The Baltimore Ravens have no shortage of talent at the running back position. They unfortunately don’t have the services of Gus Edwards or J.K. Dobbins in 2021 due to season-ending torn ACL injuries that the pair suffered, but they have both shown that they are two of the better backs in the NFL. In their stead, players such as Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, Le’Veon Bell and Ty’Son Williams have been carrying the load.
In their latest 2022 NFL mock draft, the Bleacher Report NFL Scouting Department made a selection for each and every first round pick. When picking for Baltimore, Nate Tice decided to give the team yet another running back in Iowa State University’s Breece Hall. When explaining the pick, Tice talked about how Hall could fit in with what the Ravens do on offense.
“Breece Hall’s size, vision and explosiveness would let him shine in any run scheme…Putting him with quarterback Lamar Jackson and a healthy Dobbins would give the Ravens’ rushing attack a true downhill option that synergizes the unit and would give it the pieces to go supernova.”
Hall has rushed for 3,454 yards and 42 total touchdowns in his two-plus years at Iowa State, including a whopping 985 yards 12 touchdowns on the ground through eight games in 2021, averaging 8.0 yards per carry. He has been a very high usage player however, with 644 carries since starting his college career.
The Iowa State star stands at 6-foot-1 and weight around 215 pounds. He has good footwork and excellent burst, while also being able to break tackles using his balance. He is a receiving threat out of the backfield as well, giving him true three-down back potential.
While Hall is certainly an exciting prospect, drafting a running back in the first round would be a questionable decision at best for a Baltimore team that has so many other holes to address on both sides of the ball, especially considering they used a second-round selection on Dobbins two years ago. It would make a lot more sense to see the Ravens draft a player at offensive tackle, defensive lineman, cornerback, or other positions.