Via Last Word On Pro Football, by John Bava
Overview
Position: Running back
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 205 pounds
School: Indiana Hoosiers
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.76 seconds
Bench press: 16 reps
Vertical jump: 30.5 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 8 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.18 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.46 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 12.03 seconds
Devine Redding 2017 NFL Draft Profile
Over the past several years, “running back U” might be an apt description for Indiana football. The program has produced a tandem of talented runners in Tevin Coleman and Jordan Howard who’ve made an instant impact in the NFL. Devine Redding hopes to be the next former Hoosier back to make his mark at the next level.
Redding starred at Glenville High School in Ohio under well-known head coach Ted Ginn, Sr. But he fell under the radar for the most part from a recruiting standpoint with Indiana the only Power Five school to offer him a scholarship. As a true freshman, he saw limited reps and finished fifth on the team with 118 rushing yards.
But a year later, his role in the run game expanded significantly. Alongside Howard who transferred in from UAB, he comprised one of the most potent one-two punch backfields in college football. Both rushed for over 1,000 yards, with Indiana being one of seven programs to have a tandem of running backs to eclipse that milestone. Howard missed the Pinstripe Bowl which gave Redding an opportunity to assume the feature back role. He didn’t disappoint, rushing for a game record 227 yards while adding a touchdown.
Redding continued to impress as a junior. With him installed as the lead man in the IU backfield, he finished with the fourth most carries (253) and fifth highest rushing yardage total (1,122) in the Big Ten. He joined Vaughn Dunbar, Anthony Thompson and Courtney Snyder as the only Indiana running backs to post consecutive seasons of 1,000+ yards on the ground.
Strengths
- bulky frame with low center of gravity.
- patient runner who lets play develop before hitting holes.
- maintains a solid base and nice, low pad level.
- sees the field well; able to find space in the second level for extra yardage.
- high motor who can run at tired defenses late in games.
- durable player who stayed injury-free despite high workload in 2016.
Weaknesses
- despite muscular build, still undersized.
- lacks the extra gear necessary to achieve consistent separation outside the tackles.
- limited in ability to contribute as a pass-catcher.
- doesn’t have play strength to generate yards after contact.
- static lower body makes it difficult for him to elude tacklers with lateral twitch.
- not the most willing blocker.
NFL Comparison: Jacquizz Rodgers
Teams With Need at Position: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projection: seventh round
Bottom Line
Redding becomes the third straight Indiana Hoosier running back to declare for the draft as a junior. In comparison to the previous two in Coleman and Howard, there appear to be larger concerns as to his NFL readiness. Those concerns didn’t disappear after he put up rather ordinary numbers at the Combine. It’s part of the reason he currently projects as a late day three selection.
But what Redding lacks in explosiveness and raw speed, he more than makes up for it with his vision and overall football I.Q. Though he’ll need to improve in catching balls out of the backfield as well as providing a security blanket in pass protection, Redding has what it takes to make a 53-man roster and start his career as a depth piece in the backfield.
