BJ Emmons NFL Draft Overview
Position: Running Back
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 220 Lbs
School: Florida Atlantic
BJ Emmons 2021 NFL Draft Profile
BJ Emmons played at Florida Atlantic from 2019-2020. He started his career at Alabama in 2016 before transferring to Hutchison Community College in 2018. At FAU, Emmons totaled 88 carries for 343 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. In 2019, he had 51 carries for 237 yards and six touchdowns. That season, he averaged 4.6 yards per rush. Last season, he ran for 116 yards on just 37 carries with one touchdown.
His numbers don’t look impressive, but he did deal with an injury in 2020 that kept him out for a few games. The former FAU Owl missed two games in 2020.
Strengths
- Hard, physical runner that will fight for every available yard;
- Takes care of the ball;
- Quick acceleration to reach his top speed.
Weaknesses
- Limited on-field experience;
- Unremarkable athleticism puts a cap on his ceiling;
- Very pedestrian speed – isn’t going to outrun too many defenders;
- Dealt with multiple injuries throughout his collegiate tenure;
- Not a big-play threat.
Teams With Need at Position: Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets
Bottom Line on BJ Emmons
Emmons could have elected to stay for another season at Florida Atlantic to gain more experience and increase his draft stock. Instead, he chose to go ahead and enter the 2021 NFL Draft. That could be the determining factor in where he is selected. He will likely be a late-round pick. But, Emmons could be a good pick-up for a team that needs running back help in crucial situations. The former FAU tailback could be a solid rotational back on third down plays.
His lack of game experience is one key factor that will have an effect on his stock. With his limited stats, there isn’t a lot that pops about Emmons’ ability. He may be a hard runner, but he lacks a lot of carries over 20 yards. Emmons also protects the ball well. Those two traits alone could help him achieve his goals of becoming an NFL running back. But again, his lack of experience is one factor that teams will look into when deciding to select him.
At FAU’s Pro Day on March 30, Emmons ran a 4.58 40-yard dash. and had a 36-inch vertical jump. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars were in attendance to scout Emmons.
In 2021, Emmons likely won’t get a lot of playing time. But in 2022, he could be on the field consistently. While it may take a year to get him established, Emmons can be a workhorse for the team that drafts him. He will need a coach that will be willing to develop him and lacks the experience of an NFL offense.
Also, his injuries could be an issue. NFL teams may not want to take a chance on a player that is injury prone. However, aside from the injury concerns, Emmons could become a solid addition to any team’s running back depth. He possesses the ability to be a solid north-south runner with great speed. He can also catch passes out of the backfield as a receiver. But his lack of production on the ground could also become a concern. In college, he only rushed for nine total touchdowns.
Overall, BJ Emmons may not be a consensus pick. But, he could turn into a great running back if he can avoid the injuries and improve on some of the rushing issues that he had in college at Florida Atlantic.
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