoulder to level a defender. His stiff-arm works well with his balance as well to take second and third-level defenders to the ground while remaining on his feet. If there are yards left to gain, you can bet on Edwards-Helaire giving everything he has into getting there.

Passing Game

Clyde Edwards-Helaire is well above average when it comes to his exposure as a route runner. Most running backs coming out of college that has had success in the passing game are primarily on screens, dump-offs to the flat, and wheel routes coming out of the backfield. Edwards-Helaire not only proved the ability to expand on those routes from the backfield but split out wide consistently at LSU.

Quickness and route manipulation pop off the screen when watching Edwards-Helaire running routes. His ability to sell linebackers to gain separation, along with his sharp cuts were impressive in 2019. He displays soft hands and the ability to extend and catch the ball away from his frame. Dropped passes are a rarity as he follows the ball all the way until he secures it before turning upfield. Once he has the ball, CEH does a fantastic job of reacting immediately to defenders breaking downhill.

Finding a running back fresh out of college that can not only split out wide but utilizes an increased route tree is rare. He does a good job of selling routes and adjusting his tempo to leverage himself while finding the soft spot between zones.

In pass protection, Edwards-Helaire is well aware of his strengths and limitations. His ability to quickly identify his assignment and adjust to maximize his leverage stands out. Similar to just about any running back, he’s not going to take on a defensive lineman one-on-one head up with consistent success. Instead, when he knows he doesn’t have the leverage or power to win a matchup, CEH will go low to slow defenders down or take their feet out altogether.

There will still be a learning curve when it comes to pass protection, but Edwards-Helaire is not someone a team should feel they have to take off the field on third down. Instead, he is the exact opposite. Whether you need him to block, pick up short yardage on third and short, or pick up a big gain on 3rd and 15 through the air, he can do it all.

How does Clyde Edwards-Helaire fit the Chiefs offense?

In the NFL, Clyde Edwards-Helaire projects to be a starting running back that can be utilized anywhere across the formation. With his impressive vision, lateral agility, excellent contact balance, and burst, he projects best in a zone run blocking scheme. However, he has the explosiveness and toughness to be utilized in a gap run blocking scheme as well. His pass protection will need some development, but it shouldn’t be looked at as a weakness. Adding his route running and ability to align anywhere across the formation, CEH is a do-it-all running back that can start immediately.

Kansas City is a match made in heaven for Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Andy Reid has always done a phenomenal job of getting the most out of his running backs. Kansas City’s zone-blocking scheme would allow CEH to thrive in the run game, and Reid’s ability to maximize running backs abilities in the passing game could turn him into a star year one.

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl with minimal proven talent at the running back position. Edwards-Helaire would have a real shot of taking over the starting role right away or midway through the season. We all know Reid’s hesitancy to incorporate rookies into his offense.

Not only is the running back room lacking bodies beyond the 2020 season, but it lacks a running back that has the type of versatility that Clyde Edwards-Helaire possesses. When the Chiefs cut Kareem Hunt, the offense took a step back without another back that could fill that many roles. Edwards-Helaire brings a very similar playing style and skill set. If Kansas City decides to spend one of their day two picks on Edwards-Helaire, we could see an already dominant offense become even harder to defend.