2014 NFL Draft Profile: Bishop Sankey, RB Washington
By Adam Carlson
Nov 29, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Bishop Sankey (25) rushes against the Washington State Cougars during the second half at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
University of Washington running back Bishop Sankey is a guy that you haven’t heard much about before the draft, but should be much more familiar with. Despite his small size at 5’10” tall and weighing in at 209 pounds, he should be a much bigger deal than that.
He proved at Washington that he has what it takes to be a featured running back in the NFL. Sankey shows great mobility with body filled with muscle, but not much bulk. Still, he shows excellent agility and ability to find openings to run through, even when one isn’t there initially.
When anticipating contact, there’s no better player in this draft at running back when it comes to ball security. However, when in full sprint, he tends to swing his arms a bit much and leave the football open for defenders to swipe at. That is something that a good coaching staff can work to correct though.
Bishop Sankey can do it all. He’s a reliable rusher, pass catcher, and blocker that will be a fit for any NFL team looking to improve their running back position. Right now, most draft analysts have him rated as a 2nd to 3rd round selection in the 2014 NFL draft.
Here are his statistics over 3 years at Washington:
Feb 23, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington Huskies running back Sankey Bishop runs the 40 yard dash during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
34 games played
644 carries
3,495 rushing yards
37 rushing touchdowns
67 receptions
567 receiving yards
1 receiving touchdown
7 kickoff returns
134 kick return yards
Strengths
- Accelerates quickly
- Excellent at finding the hole
- Very agile
- Secure with the football during hits
- Good pass blocker
Weaknesses
- Small frame
- Could need to bulk up a bit
- Needs to tighten the grip on the ball during sprints
Fit For The Vikings
Minnesota needs a running back to help out Adrian Peterson. With Matt Asiata penciled in as his backup right now, the Vikings could be looking to upgrade that position early in the draft.
My Take
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Minnesota use a pick as early as their third round selection on a backup for All Day. And if Bishop Sankey is still available when the team makes their selection at #72 overall, he could very well see his name called.