Finding Broncos: Five Late-Round Running Backs

Pros

• He is a good athlete with a good build on his smaller frame. 
• Tested exceptionally well at the NFL Combine with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.32. 
• Has a good fumble rate, with five fumbles over his career. 
• There was plenty of opportunity as a receiver with 87 catches over the last two seasons and dropped five passes on 116 targets over a four-year career. 
• He has excellent vision to find the hole and excellent burst to accelerate through. 
• He doesn't have a lot of miles on the tires, with less than 600 touches on offense, most of it coming in the last two seasons. 
• Effective as a runner and receiver and had a little exposure as a returner, which went well.

Cons

• Not the smoothest of movers when it comes to changing direction. 
• Some tight hips lead to change of direction issues. 
• He can be predictable as a runner and was met in the hole often with his over patience. 
• He doesn't have the "bell cow" size, and while he is willing in pass protection, the results aren't great on tape, though he did extremely well at the Senior Bowl in pass protection drills. 
• There can be a delay with his acceleration after making cuts. 

Fit with Broncos

Evan Hull is a smaller running back with good explosion and can work as the change-of-pace type of back in a system. With the Broncos bringing in Samaje Perine, they need someone to offer up that potential as a playmaker. Hull is an excellent fit for the offense and offers a versatile skill set. 

Pros

• He is a solid athlete with good size and mass on his frame. 
• He is a physical downhill runner that can break through tackles to pick up yards after contact picking up over 2,300 of his over 3,600 yards after contact. 
• He forced a high amount of missed tackles. 
• Extremely productive and reliable, especially in the redzone and short-yard situations. 
• Patient runner, but not overly patient. 
• He squares up into contact, making him harder to bring down. 
• He consistently churns his legs to fall forward when he can't break through. 

Cons

• He had limited exposure as a receiver, with 30 targets and 20 catches over five seasons, and dropped three passes.
• He had a fumble rate of one every 67.9 touches on offense, well below the desired mark.  
• Not an explosive runner and didn't have many 10+ yard runs, with less than 100 in his career. 
• He isn't a creative runner and won't make defenders miss in space. 
• Runs with a high pad level, which takes away leverage into contact. 
• Despite his size, he leaves you wanting when working in pass protection. 

Fit with Broncos

The Broncos have added a pair of bigger backs that bring power while having Javonte Williams already. However, they need someone who can be more of a change of pace and take advantage when the defense gets worn down. Rodriguez is a good prospect but doesn't fit what the Broncos need. 

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Pros

• Tested exceptionally well at the Combine with a Relative Athletic Score of 8.68. 
• Excellent production with over 2,500 yards and 23 touchdowns in the last two seasons.
• Production as a receiver is there, with 50 catches and over 500 yards in the last two seasons. 
• Elite fumble rate, with two fumbles on over 500 touches on offense. 
• An elusive runner that can make defenders miss in space and tight spots. 
• Acceleration happens in a flash and has an excellent stop-and-go to make cuts and change direction. 
• Can work outside as a receiver in the slot to create mismatches. 
• Home run playmaking ability. 

Cons

• Extremely undersized, measuring 5-foot-7 and 179 pounds at the Combine. 
• He had a higher drop rate than you wish, with six drops on just over 60 targets in the last two seasons. 
• Isn't one to be kept in pass protection or to work in short yardage situations. 
• He has no power to his game and won't fall forward for those extra yards. 
• Can look to take it outside the tackles before allowing the play to develop inside. 
• Limited exposure on special teams, and the results weren't great. 

Fit with Broncos

If the Broncos want to go entirely into an explosive home-run threat whenever he touches the ball type of back, Mitchell could be a great option. His production was excellent and consistent, even when facing tougher competition. With the power and physical runners the Broncos have, Mitchell's speed could be ideal for taking advantage of a worn-out defense. 

Pros

• Elite fumble rate with only four fumbles on 868 carries. 
• He had outstanding touchdown production with 35 touchdowns between the 2020 and 2022 seasons, adding two in his lone game in 2021. 
• He has excellent vision and is willing to take what is there. 
• Versatile enough to work in any run scheme. 
• He has elite contact balance and brings enough power to break through tackles. 
• He is patient, and lets blocks develop, with great trust in his blockers to open a lane. 
• He gathers himself and brings force into contact. 

Cons

• He has a severe injury history, where he missed time in four of the last five seasons, including an Achilles in 2021. 
• He has five seasons under his belt, with only 1,721 snaps played due to injuries. 
• Going to be an older rookie at 25 years old at a devalued position. 
• He had little exposure as a receiver, with 26 targets in his career. 
• He has over 850 carries in college, with his injuries leading to too many miles on his tires. 
• He doesn't have much creativity and can struggle to create for himself. 

Fit with Broncos

Mohamed Ibrahim has great scheme versatility, but the miles, age, and injury history are hard to overlook. He was highly productive in college, but how much does he have left in the tank? The fit is there, though he hasn't shown enough as a receiver; the biggest question is, can the Broncos take the risk with his injury history? Concerns have been raised about whether he can make it through a rookie contract. 

Pros

• Plenty of mass on his frame, with an excellent burst posting a 1.55-second 10-yard split.
• He is compact and well-built on his frame and carries his weight well. 
• Runs with a good center of gravity with a lower pad level and can explode into contact with power. 
• He has good feet that are sudden and quick. 
• He loves to be physical with the ball in his hands and ensures he falls forward. 
• Low miles on the tires, with 164 carries in the last two seasons. 
• He accelerates into contact to fall forward and pick up those hard yards. 

Cons

• The fumble rate isn't ideal, with four fumbles, averaging a fumble every 41 carries. 
• He is a two-down-only back with no receiving upside and lacks blocking in his game. 
• No creativity as a runner, relying on what the blockers can give him. 
• He needs to balance his tempo as a runner to help outpace defenders. 
• He doesn't have a natural feel for following his blocks, especially when working laterally. 
• Doesn't have great long speed, and the burst isn't sustained for long. 

Fit with Broncos

Tiyon Evans is a solid fit for what the Broncos want but doesn't fit with the archetype they need. There isn't enough there on third down, and there isn't a need for a two-down physical runner. If the Broncos didn't bring in the running backs they did, then Evans would be a much better fit.