The 2018 NFL Draft features the deepest running back talent pool in recent memory. Where does Royce Freeman match-up compared to the other backs in 2018?
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Royce Freeman came to Oregon from Imperial High School in California as a composite four-star recruit per 247 Sports and a five-star running back in the 247 Sports rankings. Freeman had an immediate impact in Mark Helfrich’s zone scheme offense starting nine games as a true freshman in Oregon’s College Football Playoff National Championship runner-up season in 2014.
Freeman accumulated 5,621 yards on 5.9 yards per carry with 60 rushing touchdowns over his four year college career. He holds the Pac 12 record in rushing touchdowns and is is second in conference history in career rushing yards. Freeman played in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in 2014, and led the Ducks to three bowl games in four seasons in Eugene.
Strengths
Freeman is 5-foot-11, 235 pounds and can break off big runs while also being an solid receiver out of the backfield. Freeman’s draft status will be determined by his 40 yard dash time, and how healthy the scouts feel he is after four years of starting duty. Freeman has caught seventy-nine passes over his four year career which gives him the versatility other backs in the draft don’t have. Freeman bounced back well after a banged up 2016 to average six yards per carry for Willie Taggart’s Ducks in 2017.
Weaknesses
Freeman’s troubles are his extensive injury history. Freeman missed games and had poor performances for the 4-8 Ducks in 2016 which led to Mark Helfrich’s firing. He also has four years of college experience with a lot of milage on his body already, which scouts will see as a negative. He’s carried the ball 947 times over four years and played in fifty-one games.
It was probably a good idea for Freeman to sit out of the bowl game after proving he did bounce back from his off 2016 season. Now it will come down to do the NFL GM’s and scouts feel a 235 pound running back has enough burst to carry the football in the speed-centric NFL or if he’s just another Ron Dayne clone.
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Draft Expectations
Walter Football has Freeman going between rounds 3-4 and that seems accurate. He lacks the top end speed of Saquon Barkley or Sony Michel. However, if Freeman does test well in the 40 yard dash and the Pro Shuttle he could climb up draft boards from being around the 10th rated running back in the NFL Draft to the sixth or seventh. I can see the Pittsburgh Steelers liking his hard-nose style of play, and power running backs have worked there in the past like Le’Veon Bell and Jerome Bettis.