STRENGTHS
Kerryon reminds me a lot of Matt Forte. He is a patient runner waiting for his blocks patiently and then exploding into the secondary taking on defensive backs who if they don’t use good form tackling he will make them pay for it. He is deceptively strong and deceptively quick. He has the speed to score any time his team is inside the 50-yard line. Kerryon in site of his size and long legs can be used on any type of down or distance and will move the chains as well as catch the ball and block. He has good balance and has the lateral agility to make yardage on his own but what he truly brings to the team that selects him is his patent running style and high football IQ. Kerryon is a deceptively productive, smart, patient running back who shows excellent leadership skills and has the ability to stay on the field for all three downs. Like I said Kerryon reminds me of Matt Forte who has had a pretty good career in the NFL in spite of being downgraded because of his big non-running back size and body type.

CONCERNS
Kerryon is tall for a running back and his body type although strong is thinner than the average running back in the NFL. He also runs tall and this style of running lends itself to fumbling and injures although no more injuries than any other style of running back. Some teams will down grade Kerryon for this perceived reason but if they look at the film they will see an exception to the rule of size and style of running.

BOTTOM LINE
Matt Forte was downgraded because of his unique size and the fact he came from a small college but Kerryon has been productive in the SEC and on any down and distance. He’s a good blocker and can catch the ball out of the back field as a check down back. He can run between the tackles effectively in any down and distance situation and in the red zone he is a weapon running the ball inside or outside. Kerryon has a knack to slip through the line of scrimmage and gain those needed yards to move the chains in spite of the fact that he runs high because of his patience and the ability to set his blocks up. He will surprise most people at how well he can run between the tackles in short yardage situations. Now I know there are a lot of people who are ready to down grade and de- value the running back position but when you find a player with this type of high football IQ and talent to run the ball I think you foolish to do that. A smart running back will make his offensive line better, take pressure off your quarterback, and make your offense a complete offense. A dumb running back will make your offensive lineman look stupid, make your offense one dimensional, and get injured all the time. So, go ahead keep downgrading the running back position and leave those excellent running backs to the teams that make the playoffs every year.

Drew Boylhart   MAR.2018