New Green Bay Packers head coach and offensive play-caller Matt LaFleur has said he will emphasize the run this coming season. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Under LaFleur’s guidance, last season the Tennessee Titans offense finished seventh in rushing. The Packers new offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, also has a history of emphasizing the run. In 2017, as the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator, Hackett coordinated an offense that finished first in rushing. LaFleur and Hackett love to run the ball and it will also help quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the passing game. With a sound run game, opposing defenses are going to need to respect the Packers ground game. That should open up the passing attack, especially play action, for Rodgers and the Packers offense. The Packers have two solid running backs in Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams to help LaFleur and Hackett put their plans in motion. But adding a young prospect to the Green Bay Packers running backs might be on the agenda for the upcoming NFL Draft.
Green Bay Packers Running Backs Look to Have Room for One More
The current Packers running backs, Jones and Williams, are a very formidable duo. Jones is the playmaker of the two. Last season, he rushed for 728 yards and had eight rushing touchdowns. He played in 12 games last season and had an impressive 5.5 yards per carrying average.
While Jones is the home run hitter, Williams is the grinder out of the two. Williams is tough in between the tackles and is excellent in pass protection, something that is essential when your quarterback is Rodgers. Last season, Williams rushed for 464 yards with three rushing touchdowns.
Both Jones and Williams bring some positives to the Packers running backs. However, they have their drawbacks as well.
Along with serving a two-game suspension, Jones missed two games because of a knee injury. In the season prior, he missed four games because of a knee injury as well. Back to back seasons dealing with injuries have made many to wonder if Jones will have issues with injuries throughout his career.
While Williams is steady, it appears that he won’t be the home run hitter that Jones will be. Williams is a nice complementary running back to Jones. But if Jones were to be lost for a long period of time, many wonder if Williams could be a long term replacement.
The drawbacks that Jones and Williams possess, could lead the Packers to add another running back this off-season. It is highly doubtful that Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst would spend money on a free agent running back. So that leaves the NFL Draft for the Packers to pick up their third running back.
Three Possible Options to Join the Packers Running Backs
Just like with spending money on a free agent running back, it also seems improbable that Gutekunst would spend a high round draft choice on the position as well. The current Packers running backs have enough talent, plus, the Packers need their high round draft choices to upgrade outside linebacker, offensive line, and tight end.
There are several mid to late round running back prospects the Packers could look at in this year’s draft. Any of these three would be a nice addition to the Packers running backs. In no order, here are three running backs who the Packers might look at in this year’s draft. We have also added where Daniel Parlegreco of DTP Draft Scout has each running back ranked in his draft guide book.
Bryce Love, Stanford, DTP Rating Unranked
In 2017, Bryce Love was one of the most productive running backs in college football. That season, he rushed for 2,118 yards with 19 touchdowns. He wasn’t just a part of Stanford’s offense, he was their offense. Even with being hobbled by an ankle injury, he was the focal point of the Cardinal’s offense.
Unfortunately for Love and Stanford, this past season didn’t turn out as expected. He was injured for most of the season. The injuries caused him to play in ten games and wasn’t nearly as productive as he was the season before. He finished the season with 739 rushing yards and six touchdown carries.
It was revealed this January that Love had surgery to repair a torn ACL. The surgery might hinder him working out for NFL teams leading up to the draft and might cause his stock to drop.
When healthy, Love has shown he is a very productive back. If the Packers were to draft him, he wouldn’t be asked to carry the load. He would make the Packers running backs into a trio. He would fit in nicely with the current Packers running backs.
Darrell Henderson, Memphis, DTP Ranking 7
Just like with Love, Darrell Henderson isn’t the biggest running back prospect in this year’s draft. But the 5’9” 200 lbs. Henderson didn’t let his smaller stature stop him from being productive at Memphis.
This past season, Henderson rushed for 1,909 yards and had 22 rushing touchdowns. He also had 19 receptions for 295 yards and three touchdown receptions. Henderson wasn’t a one year wonder either. The year prior, he rushed for 1,154 yards with nine touchdown carries.
Henderson will be entering the draft as a junior, which means he doesn’t have the wear and tear that Love has on his body.
David Montgomery, Iowa State, DTP Ranking 2
David Montgomery is the highest ranked running back of these three. Although he didn’t have the gaudy college numbers like Love and Henderson did, he was steady and productive at Iowa State.
In 2018, Montgomery rushed for 1,216 yards and had 13 touchdown carries. The season prior, he rushed for 1,146 yards and had 11 touchdown runs.
Like with Henderson, Montgomery is entering the draft after his junior season. Montgomery has the build that most NFL teams are looking for. He is 5’11” and 216 lbs.
If Gutekunst has his eyes set on adding Montgomery to the Packers running backs, he might need to spend a third-round draft choice on him. With so many other holes, that might be too steep for the Packers.
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