The Falcons run game needs some serious juice. We’ve seen guys like James Conner, Alvin Kamara, Marlon Mack, and Aaron Jones go late in the draft, and there’s a lot of value in running backs taken in the later rounds. You don’t have to have a Saquon Barkley or Christian McCaffrey type pick to get a stud RB. I really like Brian Hill but it’s obvious this coaching staff isn’t all in on him yet. With Devonta Freeman’s future in question, it’s time to start looking at potential replacements.
Cam Akers
Once committed to Alabama with Najee Harris, the 5 star Akers flipped to Florida State and instantly became one of the best players on the Seminoles roster. Akers has some question marks with his vision, but I chalk a lot of that up to Florida State’s god awful coaching staff and offensive line. He’s a very gifted athlete and catches the football well. The vision problems could be a big issue in Atlanta’s zone heavy scheme, but I have faith in Akers as an athlete. He’s perfect size for an NFL RB and he could easily be available in the 3rd or 4th round.
Najee Harris
I think Najee may return to Alabama because I have no idea why his draft stock is so low. He could make a Josh Jacobs-esque leap into the first round with another year under Nick Saban. Harris has issues not getting north on his runs sometimes, but there’s no denying his massive build and impressive athleticism. We’ve seen him leap and run over defenders multiple times, sometimes in the same play. I think he’s going to be a monster in the NFL, and if he declares, he could be the steal of the draft.
Chuba Hubbard
Chuba reminds me a lot of Tarik “The Human Joystick” Cohen coming out of NC A&T. Hubbard is a super quick player who excels at catching the football. His blocking is questionable, but as a receiving gadget back I think he could have a long career in the NFL in an Austin Ekler type role. Atlanta hasn’t really used the running back in a receiver role since Kyle Shanahan was there, and it would be nice to see that aspect of the offense brought back. Hubbard is perfect for that role.
Zack Moss
I love to watch Zack Moss. Dude delivers punishment every time he has the football in his hands. Unfortunately, I don’t see the Falcons being too interested with Qadree Ollison on the roster. He’s not very agile in space and he definitely profiles as a bruiser in the NFL. He has a lot of miles on his legs too, over 696 carries in his career. I love watching Moss tear up the Pac 12, but I’m not sure he’s a good fit in Atlanta.
AJ Dillon
Once getting some Heisman love 2 seasons ago before Lamar Jackson ran away with it, AJ Dillon has no doubt been Boston College’s best player. He’s their all time leading rusher and came 220 yards short of the all time ACC rushing record in 3 seasons. Dillon no doubt has some miles on his legs and his bruising RB style is also similar to Ollison, but his vision is absolutely exceptional. You don’t run for 4,618 all purpose yards and 40 total touchdowns just by head banging. I like Dillon a lot, but like Moss, he’s an iffy fit.