2024 NFL Scouting Combine: Group III Cheat Sheet

Running backs

As other position groups, I covered a trio of rookie prospects in my NFL Scouting Combine preview, and you can check out those profiles by clicking here. Still, there are many players who are intriguing, so let's add some more names to this group.

• Day 1 - Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
• Day 2 - Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
• Day 3 - MarShawn Lloyd, RB. USC

Missouri running back Cody Schrader has Rams offense written all over him. And had the team not commited a Tender Offer to backup running back Ronnie Rivers, he would be nearly a lock to be a rookie prospect on the team's draft board, and he may still be a targeted player anyway. Standing 5-foot-8 and weighing a robust 207 pounds, Shrader is a compact fireball who has enough power to move the chains even when stuck in a pile. He also makes a solid receiver in the flat, and is difficult to bring down with the football in his hands. He is a versatile workhorse who fits the Rams mold for the position. Projection: Day 3

TCU running back Emani Bailey is another runner who wears the small-but-mighty moniker that seems to make RB Kyren Williams such an ideal fit in the Rams offense. He stands just 5-foot-7, but weighs a powerful 207 pounds. Because he is shorter than many backs, he is sneakily effective at staying in the shadow of his linemen until the running lane opens up, then kicking in the afterburners and scooting through the hole. He is a willing blocker, but his size can pose a problem to picking up bigger blitzers who have a head of steam. Projection: Late Day 3

Notre Dame running back Audric Estime is one of a handful of players who the Rams have reported met with already. And he seems to buck the trend of smallish rushers, as he stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 227 pounds. This guy is a powerhouse, and his thunderous strides allow him to plow through arm tackles and make his own way to daylight. He moves like a pinball off bumpers (remember those?), spinning and bouncing off contact, all the while continuing to gain yardage. At the heyday of NFL running backs, he could have been a Day 1 prospect. But runners are no longer as valued as they once were. Projection: Early Day 3

Now let's take a look at some wide receiver prospects: