Georgia Football: Teams shouldn’t sleep on Sony Michel in NFL Draft

Georgia football‘s Sony Michel flew under the radar for years–until 2017.  Can his late push help him climb up the 2018 NFL Draft boards?

The end of Sony Michel’s senior season was a study in explosive plays. Earlier this year, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said Michel would be a second-round pick. Kiper has changed his tune significantly after seeing Michel’s explosive performance in the Playoff. Kiper now projects Michel as the third-best running back available.

In his two Playoff games, Michel had 25 carries with 279 rushing yards, and he averaged 11.2 yards per carry. Part of that came against Alabama, one of the best defenses in college football last season.

Most NFL Draft analysts are predicting that former Georgia running back Sony Michel may be a first-round draft pick, coming just after Penn State’s Saquon Barkley.  They are comparing the young back to Alvin Kamara, the 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Michel’s college career started off with little fanfare. Nick Chubb was the starting running back for the Bulldogs. As a freshman, Chubb rushed for 1,547 yards. That same year, Michel only rushed for 410 yards. Chubb was injured halfway into the 2015 season, and Michel became a starter. His sophomore year, Michel rushed 1,136 yards. Michel didn’t get the recognition that  Chubb did, but all of that changed in 2017.

The question is, can Michel be a bell-cow running back?  The answer is, absolutely.

Michel is one of the most versatile and complete backs in the 2018 class. He has great third-down value, and his open-field vision is flawless.  He has great blocking capabilities, and his speed and footwork make him the clear choice for the long run.

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Experts state that running backs may not be as valuable as they once were due to the NFL concentrating more on long passes, but Michel also excels at pass protection. He is a bullet train running his routes, and he reads defenses well.  In short, Michel has the skills to fit any scheme. In addition, his noted leadership ability would make him a back who set the tone for the team.

He should be the centerpiece running back for a team–I’m talkin’ to YOU, New York Giants.