Hello all,

For day two of our NFL Combine review, we are going to take a look at a position the Ravens may be interested in, and with arguably the most depth in the draft this season, the running backs. We are going to break down the interviews the top three running back prospects, Dalvin Cook, Leonard Fournette, and Christian McCaffrey, and then I’ll do my pre-combine ranking of the three. So now, without further ado, let’s begin.

Dalvin Cook – Running Back (FSU)

Today at the NFL Combine, Dalvin Cook made his case to NFL teams, and sold himself well. He started out by saying that this year is one of the best for running backs in the draft. He distinguished himself from the other backs this draft season by saying he can “do it all”, and stay on the field all drive and game. He praised his college head coach, Jimbo Fisher, for preparing him well and enabling him to succeed in both college and in the NFL. He also touched briefly on his relationship with Leonard Fournette, who Cook says he met at a camp and is friends with. Cook said that he often competes with Fournette, in order to make each other better. Cook also talked about Ezekial Elliot, the rookie running back for the Dallas Cowboys who was drafted in the first round last season. Cook said that Elliot paved the way for him and this draft class to be projected this high.

Leonard Fournette – Running Back (LSU)

Fournette during his press conference shared his love for football and his work ethic, and how he was blessed by God for his abilities and attributes. When asked about how he weighed in at the combine, at 240 pounds, Fournette said he can usually play around 235 pounds, and that the extra 5 pounds was just water weight. Although it is only a 5 pound difference, it is a major factor to some teams. Like Dalvin Cook, Leonard Fournette expressed his gratitude for Ezekiel Elliot paving the way for him and the other running backs, saying that he is not just a running back, as he can catch passes and block. He took a bite out of some humble pie today, saying he never expected to be in the NFL, and grew up playing the game because he loved it. 

Christian McCaffrey – Running Back (Stanford)

McCaffrey said that the combine to him felt surreal. The Standford product is one of the most versatile backs in the draft this season, but is typically ranked after Cook and Fournette. To this point, McCaffrey said that he felt dissrespected, and that he always has a chip on his shoulder. His attitude of having to prove himself could help him at the next level. McCaffrey said what seperates him from the other running backs is that he is the best at running between tackles, running outside, pass protection, receiving as a back, and returning the football on kicks and punts. He also said that he thinks of himself as an every down back, answering some questions of how much he can play at a time. 

Pre-Combine Rankings

Tomorrow, many of the combine drills are going to start, as the only drill started today was bench pressing for some players. Here are my preliminary rankings of these top three running backs. Keep in mind, this is all before the combine, and may change afterward, depending on the performance of all the players.

1. Dalvin Cook (FSU)

2. Chrisitan McCaffrey (Stanford)

3. Leonard Fournette (LSU)