Overview
Position: Running back
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 215 pounds
School: Georgia Bulldogs
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.78 seconds
Bench press: 26 reps (third-best among running backs)
Vertical jump: 29.5 inches
Broad jump: 9 feet, 10 inches
Elijah Holyfield 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Elijah Holyfield comes from some pretty incredible bloodlines from the standpoint of American sport. It’s not an exaggeration to describe his father Evander Holyfield as one of the greatest boxers of all-time. But the younger Holyfield is pursuing a different avenue on the quest for fame in pro sports, pursuing a career as an NFL running back.
He certainly had a lot of suitors coming out of high school. Rated the number two running back prospect in the 2016 recruiting class by Rivals, Holyfield received 32 scholarship offers including 11 from SEC schools. The native of College Park, GA decided to embark on his collegiate career in-state and committed to Georgia.
During his first two seasons with the Bulldogs, Holyfield had a rather muted impact. He made 18 appearances and started just a single game between his freshman and sophomore years in Athens. That all changed in 2018 as he truly enjoyed a breakout campaign. He finished as one of nine SEC running backs to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark while his 6.4 yards per carry ranked top-25 nationally. Holyfield was a weight room warrior as well, winning the team’s strength and conditioning award at season’s end.
Strengths
- exhibits good patience and vision in discovering cutback lanes;
- consistently beats defenders to the perimeter with impressive initial burst;
- uses strong lower body to churn legs for extra yards after contact;
- effortless lateral athleticism;
- turns on the afterburners in space;
- a bruising runner who relishes contact;
- has all the makings of a reliable red-zone/goal line weapon;
- willing to block in passing situations;
- a resourceful player who can improvise on the run;
- hard worker who will set an example in the weight room;
- seems to have strong leadership qualities;
- named permanent team captain during 2018 season.
Weaknesses
- far from the smallest prospect but nevertheless a tad undersized;
- not a lot on tape showcasing pass-catching ability;
- had a paltry 63 yards receiving during collegiate career;
- needs to do a better job sustaining blocks to help his quarterback;
- questions as to whether production is the result of playing behind a dominant line;
- only has one year of consistent starter-level reps.
NFL Comparison: Alex Collins
Teams With Need at Position: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Projection: Late first to early second round
Bottom Line
Holyfield declared for the draft a year early after a standout junior campaign that saw him exhibit plenty of NFL-caliber qualities. He hits the holes between the tackles extremely decisively while also possessing the requisite burst to break off big plays on the perimeter. Not only that, but it also appears that Holyfield boasts a multitude of intangibles that could help him at the next level. He should be a solid locker room presence that commands respect with his work ethic in the weight room.
Perhaps the biggest concern with Holyfield is the fact that Georgia didn’t utilize him much in the passing game. That’s abundantly evident considering he caught just seven balls in three seasons with the Dawgs. It’ll certainly inhibit his value as an every-down back early on in his career. But if he can develop and finetune a pass-catching element, it’ll certainly augment his next level potential. Though it’ll take time for him to morph into a regular starter, expect Holyfield to immediately become a reliable complementary presence in the run game of whichever NFL club drafts him.
