2016 NFL Draft Profile: Ezekiel Elliot, RB Ohio State

Although the running back position isn’t a premium in the NFL anymore, a guy like Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott might be the exception for the Minnesota Vikings.

There has been a revolution sweeping around the NFL where teams don’t value running backs as much as in the past. Even the biggest stars in the league aren’t getting the kind of deals they did in the past and many franchises are moving toward split backs and committees to carry the ball.

Of course, there are some exceptions. Guys like Adrian Peterson and Todd Gurley have proven to be worthy of being a featured running back, opening the door for ultra-talented ball carriers like Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Elliott is one of those special talents that might force a team to use a top pick despite the recent draft trends. Shades of Adrian Peterson are seen when he executes jump cuts to change direction, leaving defenders in his dust with exceptional acceleration. He also shows great vision to find holes to run through and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder or follow a lead blocker.

The knocks on Ezekiel Elliott are very minor. He could be a better receiver out of the backfield as well as learn to go down instead of fight for inches. There are also questions about his durability, as he took a pounding at the college level, touching the ball over 600 times in the last two seasons.

Here are Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott’s numbers from the events at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine according to NFL.com:

Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Irish 44-28. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Height: 6’0″

Weight: 225 pounds

Arm Length: 31 1/4″

Hand Size: 10 1/4″

40 Yard Dash: 4.47 seconds

Bench Press: N/A

Vertical Jump: 32.5″

Broad Jump: 118″

3 Cone Drill: N/A

20 Yard Shuttle: N/A

Ezekiel Elliott compares to:

CBS Sports: N/A
NFL.com: Edgerrin James, retired

Fit for the Minnesota Vikings:

It’s hard to watch his tape and not see a young Adrian Peterson. The jump cuts, ability to find holes, and even the knocks are similar to those of the star running back. With the Vikings not yet signing Matt Asiata back, the team could be looking at adding another ball carrier to the mix, and having a stellar backup to take over for Peterson when he’s done would be great planning.

Next: 5 moves the Vikings should have made in free agency

My Take:

While running back isn’t an immediate need, Minnesota can establish a future of ground and pound football by selecting Ezekiel Elliott. For that to happen, he’ll have to slide past several teams with big needs at the position, but there are chances they won’t value running backs as much as other positions and pass on him. Elliott is that good of a talent to where if he is on the board when the Vikings are on the clock, Minnesota should definitely pull the trigger and draft him in the first round.

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2016 NFL Draft Profile: Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State

By Adam Carlson | Mar 15, 2016

Although the running back position isn’t a premium in the NFL anymore, a guy like Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott might be the exception for the Minnesota Vikings.