Week 16 Rookie Report: Preston Smith busting out in D.C., Orchard finishes strong

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As the NFL season winds down, coaches and general managers of non-playoff teams are actively using the final weeks to evaluate their rosters heading into 2016, seeing who can be valuable contributors for their teams’ future. Three youngsters saw increased roles Sunday for their downtrodden squads, while a second-rounder continues to emerge on defense for the NFC East champions. Chris Tripodi breaks down what he saw from the first-year crop in the Week 16 Rookie Report. 

Jarryd Hayne (RB-SF)

With Carlos Hyde and Shaun Draughn out of commission in Week 16, Hayne was recalled from the practice squad on Dec. 26 and thrown into the starting lineup a day later against the Lions. The former Australian Rugby star carried nine times for 27 yards and caught five passes for 20 yards in his first extended NFL playing time.

Hayne picked up over half his rushing yards on San Francisco’s opening drive, which culminated in a short touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead. On the game’s second play, Hayne took a handoff and cut back against the grain to find the hole in the defense before being taken down rather easily by a defensive lineman after four yards. A few plays later, Hayne showed good vision and squeezed through a tiny hole before running through multiple arm tackles on his way to 11 yards and a first down.

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Week 15 Rookie Report: Artis-Payne, Hunter step up for playoff-bound teams

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No new rookies from the top 80 of the 2015 NFL draft made a notable impact in Week 15, while many mid-round guys continue to see increased playing time as the season winds down, many due to injuries. This week’s offensive rookies found themselves filling in for high-profile players on playoff teams, while the defensive players that made the report have been playing effective football for a few weeks now, also for contenders. Chris Tripodi takes a look in this week’s Rookie Report. 

Cameron Artis-Payne (RB-Car)

With injury-prone starting running back Jonathan Stewart finally succumbing to an ailment, Artis-Payne headed into Week 15 with an increased opportunity in the Carolina backfield. A late fifth-round pick out of Auburn who Draft Insider had rated as a third-round prospect, Artis-Payne led the Panthers backs with 14 carries for 59 yards and two catches for 34.

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Week 14 Rookie Report: 49ers, Agholor step up, Vikings' Harris fills in

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Two first-round picks made the Rookie Report for the first time this season in Week 14, which says a lot about how their respective seasons have gone to this point. One plays for San Francisco, which also had a mid-round pick play well in his first career start this week. In addition, an undrafted safety made a positive impression in prime time in a possible audition for a starting spot down the line. Chris Tripodi breaks down what he saw from a new batch of first-year players in this week’s Rookie Report.

Nelson Agholor (WR-Phi)

The Eagles entered the 2015 NFL draft in need of a playmaker on offense to complement possession receiver Jordan Matthews. By drafting Agholor with the 20th pick of the first round, Philadelphia thought it was getting just that, a 6-0, 198-pound receiver with sub-4.4 speed.

Instead, all the Eagles had gotten through 13 weeks was 16 receptions and 163 scoreless yards from Agholor, who has struggled to adjust to a starting role as a rookie, as Draft Insider’s Tony Pauline suggested would be the case in Agholor’s scouting report. The former USC star finally found the end zone in Week 14 and finished with three catches for 62 yards on six targets.

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Week 13 Rookie Report: David Johnson and DGB bust out, Frank Clark and Eddie Goldman flash on defense

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This week was the week of the high-upside second-round pick around the NFL. Three players drafted on Day 2, two of whom were potential first-rounders who slipped into the top 10 picks of the second round, made big impacts for their teams in Week 13. Add in a third-round rookie running back who has an opportunity to run with the starting job on the league’s best offense, and you have an exciting group of rookie performers this week. Chris Tripodi breaks them all down. 

David Johnson (RB-Ari)

A third-round pick out of Northern Iowa, David Johnson jumped from third-string to starter in the span of one week thanks to injuries to the backs ahead of him on the depth chart. With Chris Johnson placed on injured reserve with a broken leg and Andre Ellington struggling with turf toe, the younger Johnson rushed for 99 yards and 22 carries and caught two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown.

Johnson ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at 6-1, 224 pounds, and while his athleticism has been on display all season in a limited role, it had an extended chance to shine through in Sunday’s win over the Rams. On Johnson’s first carry, which went for six yards, he jumped over a fallen defender just past the line of scrimmage without losing momentum, falling forward for extra yardage at the end of the run.

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Week 12 Rookie Report: Coleman, Parker step in and two Giants step up in loss

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Two highly touted skill players finally got their opportunities to shine in Week 12, as both Tevin Coleman and DeVante Parker were expected to make immediate impacts for their teams after being drafted. Instead, both have dealt with injuries as rookies this year and were thrust into action last weekend after their teammates found themselves sidelined by ailments of their own. Two Giants rookies made the list as well, one of whom was a relative unknown heading into the week. Chris Tripodi breaks down a new batch of rookies for Week 12.

Tevin Coleman (RB-Atl)

When the Falcons drafted Tevin Coleman early in the third round of the 2015 draft, it was presumed they wanted him to be their starting running back, with Devonta Freeman working as a change-of-pace. Both players had 29 touches through two weeks before Coleman missed Weeks 3 and 4 with a rib injury, opening up the backfield for Freeman.

Freeman ran away with the job over the next seven games, playing like one of the best backs in football. A concussion early in last week’s game against the Colts knocked him out early and kept him out of Week 12’s loss to the Vikings, giving Coleman the opportunity to step up. The rookie responded with his first career 100-yard game, rushing for 110 yards on 18 carries.

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Week 11 Rookie Report: Allen gets his shot, Nelson flashes deep-ball skills

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At this point in the NFL season, the injuries are really starting to pile up, even for teams that remained relatively healthy through the first two months. The last few weeks have been particularly devastating for some teams, with the Baltimore Ravens at the top of the list. Their rookie fourth-round running back stepped into a bigger role this week with Justin Forsett injured, but he wasn’t the only rookie to show out with extra playing time. Chris Tripodi takes a look at Week 11’s impact first-year talents.

Javorius Allen (RB-Bal)

For the second straight season, the Ravens drafted a big running back in the fourth round to add depth behind a smaller, injured veteran. Last year, it was Coastal Carolina’s Lorenzo Taliaferro, a 6-0, 225-pound back who slotted in behind starter Ray Rice.

This season, Javorius “Buck” Allen from USC was drafted as insurance for Justin Forsett, who emerged after Rice’s release in 2014. With Taliaferro on injured reserve and Forsett breaking his arm early in Sunday’s win over the Rams, Allen carried the load for Baltimore, rushing 22 times for 67 yards and catching five passes out of the backfield for 48 yards.

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Week 10 Rookie Report: Langford impresses again, Patriots have another steal

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This week’s Rookie Report has an interesting mix of rookies for evaluation purposes. Three of the  
four players profiled below were viewed as either too raw to make much of an early impact or question marks when it came to effort level, but went in the first two rounds anyway. The only one who had neither of those labels entering the NFL wasn’t taken until Day 3 and has enjoyed a two-week audition for 2016 while replacing his team’s injured starter, who also happens to be a free agent in the offseason. Chris Tripodi reveals the identities of these players and breaks down what he saw in Week 10.

Jeremy Langford (RB-Chi)

Langford made his second straight start in place of the injured Matt Forte on Sunday against a tough Rams defense. After totaling 142 yards and a touchdown on 21 touches the week before in San Diego, Langford turned 20 carries and seven receptions into 182 total yards and two scores to help lead the Bears to a 37-13 win in St. Louis. There’s a chance Forte returns to the lineup in Week 12 but if he doesn’t, Langford has proven he can carry the load successfully against any defense, and the Bears are less likely to rush their starter back as a result.

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Week 8 Rookie Report: Melvin Gordon's struggles continue, Kwon Alexander enjoys big game

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With no offensive rookies emerging in Week 8, this week’s Rookie Report will focus mostly on the defensive side of the ball. Two first-year defensive backs recently moved into the starting lineup thanks to injuries to the veterans ahead of them, and both were impressive in their extended opportunities. Meanwhile, a Tampa Bay linebacker broke out with a big game in the Bucs’ win and Chris Tripodi breaks down the struggles of one of the most hyped members of this year’s rookie running back class. 

Melvin Gordon (RB-SD)

After two straight years where no running backs were drafted in the first round, Melvin Gordon became the second runner taken in the top 15 after the Chargers selected him to replace the departed Ryan Mathews. Like the rest of the Chargers outside of the passing game, however, Gordon has struggled this season, topping 55 rushing yards in a game just once and proving to be a non-factor in the passing game. While the second part of that equation was expected based on his lack of receiving production at Wisconsin, Gordon continued to struggle on the ground in Sunday’s loss to Baltimore, carrying 18 times for just 54 yards.

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Week 7 Rookie Report: Yeldon returns, speedy receivers make their mark

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We’re at the point in the NFL season where rookies who didn’t come out of the gate hot have had a month and a half to get their feet wet in the pros, which usually leads to an increased comfort level as October comes to a close. This week’s edition of the Rookie Report features a slow-starting rookie running back who carried his team’s offense to a Week 7 win, as well as two speedy wide receivers who made the most of their opportunities in their team’s victories. Chris Tripodi breaks it all down in this week’s report. 

T.J. Yeldon (RB-Jax)

Just one year after signing Toby Gerhart to a three-year, $10.5 million contract, the Jaguars admitted the failure of that move by drafting T.J. Yeldon with the fourth pick in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Yeldon burst onto the scene as a freshman at Alabama, rushing for 1,108 yards while sharing carries with Eddie Lacy and totaling over 3,000 rushing yards in his three years with the Crimson Tide. Jacksonville saw enough in Yeldon to make him the third running back off the board, hoping he could spark a running game that put too much responsibility on a raw Blake Bortles last season. After missing Week 6 with a groin injury, Yeldon’s career-high 115 yards against the Bills in London on Sunday played an important role in Jacksonville’s close victory.

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Week 6 Rookie Report: Diggs bonds with Bridgewater and two rookie LBs impress

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While many highly drafted rookies are already making an impact in their teams’ starting lineups, some had yet to see an opportunity to start sitting behind veterans on the depth chart. This week’s Rookie Report breaks down three rookies who shined filling in for injured starters and stated their case to keep their newfound roles, while a first-year Packers cornerback made the list for a second straight week. Chris Tripodi breaks down the best of Week 6’s rookie performances. 

Stefon Diggs (WR-Min)

A former five-star recruit out of high school, Diggs slid to the fifth round of the this year’s draft after two injury-plagued seasons at Maryland, including a broken fibula that cost him six games in 2013. As a result, Diggs ended up being a nice value according to our WR board, which had him rated as a late-third or early-fourth rounder. With ineffective starter Charles Johnson sidelined for the second straight game, Diggs caught seven passes for 129 yards in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs just a week after making six receptions for 87 yards in his first significant playing time of the season.

Diggs put on a clinic in the first quarter, making Chiefs cornerbacks look silly with his precise route-running. His first catch came on the Vikings’ initial drive, as Diggs lined up outside to the right. He sold the deep route well at his stem before sharply cutting out to the sideline, turning fellow rookie Marcus Peters around and creating great separation. He showed nice extension to make the grab above his head along with the awareness to tap his feet before his momentum took him out of bounds.

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Week 5 Rookie Report: Rawls, Strong take advantage of extra playing time

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As is generally the case when the NFL calendar flips to October, injuries are beginning to dominate the league landscape. Continuing a theme from last week’s report, another rookie running back stole the show in Week 5, this time while filling in for his team’s injured starter. An AFC South wide receiver made the most of his opportunities after being activated for the first time this season, and a couple first-year defensive backs made big plays in the secondary. Chris Tripodi breaks down this week’s impressive rookie performances. 

Thomas Rawls (RB-Sea)

With Marshawn Lynch hobbled ever since Seattle’s Week 2 game in Green Bay, Thomas Rawls has taken the reigns in the Seahawks backfield over the past three weeks. An undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan, Rawls impressed enough in training camp to convince Seattle he was ready to be their primary backup, and they shipped 2013 second-round pick Christine Michael to Dallas and waived Robert Turbin before signing Fred Jackson to work on passing downs. Despite a rough outing in Week 4, Rawls has made the Seahawks look smart for entrusting him behind their 29-year-old workhorse, especially after his 23-carry, 169-yard performance in a loss to the Bengals on Sunday.

The 5-9, 215-pound rookie made his presence felt on Seattle’s initial touchdown drive in the first quarter Sunday, showing both patience and vision as a runner. His first run went for seven yards, as he beat backfield penetration to turn the corner before being shoved out of bounds. After a couple two-yard runs, Rawls took a second-and-six handoff out of the shotgun for 23 yards, doing an excellent job of patiently waiting for tiny openings and quickly darting through them. Once at the second level, Rawls ran right through a Pacman Jones tackle attempt for an extra 10 yards, and the Seahawks scored three plays later.

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Week 4 Rookie Report: Gurley, Duke bust out at RB, Saints' rookie LBs make instant impact

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After the 2014 NFL Draft produced what was hailed as the best wide receiver class in NFL history, albeit one that has struggled so far this season, the 2015 NFL Draft was one of the strongest drafts in recent memory when it came to the running back position. To nobody’s surprise, each week of the NFL season has featured a breakout performer at the position. Week 1 saw Ameer Abdullah electrify before Matt Jones busted out in Week 2 and Karlos Williams got loose during Week 3.

The trend continued this week with not just one, but two rookie running backs looking to put a stranglehold on their team’s starting jobs. Chris Tripodi breaks down those two running backs, along with a couple Saints linebackers who helped their team to a much-needed win in primetime Sunday night.

Todd Gurley (RB-StL)

After sitting out the first two games of his NFL career to complete his recovery from a torn ACL suffered last November, Todd Gurley returned to the field with a six-carry, nine-yard performance in Week 3. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher vowed to get his team’s first-round pick more involved in Week 4, but after the No. 10 overall pick had just four first-half carries for two yards and found no room to run behind St. Louis’ shaky offensive line, it looked as though his second week back on the gridiron would be just another lost game on his road to recovery. Little did anybody know what Gurley had in store for the second half.

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Week 3 Rookie Report: Cooper explodes and former FSU stars make big impact for Bills

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Just a week after Jameis Winston had the best game of his young career, two of his former Florida State teammates played key roles in a big win for their current team. The highest-drafted receiver in the 2015 class showed why he was so highly regarded, while a first-year linebacker got a shot to play significant snaps in a win. Chris Tripodi breaks down Week 3’s impact rookies, all of whom helped their teams to victory. 

Karlos Williams (RB-Buf)

Hyped by some as a potential first-round pick heading into his senior year thanks to elite size (6-0, 230) and speed (4.45), Karlos Williams fell to the middle of the fifth round before the Buffalo Bills snatched him up. A former safety at Florida State, Williams moved to running back before his junior season but found himself leapfrogged on the depth chart by Dalvin Cook towards the end of his final year. Williams is making teams pay for passing on him so far in his rookie season, as his 12-carry, 110-yard performance Sunday has him up to 186 rushing yards in three games on just 24 carries, and he’s scored a touchdown in each contest.

Williams didn’t touch the ball until Buffalo’s fourth possession Sunday, but made a quick impact with an 18-yard run. On a toss left, Williams patiently followed his blockers before showing a nice burst through the opening on the outside to get the first down. On the next play, he showed his ability to find the cutback lane nicely on a five-yard run. Williams stayed tight to his linemen waiting for their blocks, drawing the linebacker towards him before quickly cutting into the vacated hole for five yards. The rookie then busted a 12-yard run up the middle by running through multiple arm tackles around the line of scrimmage.

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Week 2 Rookie Report: Winston bounces back as Jones breaks out

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Week 2 of the NFL season was one of the weirdest weeks in recent memory, but one thing wasn’t strange about it: Rookies stepping up and making a big impact in wins for their team, including many who had poor or quiet Week 1 performances. Three of the four rookies Chris Tripodi breaks down today played instrumental roles in their team’s victories, including a top pick who was a big reason for his team’s loss in Week 1. 

Jameis Winston (QB-TB)

To say Winston had a rough Week 1 would be doing the word “rough” a huge disservice. Winston’s first career touchdown pass actually went the other way, as Coty Sensabaugh picked him off on the rookie’s first possession. While he threw two touchdowns, the Florida State product completed just 16 of 33 passes for 210 yards in a 28-point loss. He was much more efficient against the Saints in Week 2, completing 14 of 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown and adding 23 yards and a score on the ground.

Winston’s first pass of the game came on an early third-down play, as he rifled a 21-yard completion to Austin Seferian-Jenkins for a first down. The rookie quarterback stood tall in the pocket despite some pressure and put the pass high enough to prevent the trailing defensive back from making a play on the ball and allow his 6-6 tight end to go up and get the ball. Winston almost had another big completion to Seferian-Jenkins in the second quarter, but underthrew the wide-open tight end deep down the field on a play-action pass, leading to a drop. If Winston had driven the ball further, the play had an outside chance to be a touchdown despite safety Kenny Phillips bearing down on Seferian-Jenkins.


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Week 1 Rookie Report: Was Mariota really perfect?

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Rarely does the first week of the NFL season give us a matchup between the top two picks in the NFL Draft, but the 2015 schedulemakers did just that, pitting No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans. To the winner go the spoils, they say, and the winner is one of four rookies Chris Tripodi takes a look at in 2015’s inaugural Rookie Report, along with the league’s newest electric running back and two Pac-12 defenders who made an impact for their new teams.

Marcus Mariota (QB-Ten)

A Heisman Trophy, gaudy statistics and a clean off-the-field resume weren’t enough to get Marcus Mariota drafted over Jameis Winston, but if Sunday was any indication, that could prove to be a mistake by the Bucs. Draft Insider was one of the few places you could find Mariota rated ahead of Winston in pre-draft rankings, with the former Oregon quarterback sitting one spot ahead of the Florida State star at No. 3. Mariota’s debut was a smashing success, as he went 13-for-16 for 209 yards and four touchdowns and became the first rookie since Fran Tarkenton in 1961 to toss at least four scores.

After consecutive incompletions to start the game, Mariota threaded the needle between two Bucs to Delanie Walker over the middle for a 22-yard gain before hitting Kendall Wright with a 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown strike. While Mariota had Walker eyed from the moment he received the shotgun snap, he put enough velocity on his pass and threw high so Walker could grab it without either defender having much chance to make a play on the ball. The score to Wright came on a play-action pass from the shotgun, which froze the linebacker and gave Mariota an immediate window to hit Wright in stride and create the opportunity for yards after the catch.

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2014 Rookie Wrap Up: Best First-Year Values

Every year, there are hidden gems that slide into the later rounds of the NFL Draft. This year was no different, with teams finding impact players after the top-75 picks once again. Chris Tripodi breaks down his top-10 value picks of the 2014 NFL Draft below, including two 49ers and two Jaguars, seven players drafted outside the top 140 and one undrafted gem.

1. Chris Borland (LB-SF, Round 3, Pick 77)

An afterthought on the San Francisco defense to begin the season, Borland started the year third behind Patrick Willis and Michael Wilhoite on the depth chart. When Willis went down in Week 6 with what turned into a season-ending injury, Borland got his chance to shine and never looked back.

While he struggled in coverage in his first start the following week against the Broncos – certainly nothing new for a rookie linebacker – Borland made at least 13 tackles in five of the 49ers’ next six games before succumbing to an injury of his own in Week 15, hurting his ankle against the Seahawks.

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Week 14 Rookie Report: Secondary focus discusses Roby, Gilbert and others

By the end of the NFL season, most of the league’s impact rookies have already made themselves known to the public. Some came out of the gates hot, like Kelvin Benjamin and C.J. Mosley, while others didn’t make an impact until the second of third month of the season, like Odell Beckham Jr. and Isaiah Crowell. With that in mind, Chris Tripodi takes a look at how some prominent defensive backs performed last week, as well as a few late-round picks that have seen a recent increase in opportunity thanks to injury. 

Bradley Roby (CB-Den)

Like most rookie cornerbacks, Bradley Roby has experienced an up-and-down year in his first NFL season. The 31st overall pick out of Ohio State has played behind Aqib Talib and Chris Harris this season, mixing in a few solid performances with some stinkers as well. Roby did battle with fellow first-round rookie Sammy Watkins on Sunday, and while the former Clemson star got the better of Roby for most of the afternoon, the first-year corner didn’t allow much to the Bills’ other receivers and made a great play to force an early turnover.

On the game’s first possession, Roby lined up in press coverage against Watkins. Beaten badly by a sudden slant route to the inside, Roby had to make up ground to catch up to Watkins after he made the catch. The corner noticed Watkins holding the ball in his left arm while he cut back towards him, and Roby smartly clubbed his arm down on the ball to force a fumble that was recovered by Denver in Buffalo territory. The drive resulted in no points for the Broncos, but it was a big play that helped set the tone for the Bills’ rough day on offense.

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Week 12 Rookie Report: Isaiah Crowell headlines a pair of Browns rookies

A few highly drafted offensive linemen have been stellar all season for their teams on the inside, and Chris Tripodi returns to give Browns guard Joel Bitonio and Cowboys guard Zack Martin their due. As usual, a few skill players have seen their opportunities increase over the past few weeks as well, and two came through with their best games of the season in Week 12.

Isaiah Crowell (RB-Cle)

With last week’s release of veteran running back Ben Tate, who entered the season as the Browns’ starter, extra playing time opened up for rookie third-round pick Terrance West (profiled here after Week 2) and the undrafted Isaiah Crowell. While West handled 15 touches to Crowell’s 12, the latter played 16 more snaps by a count of 47-31 after starting the game and was easily the more effective back. That’s not a knock on West, who ran well, but Crowell’s talent pops off the screen every time you watch him play. His 12 carries went for 88 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 12 win over Atlanta, compared to 62 yards on 14 carries for West.

Crowell got off to a slow start early, as his first three runs went for zero yards, but an 11-yard touchdown late in the first quarter got his day going nicely. Backfield penetration from the Falcons’ defensive line threatened to shut down a run to the right, but Crowell’s quick feet allowed him to quickly cut away from the lineman towards an open hole on the left side. Spotting a Miles Austin seal block on the edge, Crowell cut upfield and showed elite burst and acceleration to get through the hole before it closed on his way to the end zone. His hip flexibility is also top-notch, which allows him to cut laterally with ease and get skinny through tight creases.

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Week 11 Rookie Report: More WRs bust out, Devon Kennard fills in well for NYG

More first-year receivers made Chris Tripodi’s Rookie Report this week, and that is most certainly a trend that has been set throughout the entire 2014 season. Many are referring to this receiver class as one of the best of all time, and it’s becoming more difficult to argue with that statement as the season goes on. But this week wasn’t all about wide receivers, as a late-round quarterback turned in one of the better performances for a first-year signal caller this season and another Day 3 pick showed well in his opportunity on the defensive side of the ball.

Zach Mettenberger (QB-Ten)

A sixth-round pick out of LSU, Mettenberger became the fourth rookie quarterback to start for his team this season before the Titans’ Week 8 game against the Texans. A strong-armed, statuesque passer who fits the old-school quarterback prototype, Mettenberger dropped in the draft after tearing his ACL during his senior season. He also had a few off-field issues dating back to his days at Georgia that had teams worried as well. Through three starts, the first-year passer has played relatively well, especially considering the struggles of his rookie counterparts with much higher draft pedigree. The “Mett Show” almost led Tennessee to an upset of Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football, finishing his best game with 15 completions on 24 attempts, 263 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

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Week 9 Rookie Report: More WRs bust loose, and an underrated LB gets his due

After an impressive Week 8 showing by first-year wide receivers, two more made a big impact for their teams during Week 9. One was a first-round pick who had been waiting for a breakout game up until this point, while the other wasn’t drafted at all and had to fight his way onto an NFL roster during training camp and preseason. There were a few other impact rookies around the league as well, including a second-round running back and third-round linebacker taking advantage of injuries to turn in productive games. Chris Tripodi will tell you who showed out to him in this week’s Rookie Report.

Jeremy Hill (RB-Cin)

With a banged-up Giovani Bernard sitting out the Bengals’ Week 9 game against the Jaguars, the second running back drafted this past May was thrust into a starting role. Coming into the game with just one outing of 40 yards or more this season, Cincinnati’s second-round pick exploded for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries to help the Bengals win in the absence of their 2013 second-round pick. With Bernard looking doubtful to play on Thursday Night Football this week as well, Hill should get another shot to show off his skills.

The skills that Hill put on tape against Jacksonville were highly impressive, especially his change of direction ability as a 238-pound running back. The LSU product showed the ability to quickly alter his path against backfield penetration and cut against the grain, even completely reversing field on one run to pick up 11 yards. A toss play to the right side was going nowhere and Hill stopped moving, recognized the defense’s overpursuit on the backside and ran back parallel to the line of scrimmage and around the corner for the first down. Hill accelerated better than a back his size would be expected to, which allows him to trust his quick feet.

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