Analysis

3/10/23

7 min read

RB Athletic Archetype Guide: Arizona Cardinals

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

Cardinals' RB Prototype

GM Monti Ossenfort (2023 - Present)

Sample size: 11 NFL running backs

• Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel played for the New England Patriots from 2001-2008.
• Ossenfort worked for New England as a personnel assistant in 2003 and as an area scout from 2006-to-2008. After Vrabel left the team, Ossenfort advanced through New England's scouting department before assuming New England's director of college scouting role from 2014-2019. 
• Tennessee hired Ossenfort as director of player Personnel in 2020.
• He was hired as general manager of the Arizona Cardinals during the 2023 NFL offseason.
• Ossenfort's formative New England years led to a distinct emphasis on running back weight and strength, leading to differing early-down and passing-down athletic archetypes during his three-year stint in Tennessee. 
• Ossenfort's three Tennessean early-down grinders boast imposing statures and while his passing-down specialists had a wider weight range, physical prowess was still a factor.
• Three of the seven passing-down specialists he drafted weighed at least 208 pounds.
• Two of the remaining four sub-208-pound, passing-down running backs racked up 20 or more bench-press repetitions.  
• Tennessee running back Derrick Henry (2016) was drafted before Ossenfort's arrival, but Henry's combine data shows that he generally fits the sample and undoubtedly influenced the thresholds. For these reasons, Henry has been included in Ossenfort's archetype sample. 
• The tables below reflect Ossenfort's two preferred athletic archetypes from his time in Tennessee (2020-2022), when he held partial sway over personnel decisions.

• Both the short shuttle and three-cone drills are paramount for Ossenfort. 
• Among seven running backs with available data, six produced short-shuttle times from 4.28 to 4.38 seconds, and all seven were roughly within 0.2 seconds of a seven-second three-cone.
• Running backs were held to a high standard in the jumping drills. 
• Among eight running backs with available vertical jump data, five jumped 34.5 inches or more. 
• Among eight running backs with available broad jump data, six cleared 10 feet or more. 
• Ossenfort's Tennessee front office acquired five rookie running backs via either the draft or as undrafted free agents. Four of five did not participate in the combine, perhaps indicating that the team attempts to avoid competing for players who garnered national attention via the highly publicized combine. The tactic could allow Tennessee access to a somewhat pro-day ignored market. An emphasis on in-house film-grinding is also likely.

>>READ: Cardinals Shopping DeAndre Hopkins? 

Physical Traits Cardinals Will Target

• Early-down or dual-threat running backs standing at least 5-foot-11
• Early-down or dual-threat running backs weighing at least 220 pounds, likely more than 225
• A short shuttle time from 4.28 to 4.38 seconds
• A three-cone time between 6.80 to 7.20 seconds
• A 34.5-inch-or-better vertical jump 
• A 10-foot-or-better broad jump
• At least 17 bench-press repetitions, likely 20 or more
• Running backs possessing the requisite height and weight who choose to skip the combine
• Passing down running backs with the performance thresholds listed above

Potential 2023 RB Targets

• Bijan Robinson, Texas: 5-foot-11, 10'4" broad jump and a 37-inch vertical jump (scouting report)
• Eric Gray, Oklahoma: 207 pounds, 4.18-second short shuttle and a 37.5-inch vertical jump. His 9-foot-10 broad jump is not disqualifying, but his 14 bench-press reps could be an issue. He caught 30 passes or more in two college seasons. (scouting report)
• Tyjae Spears, Tulane: 10-foot-5 broad jump, 39-inch vertical jump and 18 bench-press repetitions. His 201-pound weight could be an issue. (scouting report)
• Chase Brown, Illinois: 209 pounds, 10-foot-7 broad jump, 41-inch vertical jump and 25 bench-press repetitions. Capable pass catcher but lacks pass-protection skills. (scouting report)
• Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State: 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, 7.03-second three-cone drill, 36.5-inch vertical jump. The class’ top fullback skipped NFL Combine.
  
• Zach Charbonnet, UCLA: 6-foot with a 10'2" broad jump, 37-inch vertical jump and 18 bench-press repetitions. Best suited as a dual threat but can operate efficiently as a pass catcher at 214 pounds (scouting report)
• Roschon Johnson, Texas: 6-foot, 219 pounds and a 10-foot-2 broad jump. Johnson gets a size-department boost in an undersized draft class. (scouting report)
• Evan Hull, Northwestern: The perfect Ossenfort pass-catching prospect. 209 pounds, 4.38-second short shuttle, 6.90-second three-cone, 10'3" broad jump, 37-inch vertical jump, 21 bench-press repetitions and outrageously caught 88 passes over the last two college seasons
• *Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky: 6-foot, 217 pounds and a 4.31-second short shuttle. Rodriguez Jr. skipped the NFL Combine. 
• *Deneric Prince, Tulsa: 6-foot, 216 pounds, 4.33-second short shuttle, 6.97-second three-cone drill, 10-foot-4 broad jump, 35.5-inch vertical jump and 18 bench-press reps. Prince completed the shuttle drills and bench press at Tulsa’s pro day.

Evan Hull (@NUFBFamily) is the perfect pass-catching RB prospect for #BirdCityFootball GM Monti Ossenfort.

— Nic Bodiford (@NicBodifordNFL) March 9, 2023

Measurements for Ossenfort's RBs

Athletic Testing for Ossenfort's RBs

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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.