The 2018 NFL Draft will feature no shortage of running backs. How does Georgia RB Sony Michel fit in? Does he have what it takes to be the next Todd Gurley?
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Michel is not the only running back coming out of Georgia and headed into the 2018 NFL Draft. He will be competing with former teammate Nick Chubb as well as guys like Derrius Guice as they look to be the first SEC running back off the board in April.
Is he the best running back in this draft? Is he even the best to come from his school? He was the second to Nick Chubb in terms of rush yards in the 2017 season, though both broke the 1,000 mark quite easily. The question now though is where he ends up and what round he goes in.
Strengths
Michel’s biggest strength is his decisive nature. He does not take unnecessary losses on a play just because he wanted to be the star of the show for a minute. Instead, he is highly regarded as a leader and a team player on and off the field. His second level vision allows him to survey the field and find the best possible route and the best way to get more than 10 yards out of a run. His stout, heavy lower body makes him great at breaking tackles and evading linebackers at the onset of a play.
Between his burst, vision and physicality he is going to make an NFL team very excited to have him in their backfield. ESPN’s Mel Kiper is quite high on Michel and even thinks that he has surpassed his teammate Nick Chubb.
“Late in the year, it was Sony Michel who was the key guy,” Kiper said in an interview. “The pass blocking of Michel is better than Chubb. I think the versatility overall, being able to run up the gut inside and bounce outside. That dual versatility as a runner is why Sony Michel has moved ahead of Nick Chubb.”
Weaknesses
According to many NFL analysts, the biggest worry with Michel is his ability to evade open field tackles and find space without the same quality blocking that the Bulldogs had in 2017. That isn’t to say he will definitely end up with a team that doesn’t have strengths at offensive line, but it is possible. He has been used as a pass catcher in recent years, but wasn’t ever fully consistent in that position. If he doesn’t see an early opening to work with, he is known to give up on a run completely, something that won’t fly in the NFL.
Next: Latest pre-Combine NFL Mock Draft first round
Draft Expectations
There are quite a few running backs entering the 2018 Draft. Saquon Barkly is a clear cut favorite to be the first off the board. After that, it gets a little fuzzy. Guys like Derrius Guice, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb are all interchangeable as teams begin to make picks. Michel won’t be the first or second off the board at his position, but he won’t be on the board for long that is for sure.
Projection: Late first round or early to mid second round