Michael Warren II 2020 NFL Draft Profile

Before he was running over defenders and amazing crowds at the college level, Cincinnati running back Michael Warren II solidified himself as one of the best carriers of the football in the entire Midwest. Warren rushed for nearly 7,500 career yards and 105 touchdowns during his time at Toledo Catholic High School, impressing multiple colleges with these insane statistics. Despite all the interest, Warren was only ranked as a three-star recruit and opted to sign with the Cincinnati Bearcats, where he would become a consistent piece on their offensive unit.

In his freshman year of college, the 5’11”, 218-pound running back appeared in all twelve games acting as a reserve for the Bearcats. During this time, Warren excelled at both running back and punt returner, totaling 20 kick returns while averaging 23.1 yards per return. After completing a strong 2017 campaign, Warren became the clear-cut RB1 for the Bearcats. In 2018, Warren earned All-ACC Second Team honors after rushing for 1,329 yards in all 12 games. He also set the UC record for overall touchdowns and rushing touchdowns during this time. Going into 2019, Warren was expected to improve on the impressive season he had just a year ago. And that’s precisely what he did. During the 2019 campaign, Warren solidified himself as one of the best running backs in Cincinnati history. Warren was selected to the All-Conference Second Team for the second time in his career during 2019. The talented running back finished the 2019 season with 14 touchdowns on the ground. He also added two receiving touchdowns to the stat sheet. After completing yet another successful season, the junior decided to enter his name into the 2020 NFL Draft.

Strengths

Packs a powerful punch and explodes into contact;

Dense, compact frame;

Impressive body control;

Has natural hands and can run a quality route tree;

Quick, impressive footwork;

Very elusive and slippery, making him hard to tackle.

Weaknesses

One speed runner, lacks a good second gear;

Might need to drop some weight to succeed at the next level;

Ball security is somewhat of an issue;

Doesn’t play well in pass protection;

Needs to develop better football IQ if he’s going to succeed at the next level.

Projection: Late 6th – Priority Free Agent

Bottom Line on Michael Warren II

In conclusion, Michael Warren II has all the skills necessary to succeed at the next level. His elusiveness paired with his crafty footwork make him an ideal running back for team to select on day 3 or pick-up in free agency. While the Cincinnati standout may never become a starting-caliber running back in the NFL, his skillset could allow him to become a quality backup on a decent team. Teams looking to bolster their depth at the running back position should look at Warren as a solid, viable option.

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