Minnesota Vikings draft 2017: NFL Combine watch list, offense
By Jordan Reid
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Wayne Gallman – Clemson
Coming off a national championship season, Gallman seemed to be the forgotten man on a lethal Clemson offense. Rushing for 1,133 and a career high 17 touchdowns, Gallman is a steady and reliable back.
He does not have one single trait that is superior over another, but he is evenly consistent in all areas. Known as an upright slasher, similar to Latavius Murray. The biggest question surrounding Gallman that needs to be answered is his weight, as he’s listed at 215 pounds.
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D’Onta Foreman – Texas
One of the most prolific running backs in school history, Foreman is the definition of a “bell cow” running back. He has shown that he can lead a team’s rushing attack, as he had at least 30 carries in six of his 11 games last season, including a 51 carry game vs. Kansas.
D'Onta Foreman says he's lost 10 lbs and working on ball-catching skills in Houston. Running style reminds me of Bettis' coming out of ND.
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) February 20, 2017
NFL.com senior analyst and former Vice President of player personnel of the Dallas Cowboys, Gil Brandt, recently had a sit-down with Foreman, where he found out that the former Texas rusher has lost 10 pounds. Foreman’s playing weight was listed at 249 pounds.
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Kareem Hunt – Toledo
An early draft season riser, Hunt has emerged as one of the top amongst a loaded position group. Despite playing at a lower-tier FBS school, Hunt flashes traits that many others in this class don’t show. Arguably his most impressive being that he has only fumbled once in his career, and that was during his freshman season.
My favorite #Toledo RB Kareem Hunt stat - only one fumble over 856 career touches (only fumble came as a freshman and he recovered it).
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 28, 2017
At the Senior Bowl, his measurables (5-foot-11, 208 pounds) were quite a surprise to many, but as the practice week went along, that quickly became an after thought. Hunt quickly showed to be everything that scouts advertised him to be.
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Marlon Mack – South Florida
Versatility. That’s the word that is most commonly associated when describing Mack. South Florida used him routinely as a receiving and rushing threat. Recording a career high 28 catches for 227 yards, Mack proved that he can be a three-down weapon on the next level.
One aspect that worries scouts with Mack is his bad habit of giving up on runs and bouncing them outside as opposed to being patient, keeping it between the tackles.
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Samaje Perine – Oklahoma
Seemingly overshadowed by his backfield counterpart, Perine has finally climbed out of the Joe Mixon-shadow in 2016. A situation that hovered a dark cloud over the program, but Perine continued to shine bright.
Despite playing only 10 games, he recorded his third consecutive season of rushing for over 1,000 yards. Listed at 5-foot-10, 235 pounds, Perine is a naturally low runner with a thick lower base.
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Jamaal Williams – BYU
Despite only being 21-years-old, Williams’ career has been a long journey. Suffering a torn ACL in 2014, and then taking the 2015 season off for what was called personal issues. He rebounded nicely in 2016, rushing for a career high 1,375 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The opinions are mixed about the former BYU standout. Overall speed, and attitude are the two biggest concerns with Williams. At the combine, he will have a chance to answer both with the 40-yard dash and during team interviews. Each will be vital for Williams’ draft stock.