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Tank Bigsby: 6’0”, 210 pounds.
A top-50 overall recruit in 2020, Tank Bigsby immediately took over the backfield in that COVID-shortened season. He rushed for 834 yards and five TDs on 138 attempts across ten games as a true freshman (leading the SEC in scrimmage yards from Week 3 on).
In year two, he converted 244 touches into 1,283 yards and ten TDs from scrimmage. Last year he touched the ball 35 times fewer, but averaged half a yard more and once again got into the end-zone ten times.
Tank Bigsby scout report: Strengths
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+ Brings great power and explosiveness to the table as an old-school type SEC running back. You can imagine him being faster and stronger than anybody he’s played in high school and things are still similar at the collegiate level.
+ Can make those subtle shifts of his running lanes whilst his whole body is tilted forward and he can still pull his shoulders through contact.
+ For a power back, you see him shoot through some tight creases and run with his pads over his knees consistently.
+ Utilizes jump-stops and jump-cuts to navigate around blockers or make linebackers miss in the hole exceptionally well.
+ With how low he runs and the way he doesn’t have to accelerate navigating through crowded spaces, he can rip off some good chunks where other runners would just run into the backs of his linemen.
+ Over the first half of last season, Bigsby averaged less than half a yard before contact behind an O-line that struggled to create movement. Yet he still produced and increased that average with a couple of break-away runs over the second half of the year.
+ Bigsby engages into contact with excellent pad-levels and never goes down without a fight, which is why he’s been one of the best YAC performers in college football.
+ Routinely propels himself forward over the body of tacklers and clears arm-tackles as if they’re nothing when he's built up momentum.
+ For a guy his size, the ability to stick his foot in the ground and go East-West to get around defenders in space is excellent.
+ Had 95 missed tackles between 2020 and ’21 (first among returning SEC RBs) and bested that with 61 this past season, when he averaged 4.2 yards after contact.
+ Turned 37 of his 179 carries into explosive plays (10+ yards), with 740 of his 970 rushing yards coming after contact.
+ Finds a way to haul some pretty challenging passes in terms of their placement.
+ Has the burst to make something happen with after catching dump-offs, beating defenders towards the sidelines frequently.
+ Didn’t get too many chances, but could be a big-play threat for an offensive coordinator who wants to feed him in the screen game.
+ Willing to put his body in front of edge rushers, even though he could afford to stay low and strike up more effectively.
Tank Bigsby scout report: Weaknesses
– Because he is a top-tier athlete, Bigsby at times tries to get through a lane or bounce outside right as he takes the handoff, rather than pressing creases and allowing blockers to gain proper positioning.
– Overall, he needs to become a more efficient in-between-the-tackle runner and use micro-movements to affect plays, which I’m not sure if he has the quick-twitch for.
– Not much a creator when plays aren’t set up properly and lacks dynamic movement in space.
– When he is perfectly corralled, as he tries to make something happen, you see him pitter-patter instead of just tanking through and at least not turning it into a negative play.
– Doesn’t approach passes very naturally, sort of just putting his hands in position (three drops on 33 catchable targets in 2022).
Tank Bigsby scout report: Grade
Ten years ago, Tank Bigsby may have been the second running back to come off the board. He’s got good size, runs hard and if you give him a lane, he has the speed to take it the distance.
However, he’s not the greatest “problem solver” at the position and lacks a certain amount of creativity with the ball in his hands. That paired with not being the most natural pass-catcher reduces his value in today’s game.
With that being said, Tank Bigsby can still provide plenty of value as a physical early-down runner with explosive speed, plus better ability to come to a stop or cut off one foot than you’d expect for his playing style.
Grade: Top-100 overall
You might also like other 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA, Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas, Eric Gray RB, Oklahoma, Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama, Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss, Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane, Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas.
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