There were a lot of questions surrounding the running back position and its value in the 2018 Draft Class coming into this season. After two straight years where one went at #4 overall, we were unsure if there would be more than one taken in the entire first round. As we creep in to November, the running back position continues its surge back into the highest level of importance among NFL teams. Saquon Barkley of Penn State has taken over the top spot on everyone’s running back board, but there is name that continues to gain ground from Notre Dame. Junior Josh Adams went from a good athlete that happens to play running back to a legitimate top 15 overall prospect this season.
What He Does Well:
Considering the size of his frame, Adams runs with tremendous lower body looseness and agility. The speed he shows in the open field has been proven to be more than capable of running away from defenders in space. He is as dangerous as it gets when it comes to having a full head of steam, running downhill, in space. His straight line acceleration and burst will swallow any gap in front of him in a blink. He easily runs through arm tackles through the first, second, and third levels of the defense alike. Adams is always looking past the current level of tacklers, setting himself up for what’s next. His confidence and consistency have been taken to another level in 2017.
What He Doesn’t Do Well:
When it comes to high hipped backs with this kind of height, there needs to be extra attention put on proper pad level when carrying the ball. Adams will be caught too often running upright as he searches for his next lane. There isn’t a lot of meat on his lower half either. If Adams is going to be a number one back who touches the ball 25+ times per game, he will need a more consistent low pad level and strength gains to his lower half. He isn’t a natural receiver out of the backfield and that area of his game needs to be shored up if he wants to be an every down back.