Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins just finished off arguably the best single-season any Buckeye running back has ever had. He set the record for the most rushing yards in a single season with 2,003 yards and came within a whisker of getting an invite to New York as a Heisman finalist (he finished 6th in the voting).
Now he has forgone his seniors season and set his sights on the 2020 NFL draft. At 5-foot, 10-inches, he’s got a rare blend of power, speed, vision, and intangibles that will be very attractive to teams looking for a running back. And while guys toting the rock aren’t in as much demand as they were a decade or so ago, his talent will still get plenty of attention.
Dobbins has already met with the Miami Dolphins in person prior to all the social-distancing measures being put in place, and now we know he has several other virtual meetings set up.
According to a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Dobbins will be meeting via video conference with not only the Texans, but the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and Dolphins again.
Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins has video conferences with several teams, including Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, per a league source. He visited Dolphins prior to the NFL shutting down visits
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 15, 2020
That’s a lot of interest and could result in Dobbins getting a boost in his NFL draft status. As it stands right now, most mocks have him going early in the second round, but some have him just making the cut as a late first-rounder. Either he, Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, or Georgia’s D’Andre Swift will most likely be the first running back taken somewhere in that neighborhood.
He’s more than likely going to be the third Buckeye taken off the board (with Damon Arnette also close) behind Chase Young and Jeff Okudah. It’s just a matter of which team likes him enough to pull the trigger.
However, keep an eye on what happens, because with this much interest someone might fall in love with him enough to wheel and deal and lock him into a solid day one pick.