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The NFL Draft is around the corner, and projections are plentiful as to where certain players will go or which positions certain teams will address first. NFL analyst and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms recently previewed the running back class and gave his thoughts on the crop of RBs for the 2022 NFL Draft.
On his podcast, Simms commented that this upcoming running back class is deep with several valuable players available on day one and two of the draft:
“Do I think you're exactly right? You got a lot of guys that are gonna contribute to NFL teams, whether it's the starter or the complement back, and you got the complement back still get[ing] 10 carries a game for our team, right, and a few catches, too, so have them, yes, definitely gotta have them. But yeah, really good group, are really as good as I can ever remember as a whole at the position.”
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Chris Simms breaks down his top 5 rookie running backs in the 2022 NFL Draft
In his 2022 NFL Draft RB Rankings, Chris Simms listed the top-ranked running backs he felt would make an immediate impact or contribute significantly to their respective NFL teams. Three of his top five backs are from SEC conference schools, with one each from the Big 10 and Big 12 conferences.
#1 - Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State:
Walker should be the first back drafted out of this class in this year's NFL Draft. He is projected to go in the second round. Simms felt that Walker stood out from the rest because “"[h]is body is a different rocked-up than the rest of the group." At MSU in his last season, Walker racked up 1,646 total rushing yards, good for 6.2 yards per attempt, and had 18 rushing touchdowns.
#2 - Breece Hall, Iowa State:
Hall ranks behind Walker in this class due to his do-everything talents and ability to stay on the field even in passing downs. Simms commented that Hall is a “three-down, all-around running back,” and teams looking for a complete back that can do well in pass-blocking, as well as pass-catching out of the backfield, will find that Hall fits that bill.
Other rankings on other sports websites have Hall ahead of Walker, but both could see their names called on day one of the NFL Draft, but most likely in the late first or early second round, given how the running back position has devolved in the NFL (i.e., less prioritized in the first half of the draft).
#3 - Dameon Pierce, Florida:
Simms compared Pierce to Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt, saying that “[t]hey’re a carbon copy of each other.” As a receiving specialist (like Hunt), Pierce will be a great complement to a team that already has a workhorse running back who might not be as proficient in the passing game. At Florida, Pierce carved out a role out of the backfield with 19 catches for 216 yards and three touchdown receptions his senior year.
#4 - James Cook, Georgia:
The running back out of Georgia will look to make his own name in the NFL, even if his brother Dalvin Cook is a star running back for the Minnesota Vikings. NFL draft projections indicate his speed and excellent pass-catching abilities will have value at the NFL level. Currently, he is not projected to be a bell cow back like his older brother, but he could get there.
In his final season at Georgia, Cook ran for 738 yards on 113 attempts (6.4 yards per carry) with seven rushing touchdowns. He also had 27 receptions for 274 yards and four touchdown catches.
#5 - Ty Davis-Price, LSU:
Simms had high praise for Ty Davis-Price. He said, ”He is an NFL starting running back." The LSU product ran for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns his last year in college, and projects to be a bell cow running back for an NFL team that has an immediate need. Davis-Price projects to go into the middle rounds after the aforementioned running back prospects, but that’s more because of the state of running backs in today’s NFL rather than his abilities.
