2018 NFL Draft: Rashaad Penny joins Seattle Seahawks with 27th pick

Rashaad Penny could become the next great NFL tailback out of San Diego State. He gets his chance after going to the Seattle Seahawks in the first round.

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Throughout the last college football season, Rashaad Penny was one of the most electric players in the country. For three years Penny was stuck behind Donnel Pumphrey, the all-time FBS leading rusher, on the San Diego State depth chart. In 2017, Penny finally got his chance to start.

Once he gained the starting role, Penny dominated on the ground like few other players in the country. Penny led the FBS in rushing yardage, finishing the season with 2248 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. He also finished with nearly 3000 yards as the all-purpose leader in the country and finished second in scoring with 12.9 points per game.

In the process, Penny seized his opportunity and vaulted himself into a first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. Looking for their next Marshawn Lynch or Shaun Alexander, the Seattle Seahawks snatched Penny with the No. 27 pick in the first round. He was the second of three running backs to go in the first round this year, slotting in 25 picks behind second overall pick Saquon Barkley and four spots ahead of Georgia’s Sony Michel.

How does Penny fit in Seattle?

Running back didn’t necessarily seem like the biggest need for the Seahawks in this year’s NFL Draft. With all the defensive departures, that side of the ball seemed like the place Seattle would look to strengthen first.

But Seattle finished 23rd out of 32 NFL teams in rushing yardage in 2017. So adding a player of Penny’s caliber will make a significant difference for the Seahawks. The San Diego State star will instantly bolster the talent around Russell Wilson.

Penny proved himself to be an exceptional receiver out of the backfield, finishing his college career with 42 receptions for 479 yards and six touchdowns. His measurements are almost identical to former Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch. As such, Penny is be a compactly-built runner who can hit holes with power.

He also has the speed and the moves to evade tackles in open space both on offense and on special teams. Unable to pass Pumphrey on the depth chart, Penny found his reps returning kickoffs. The Aztec star returned seven kickoffs for touchdowns in his college career, and added a 70-yard punt return score last season against Nevada.

Pete Carroll just got another tool to offer balance to a team in transition. As long as Penny stays healthy, he has a strong possibility to be remembered in retrospect as the top back taken in this year’s NFL Draft. Even more than his predecessor, Penny looks like he could have a career reminiscent of another Aztec great, Marshall Faulk.

Next: Final 7-Round 2018 NFL Mock Draft

He certainly landed in an environment where he has a real shot of starting immediately. Last year, Wilson was the top rusher with 586 yards and three touchdowns. That was despite also throwing for nearly 4000 yards. No Seahawks back cracked even 300 yards on the ground last year — for the entire year.

Penny finally gives them a component that has been missing since Lynch departed. He could emerge as the next great rookie fantasy football star with his electric all-purpose style in 2018.

Grade: A+