#245: 2021 Dash To The Draft (Running Backs with Brian Bosarge)

Sports Krunch w/DKROM

1. Many people I know (if not most) believe that you should NEVER draft a running back in the first round, regardless of the talent. Do you agree or disagree with that school of thought?

2. Two RB’s that have a shot at going in the first round are Najee Harris of Alabama and Travis Etienne of Clemson. It’s a neck-and-neck race between them in terms of who is the top runner in this class. You currently have Etienne ranked above Harris. What is your reasoning for that ranking? Just for the sake of playing Devil’s Advocate, why do you think many people rank Harris as the best of the two?

3. Something that goes against the grain in your RB rankings is you having Kenneth Gainwell of Memphis as the third best back of the bunch. Gainwell hopes to continue the promising trend of recent Memphis RB’s finding success in the NFL (Tony Pollard and Antonio Gibson to be exact). However, he’s only 195 pounds and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com sees his role in the NFL as merely a change-of-pace back. Moreover, an NFC scouting director told Zierlein that he’s not certain Gainwell’s skill-set will translate to the NFL “if he doesn’t find a scheme that keeps him in space.” Do you think Gainwell can be more than what Zierlein and that anonymous scouting director project him to be and if so, why?

4. Kenneth Gainwell wasn’t the only thing that was outside the box in your RB rankings. There’s a near-universal consensus that North Carolina’s Javonte Williams is the best running back in the draft outside of Etienne and Harris. However, you have his teammate Michael Carter, who stood out at the Senior Bowl, ahead of him. Why is Carter the better back of the Tar Heel twosome in your view?

5. Buy or Sell

-Trey Sermon: Buy

-Khalil Herbert: HOLD

-Larry Rountree: Sell

-Kylin Hill: Buy

-Jermar Jefferson: BUY

-Jaret Patterson: Sell

-Chuba Hubbard: Sell

6. Best Team Fits

-Travis Etienne: Buccaneers

-Najee Harris: Dolphins

-Kenneth Gainwell: Cowboys

-Javonte Williams: Steelers

-Michael Carter: Patriots

-Trey Sermon: Bears, Chiefs

-Khalil Herbert: Chargers, Saints

-Larry Rountree: Lions

-Kylin Hill: Broncos

-Jermar Jefferson: Giants

-Jaret Patterson: Ravens

-Chuba Hubbard: Bills