5 running backs Broncos should have eyes on in day three of NFL Draft
Scouting Report. . Israel Abanikanda. . RB. . . 444
Israel Abanikanda slowly worked his way up the running back ranks at Pitt before having a massive junior season in 2022 in which he rushed for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns, becoming the leading rusher in the ACC last season.
Abanikanda is 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds and is very quick for that size. He is only 20 years old and has yet to tap into his true potential and he is a guy who the Broncos have already met with ahead of the draft.
He showed he could catch the ball in college and was a willing blocker, but neither of those traits should be considered a strength and will need to be developed further. He is an intriguing prospect due to his youth, low mileage (only 390 college carries) and athleticism.
Tyjae Spears. RB. . 2115. Scouting Report. . .
Tyjae Spears is a player that some scouts are going to love while others see as an average, rotational running back at best.
He is quite agile and possesses good vision but he is a bit on the smaller side (5-foot-10, 201 pounds) and may not be able to carry a huge workload due to that.
After tearing his ACL in 2020, Spears came back to lead Tulane in rushing in 2021 before having a huge year for a good Green Wave team in 2022. He rushed the ball 229 times for 1,581 yards and 19 touchdowns. That translates to a whopping 6.9 yards per carry.
Like Abanikanda, Spears caught some passes out of the backfield but he didn't excel in that area or just wasn't given enough of an opportunity to do so.
He still would slot in as a terrific No. 3 running back at the next level and in Denver, he could ease into a role that could certainly become bigger, especially if he were able to be an asset in the passing game.