Analysis

3/27/23

7 min read

RB Athletic Archetype Guide: Atlanta Falcons

By Nic Bodiford

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Welcome to The 33rd Team’s Athletic Archetypes series! In these pieces, NFL and fantasy football analyst Nic Bodiford 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 an NFL Combine drill or in the event that the NFL 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.

This article focuses on Terry Fontenot’s athletic archetypes at the running back position.

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

Falcons RB Archetype

Terry Fontenot, Atlanta Falcons (2014-present)

Sample size: 11

• Fontenot became the Atlanta Falcons’ general manager in 2021 after rising through the ranks of the division-rival New Orleans Saints in the 18 years prior.
• Fontenot made the jump to New Orleans management in 2013 by assuming the director of pro scouting role.
• He spent the 2020 season as the assistant general manager and vice president of pro personnel.

The table below reflects Fontenot’s preferred athletic archetype for his run-centric running back role from 2013 to the present day.

The table below reflects Fontenot’s preferred athletic archetype for his pass-catching running back role from 2013 to the present day.

General Sample Information

• The sample includes running backs added or retained by Atlanta from 2021 to the present day, including rookies, free agents signed, trade acquisitions and players extended by New Orleans in 2020 and select NFL running back free agent signings, trade acquisitions and extensions made by New Orleans from 2013 to 2019.
• Players who played little or were relegated to special-teams usage were removed from the sample.
• All players included in the sample received a contract that fell under Fontenot’s managerial role at the time.

Fontenot’s Backfield Characteristics

• High-volume, one-two-punch backfields have been a common theme throughout Fontenot’s career.
• Fontenot targets players who are capable of operating in a dual-threat capacity, though one member of the duo will excel in the run game while the other excels as a pass catcher.
• Three of four historical pairings feature a shorter, yet heavier run-centric running back accompanied by a taller, leaner pass-catching specialist.
• Both groups featured arms measuring roughly 31.65 inches and hands measuring roughly 9.48 inches.
• The group averaged roughly a 1.59-second 10-yard split, though a wide range of times makes up that average.
• The short shuttle is irrelevant.
• Both groups are generally asked to run faster than a 7.20-second (40th percentile relative athletic score (RAS)) three-cone time, though speed is rewarded. Four ran 7.00 (seventh percentile RAS) or faster and three more ran 7.13 seconds (52nd percentile RAS) or faster.

Run-Centric Running Backs

• Mark Ingram II (5-foot-9 and 215 pounds), Latavius Murray (6-foot-3 and 223 pounds), Mike Davis (5-foot-9 and 217 pounds) and Tyler Allgeier (5-foot-11 and 221 pounds) are the main run-centric archetypes.
• The average player stood 5-foot-10 and weighed 218.4 pounds.
• Five of seven stood under 6 feet.
• Six of seven weighed between 215-to-223 pounds.
• Five of seven had a body mass index (BMI) of 30.1 or more.
• Five of seven ran slower than a 4.59-second 40-yard dash.
• Five of seven broad jumped 9-foot-10 (59th percentile RAS) or better.
• Five of seven vertical jumped at least 33 inches (43rd percentile RAS).
• Four of seven produced 21 or more (78th percentile RAS) bench-press repetitions.

Pass-Catching Specialists

• C.J. Spiller (5-foot-11 and 196 pounds), Travaris Cadet (6-foot and 205 pounds), Alvin Kamara (5-foot-10 and 214 pounds) and Cordarrelle Patterson (6-foot-2 and 216 pounds) are the pass-catching specialist archetypes.
• The average player stood 5-foot-10.75 and weighed 207.8 pounds.
• The two most recent pass-catching specialists, Kamara and Patterson averaged 215 pounds.
• Three of four had a BMI of less than 28.0.
• The group possesses a wide range of 40-yard dash times though sub-4.55 seconds appears preferable.
• Three of four broad jumped 10-foot-6 (94th percentile). All four jumped at least 10-foot.
• Three of four high jumped at least 36 inches (79th percentile RAS).
• The bench press is not terribly important, though 15 repetitions (32nd percentile RAS) is the preferred minimum.

Overall Physical Traits the Falcons Target

• Arms: Roughly 31.65 inches
• Hands: Roughly 9.5 inches
• Three-cone time: Likely 7.20 seconds or better

Ideal Physical Traits: Run-Centric Running Backs

• Height: 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-11
• Weight: 215-to-223 pounds
• BMI: Over 30.0
• 40-yard dash: Likely 4.60 or slower but speed is not disqualifying
• Broad jump: 9-foot-10 or farther
• Vertical jump: 33 inches or higher
• Bench press: 21 or more repetitions

Ideal Physical Traits: Pass-Catching Specialists

• Height: 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-2
• Weight: Likely 215 pounds but potentially down to 200
• BMI: Sub-30.0, potentially sub-28.0
• 40-yard dash: Sub-4.55 seconds
• Broad jump: 10-foot-6 or farther
• Vertical jump: 36 inches or higher
• Bench press: At least 15 repetitions

Potential Run-Centric Targets

Prospects with strong threshold correlation are marked with an asterisk

• Bijan Robinson, Texas: 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, 30.0 BMI, 31.125-inch arms, 9.75-inch hands, 10-foot-4 broad jump and a 37-inch vertical jump. He possesses an excellent dual-threat skill set (scouting report)
• *Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh: 5-foot-10, 216 pounds, 31.0 BMI, 32-inch arms. Pending the results of his March 29th Pro Day, his 8.25-inch hands may not be an issue (scouting report)
• *Kendre Miller, TCU: 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, 30.0 BMI, 32.375-inch arms and 9.375-inch hands. Miller’s initial measurables are a great fit. TCU’s Pro Day is on March 30th (scouting report)

Potential Passing-Game Specialist Targets

Prospects with strong threshold correlation are marked with an asterisk

• *Zach Charbonnet, UCLA: 6-foot, 214 pounds, 29.0 BMI, 32-inch arms, 9.875-inch hands, 10-foot-2 broad jump, 37-inch vertical jump and 18 bench-press repetitions. He is an excellent, accomplished pass catcher (scouting report)
• Tank Bigsby, Auburn: 6-foot, 210 pounds, 28.5 BMI, 32-inch arms, 9.5-inch hands and 21 bench-press repetitions. Bigsby is a capable pass catcher. He fell just short of the preferred minimum thresholds in both the broad jump (9-foot-11) and vertical jump (32.5 inches). He ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash (scouting report)
• SaRodorick Thompson Jr., Texas Tech: 5-foot-11.5, 207 pounds, 28.5 BMI, 31.625-inch arms, 4.67-second 40-yard dash and a 10-foot broad jump. His 7.25-second three-cone time, nine-inch hands, and 32.5-inch vertical jump are unlikely to disqualify him outright. He is a capable pass catcher (scouting report to come)

The tables below show the raw data used for this running back sample.

• At Alabama’s Pro Day, Ingram improved his 40-yard dash to 4.53 seconds and his 10-yard split to 1.54 seconds.

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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.