Analysis

3/17/23

8 min read

RB Athletic Archetype Guide: New York Giants

By Nic Bodiford

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Welcome to The 33rd Team’s Athletic Archetypes series. These pieces will break down the preferred, position-specific athletic profiles utilized by NFL general managers. The purpose of the series is to help identify team-specific 2023 NFL Draft targets at the running back position.

NFL Combine data will be used whenever possible. Pro-day data will be used in a supplementary capacity if and when a player chooses not to participate in a combine drill or if the combine data is not available. Pro-day data is marked using an asterisk except for arm length and hand length, which is always collected at pro days.

NFL Draft Scout is the primary data source, with Relative Athletic Score used as the preferred backup. 

Other Archetypes: ARZ | ATL | BUF | CAR | CHI | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIN | NE | NO | NYJ | PHI | SF | SEA | TB | WAS

Giants RB Prototype

Joe Schoen, (2022-present)

Sample size: 15

• Joe Schoen was hired as the New York Giants' general manager in January 2022 after serving as the Buffalo Bills’ assistant general manager from 2017-2021. Schoen brought on board Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to fill New York’s open head coaching role. 
• Schoen and Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane worked together as members of the Carolina Panthers staff from 2001-2007. Their last two Panthers seasons were spent watching New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush dissect the NFC South.  
• Schoen and Daboll first worked together for the Miami Dolphins in 2011, when Bush had just been signed by the team. Schoen and Daboll’s experiences with Bush left a big impression. Their ensuing seasons together are dotted with explosive, lightweight running backs.

• Saquon Barkley was drafted in 2018, prior to Joe Schoen’s hiring. However, Schoen retained Barkely via the franchise tag this offseason, so Barkley has been included in Schoen’s sample.
• Schoen brings in familiar faces whenever possible. Both Antonio Williams and Matt Breida are members of Schoen’s burgeoning Bills-to-Giants pipeline.
• LeSean McCoy was signed by Buffalo in 2015, prior to Schoen’s arrival. He was the team’s No. 1 running back from 2017-2018 and has been included in the sample.
• Data from 2022-2023 comes from Schoen’s time in New York.
• Data from 2017-2021 comes from Schoen’s time in Buffalo.
• Data from 2011 comes from Schoen’s time in Miami.
• Among the 15 running backs in Schoen’s sample, 10 weigh 219 pounds or less, eight weigh 206 pounds or less and five weigh 201 pounds or less.
• While the sample includes a wide array of 40-yard dash times, three of the four most recent running backs in Schoen’s history (Barkley, Breida and Taiwan Jones) ran 4.40 or better. 
• Barkley (1.54 seconds) and Breida (1.53 seconds) both boast electric 10-yard splits, but Jones’ more moderate 1.58 seconds reflects Schoen’s disinterest in the metric. 
• Recent roster additions in both Buffalo and New York, like Devin Singletary (1.64), Zack Moss (1.67) and Devonta Freeman (1.66), registered slower times. A quick 10-yard split is regarded as more of a perk than a necessity for Schoen.
• Both the short shuttle and three-cone drills show a full range of speeds, yet successful running backs like Bush, Barkley, Breida and Frank Gore demonstrated great speed in at least one event. 
• The broad jump is not relevant for Schoen. Negative outliers like LeSean McCoy (8-foot-11) and Gore (9-foot-1) likely influenced this, though Breida’s 11-foot-2 makes a strong case for the drill’s benefits.
• The vertical jump is important to Schoen. Seven of 15 running backs registered 36 inches (80th percentile in the relative athletic score) or better, five jumped 39 inches or better (95th percentile) and three jumped 40.5 inches or better (98th percentile).
• The bottom-end threshold hovers near 33 inches, though the comically un-athletic McCoy (29 inches) remains an outlier.
• Schoen’s sample features six running backs who produced 19 or more bench-press reps.

Physical Traits Giants Will Target

• Sub-220 pounds, with a lean toward the 205-pounds-or-lower group
• Likely a sub-4.45-second 40-yard dash
• Likely 36 inches or better in the vertical jump, though 33.0 inches is the minimum
• Probably 17 or more bench-press repetitions
• Sub-4.30-second short shuttle times are a plus
• Sub-7.10-second three-cone drill times are a plus
• Both Singletary and Jones are free agents. Seeing them sign with Schoen in New York would be unsurprising

Potential 2023 Draft RB Targets

Players with strong archetype correlation are asterisked.

• *Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama: 199 pounds, 4.36-second 40-yard dash and a 33.5-inch vertical jump. His 1.52-second 10-yard split is a plus. (scouting report)
• *Bijan Robinson, Texas: 215 pounds and a 37-inch vertical jump. Robinson’s 4.46-second 40-yard dash is likely passable given his skill set. (scouting report)
• *Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh: 216 pounds, 4.39-second 40-yard dash and a 41-inch vertical jump. (scouting report)
• *Devon Achane, Texas A&M: 188 pounds, 4.32-second 40-yard dash, 4.30-second short shuttle, 7.05-second three-cone drill and a 33-inch vertical jump. (scouting report)
• Eric Gray, Oklahoma: 207 pounds, 4.18-second short shuttle, 37.5-inch vertical jump and 14 bench-press repetitions. His 4.63-second 40-yard dash could be an issue. (scouting report)
• Tyjae Spears, Tulane: 201 pounds, 4.32-second short shuttle, 39-inch vertical jump and 18 bench-press repetitions. Spears’ 4.54-second 40-yard dash and 7.27-second three-cone drill could be issues, but he profiles very similarly to negative-threshold outlier Devin Singletary. Spears edged out Singletary in all relevant events though. (scouting report)
• *Chase Brown, Illinois: 209 pounds, 4.43-second 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical and 25 bench press repetitions. His 1.53-second 10-yard split is a plus. (scouting report)
• Sean Tucker, Syracuse: 207 pounds. Tucker needs to demonstrate adequate speed, strength and jumping ability at Syracuse’s pro day. (scouting report)
• Kendre Miller, TCU: 215 pounds. Miller needs to demonstrate adequate speed, strength and jumping ability at TCU’s pro day. (scouting report)
• Keaton Mitchell, East Carolina: 179 pounds, 4.37-second 40-yard dash, 4.36-second short shuttle, 38-inch vertical jump and 13 bench-press repetitions. His blazing 1.48-second 10-yard split is only a plus.
  
• Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State: 79 pounds, 4.22-second short shuttle, 7.10-second three-cone drill, 35.5-inch vertical jump and 17 bench-press repetitions. His 4.56-second 40-yard dash is forgivable, given Vaughn’s unbelievable strength at just 5-foot-5. (scouting report)
• Evan Hull, Northwestern: 209 pounds, 37-inch vertical jump and 21 bench-press repetitions. Hull’s 4.47-second 40-yard dash and 4.38-second short shuttle times may be passable. Both his 1.53-second 10-yard split and 6.9-second three-cone time should boost him in Schoen’s eyes.
• Deneric Price, Tulsa: 216 pounds, 4.41-second 40-yard dash and a 35.5-inch vertical jump. His 1.53-second 10-yard split is a plus.

Measurements for Giants RBs

Athletic Testing for Giants RBs

• At Alabama’s pro pay, T.J. Yeldon improved his 40-yard dash to 4.52 seconds and his 10-yard split to 1.57 seconds.
• At Missouri’s pro day, Marcus Murphy improved his broad jump to 9-foot-7, and his vertical jump to 30.5 inches while doing 14 bench-press reps.

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Nic Bodiford

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Nic Bodiford contributes to The 33rd Team's fantasy football department and works elsewhere as an analyst and editor in written, video and audio mediums. These works can be found at Pro Football Focus, 4for4, Nerdball and Fake Teams. Nic moonlights at Legendary Upside by editing Pat Kerrane's weekly article, The Walkthrough.