dark2332
Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back.
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Welp, Ballage to Miami in the 4th round.
Miami Dolphins
2017 record: 6-10
Head coach: Adam Gase (3rd Year; Record 16-16)
Biggest Team Needs in Order (my take): RB, DT, TE, RT, QB, LB, OG, S, WR
The PICK is IN…
With the 115th selection in the 2018 RCF Mock NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select:
Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State University
HEIGHT - 6'1
WEIGHT - 227 lbs
ARMS - 32 3/4”
HANDS - 9 1/2”
40 Yard Dash
4.46 seconds (4.44 at Pro Day)
Bench Press
15 reps
Vertical Jump
33.5 inches (37 inches at Pro Day)
Broad Jump
122.0 inches
3 Cone Drill
6.91 seconds
20 Yd Shuttle
4.35 seconds (4.20 at Pro Day)
My Take:
After shipping out Jay Ajayi for a bag of those questionable pretzel M&M’s, this team turned the backfield over to Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams. Drake showed explosive glimpses, but he is far too inconsistent and lacks the necessary vision. He’s more “athlete” than running back. I think he's a guy who can help keep a primary back fresh, but nothing more than split carries. Williams is a “bleh” kind of rusher. Nothing special. The Miami roster needs play-makers—a real change-up. They finished 28th in the NFL in Points/Game, 25th in Yards/Game, and 29th in Rushing Yards/Game. The ‘Fins acquired a new starting guard and center this offseason. They're ready to take the next step. Now enters one of the more underrated 3-down backs in the 2018 NFL Draft--Kalen Ballage.
Ballage, in college, split carries. He had a few monster games, and a few where you were waiting for him to show up and he didn't receive many touches. As a pass catcher, he's basically a receiver. He's extremely advanced as a back with the ability to run crisp routes and find space when the play breaks down. At 6'2, 227, with his speed in space, it's incredible. He has a great set of hands, and he was drawing David Johnson comparisons at the Senior Bowl. In fact, by all accounts, he was fantastic at the Senior Bowl. He's a guy who used his size to lower a shoulder and run through guys in Mobile. That's something he didn't do as often as you'd like at Arizona State. He showed more juke than raw power in college despite his large frame. Sometimes he seemed tentative--almost afraid to get yanked from games. At the Senior Bowl, none of that mattered. He ran like a wolf chasing sheep. Just pure anger and adrenaline.
In regard to this odd shift in playing style, he reminds me of Chris Carson with the Seahawks. He's a guy who had all the tools, didn't put it all together in limited chances at Oklahoma State, and then really impressed Pete Carroll with how hard he ran. Amazing preseason, stole the starting job, and then a freak injury likely kept him from being a stand-out rookie along with Kareem Hunt and Alvin Kamara. Ballage is very similar. The difference is that he's already an extremely advanced pass catcher. This is where the league is heading. He occasionally gets knocked for vision, but he's very creative in space at finding yards as a receiver and I've seen him do the same thing carrying the rock. At the Senior Bowl, he was a head-turner. He looked like a new man. Watch him finish a run with strength in the Senior Bowl Highlight clip at the bottom of this post and still tell me how a few misinformed scouts thinking he's "soft" is a weakness of his.
I think he's a three-down back in the NFL. He's incredibly unique. That size, that speed, that elusiveness, that route-tree, those hands. He can stay on the field due to his skill set. Kenyon Drake is around to keep him fresh, but I really think this is a guy who could slide into the end of Round 2. He's going to be a good pro back--it's all there. Getting him here in the 4th is a dream for the Dolphins.
The Scout's Take (via Charlie Campbell):
Summary
The 2018 NFL Draft is strong at the running back position, and Ballage is one of the potential good values who could be had lower than where he would go in an average draft class. Ballage flashed special talent at Arizona State, but never put together a big season for the Sun Devils, making him a more complex evaluation for NFL scouts.
As a junior in 2016, Ballage had 536 yards with 14 touchdowns on the ground. Half of his rushing touchdowns came in one game against Texas Tech. He also made 44 catches for 469 yards and a touchdown that season. In 2017, the senior averaged 4.3 yards per carry for 657 yards and six touchdowns. He had 20 receptions for 91 yards as well. Ballage earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl and really helped himself in Mobile with an excellent week of practice. Ballage showed a real burst to rip off yards in chunks, was dangerous as a receiver, and flashed blocking potential. Ballage's Senior Bowl performance reminded this writer of how David Johnson looked in Mobile in 2015.
There is a lot to like about Ballage for the NFL. To go along with size, he is surprisingly fast, possessing a real burst with first-step quickness to hit the hole before it closes. Ballage has easy acceleration to the second level with another gear in the open field to break off long runs. He is a smooth runner who can glide through defenses and weave his way to extra yardage.
Even though Ballage is a big back, he is more elusive in the open field than a power runner who runs through tackles. Ballage is shifty and can make defenders miss in the open field. He has surprising moves and is not a typical big back who can't beat defenders with cutting ability. Ballage uses those moves to dodge tacklers rather than run through them. Even though he has big size, Ballage is not a physical runner who runs over defenders regularly. At the Senior Bowl, he ran with more violence and aggression, but that was not the norm for him in college.
As a receiving back for the NFL, Ballage is very impressive. He has soft hands to make receptions and runs good routes. Ballage finds open space for his quarterback and uses his instant acceleration to take check downs for good gains. On top being a skilled receiver, Ballage flashes better blocking and pass protection than you see out of a lot of college backs these days. Ballage's ability contribute in the passing game is very advanced.
Ballage is hurt by having produced inconsistently in college despite a skill set capable of putting up some massive seasons. Because of his height, Ballage can be an upright runner, which leads to defenders landing some hard hits on him. A few team sources said that Ballage has questionable makeup and some think he plays a bit soft.
In the 2018 NFL Draft, Ballage stands a good shot of being a second-day pick. He might sneak into Round 2 if he works out and interviews well. Ballage probably won't last long if he makes it to the fourth round. The third round could end up being the happy medium where Ballage hears his name called.
Strengths
- Quick burst
- First-step quickness
- Fast to the hole and to hit the second level
- Second gear in the open field
- Elusive runner; good moves in the open field
- Athletic
- Smooth runner
- Natural receiving back
- Good route-runner
- Soft hands
- Quick feet
- Can contribute as a kick returner
- Thick lower body
- Advanced pass blocking for a college back
Weaknesses
- Athletic upside
- Questionable makeup
- Inconsistent production
- Can run upright
- Some scouts think he's soft
Player Comparison
- Not as physical of a runner as one would expect
DeMarco Murray
I reached out to team sources, and they said Murray was a good comparison for Ballage. The two have a similar running style with a surprising skill set of quickness in a bigger back with receiving ability. Murray was a third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and Ballage could also be a third-rounder. If Ballage pans out, he could be a back similar to Murray.
Highlights
2018 Draft Summary:
#8 – Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
#42 – Maurice Hurst Jr, DT, Michigan
#107 - Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana
#115 - Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State
…and yet again, the ladies rejoice.
@kriegs and the Dallas Cowboys are now ON THE CLOCK.