And now for the last of our position groups, we have the running backs. While we don’t have the Notre Dame RB that everyone is foaming at the mouth over, we do have half of the exciting Notre Dame and Penn State duos today, as well as 4 year player Le’Veon Moss.
Jadarian Price - RB Notre Dame
Though overshadowed all year by the best running back in college football and possible top 5 pick in this year’s draft, Price does have a lot of buzz around him as we get closer to Pittsburgh. I gotta say I totally get why, I’m just not that sold. Here’s what I saw:
The Great Stuff:
Exceptional burst from first step and when changing directions
Uses blocks well in open space. Stacks defenders up and can pick up big gains.
Super high motor in all reps
The Good Stuff:
Looks solid enough as a receiver and can convert some big plays in open space, though not utilized much in this capacity
Not exactly an overly elusive or strong player but makes great effort to make guys miss or run through them
Pass protection reps are very high effort and frequently sustained long enough though his wins don’t look super convincing. I have some concern it becomes a struggle at the next level.
Concerns:
Low win rate in downhill style runs limits stylistic capabilities and red zone looks
Long speed is borderline a weakness despite how explosive he can be
Never lead back, even in receiving work
History of Achilles tear, though is 4 years removed from it
Age
A lot of people are not going to like that read. I do understand the hype. If you throw together the highlights, you’ll see so much scampering through the open field you don’t even realize you haven’t seen him once run through contact between the tackles. I’ll mention it with Love as well, but I was also very impressed with how many of these reps featured absolutely gaping holes for these backs to run through. Just because Price could produce on change of pace reps with time and space to work with does not mean he can be an every down back in the NFL. That said, I think there are certainly things he does very well, and enough of them that with the proper infrastructure he can succeed. I’m a big fan of the comp out there to Javonte Williams. I think Williams similarly benefitted from looking extremely athletic due to great initial burst and having a very violent and dramatic way of eluding or taking on tacklers. I think when you strip back the pizazz, he’s a fine athlete that clearly can produce in the right environment, as we saw this year. I don’t think he’s worth the first round grade I’ve seen him get from certain people in the media, though, no matter how scarce the position in this class.
Nick Singleton - RB Penn State
I understood the Price hype, I just wasn’t bought in. There’s hype surrounding Nick Singleton as well, and this I just absolutely do not understand. I even went back to 2024, and though I have been unable to verify this, I think he was running about 10 pounds lighter. There was a difference, but still not enough for me to be talking about him as a name I’m after in the NFL or dynasty. Here’s my read:
The Great Stuff:
Not only strong in pass protection but incredibly smart and very technical
Patient, decisive, and uses blocks really well
Showed capability to finish runs very well in short yardage and goal line
The Good Stuff:
Showed more burst and long speed in 2024, where I speculate he was lighter. He measured 6 pounds lighter at combine than his listed senior year weight
Not the easiest tackle in the open field
Natural and experienced receiver
Durability
Age
Concerns:
Lack of burst or cut-on-a-dime capabilities limit his big play potential
Singleton’s lack of a consistent win condition (speed, power, etc.) at the college level do worry me about his ability to find consistent success as a pro. He was ultimately effective all four years, especially in the receiving game, but never saw bellcow usage in college, and I doubt he has it in his as a pro. I ultimately comp him to the last few seasons’ Kareem Hunt. I think he’s very smart and can be on the field in any situation, but he lacks a kill move. Still, when the Chiefs proved thin at running back, Hunt was able to provide a decent floor with touchdown upside for fantasy managers. It’s not a given by any means Singleton finds himself in as fortunate a position, but I think his knack for the cerebral aspects of the position and decent athleticism will find him in NFL backfield rotations for a good while.
Le’Veon Moss - RB Texas A&M
Moss is a fun watch and dynamic enough to warrant a spot in NFL running back rotations, but there are certainly some aspects of his game that need plenty of work. With four years under his belt of seeing considerable usage, I have to wonder just how much evolution he is still capable of. Let’s dive in:
The Great Stuff:
Super quick twitch and bursty
Combines powerful legs and the ability to get skinny through holes to be frequently effective between the tackles
Very slippery with decent balance. Not very juke-y but spins and contorts himself through arm tackles
Uses blocks well, great patience and vision
The Good Stuff:
Decent and willing pass protector
Concerns:
Durability, durability, and durability again. Massive red flag.
Very little passing work, though I think he’s more capable than A&M made him look. Runs awkward, long-developing routes that did make him not super QB friendly frequently.
Very high pad level makes him an easy mark for strong tacklers, especially without a truly elusive component to keep them honest
The highs are very high. He’s a fun guy to watch that succeeded a decent amount between the tackles in college and can beat guys around the edge on outside runs. He runs in a way that can only be described as slippery. He gets skinny, has great vision, and can bounce around in a way that makes him look quite dynamic. Unfortunately his inability to pair his powerful legs with a lower pad level or bigger frame make him a bit too sleek of a running back that I don’t project he’ll be able to ever shoulder a huge workload. He didn’t ever do so in his four years at A&M, and even still managed to rack up frequent injuries, some very concerning. His comp from me is Isaac Guerendo. Guerendo has flashed in his opportunities in the league, especially in a change of pace capacity, but has always disappointed when given the opportunity for more touches, and often stacking up injuries of his own. Moss projects about the same.
And with that we have our first three running backs! Still plenty to come, including the current consensus 1.01 in rookie drafts this summer: Jeremiyah Love. Stay tuned for more, and thanks for reading!
-- Dynasty Detour Ryan
We’re officially in the swing of things, so be sure you follow us for all the must see events and reactions of every week. Follow us @dynastydetour on Instagram and X/Twitter to get our reactions and opinions in between write-ups, as well as email us with any questions at [email protected]. See you out on the road 🚘️.
