2018 NFL Draft: Rashaad Penny is Saquon Barkley-lite

There are plenty of sleeper running backs in the 2018 NFL Draft, but San Diego State-product Rashaad Penny could have Saquon Barkley-esque upside.

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Rashaad Penny stuck with it and San Diego State coaches eventually rewarded him, as the Aztec led the nation in rushing his senior season. The next task is proving his worth in the NFL.

Penny ran for 2,248 yards this past year on 289 carries, scoring 19 touchdowns. Like he had his previous seasons with San Diego State, the 5-11, 220-pounder showcased his overall skills in the receiving and return games.

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All of that led to a fifth place finish in the Heisman voting for Penny, who shared carries his junior season when he rushed for just over 1,000 yards.

For his career, Penny finished with 4,135 yards from scrimmage and scored 44 touchdowns, adding 2,449 kickoff return yards and another 70 yards on two punt returns. He also scored seven career kickoff return touchdowns and brought a punt back for six.

Scouts will be comparing Penny to the likes of Ronald Jones II from Southern Cal, Kerryon Johnson of Auburn and Nick Chubb of Georgia, but his skills are more along the lines of Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, who is regarded as the best player in the draft.

Is Penny just as good as Barkley? Only time will tell.

Strengths

Built with a strong frame and body at 5-10 and 224 pounds, Penny is an excellent receiver out of the backfield and would have no trouble lining up in the slot in the passing game. He has great hands, as evident by his 42 career receptions for 479 yards and six touchdowns. Add in the almost 2,500 yards in returns and eight touchdowns, and it is quite evident that Penny is a playmaker ready to excel in the NFL.

Weaknesses

While he was the NCAA’s leading rusher this past year, he did so competing against a below-average schedule and in the Mountain West Conference. Nothing against the quality of the MWC, but it doesn’t compare to that of the SEC or Pac-12, which boasts several other draft candidates this season. He was unable to ever unseat Donnel Pumphrey, regulating him to being just a one-year starter in college with limited touches prior to that.

Next: Latest 2018 NFL Mock Draft through Pro Days

Draft expectations

Unfortunately for Penny, this is another very strong draft class in terms of capable running backs. He does have the added bonus of being a strong returner like Barkley, but it will be difficult to judge how he’ll transition to the NFL from the Mountain West Conference.

Projection: Late 2nd-Early 3rd round