Tag: Jonathon Brooks 2024 nfl draft

Rookie RB Jonathon Brooks could be the playmaker the Panthers desperately need

The Carolina Panthers are in desperate need of playmakers, and here’s why Dave Canales’ offense could run through rookie Jonathon Brooks.

The Panthers are more in need of playmakers than most NFL teams right now — that’s something new GM Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales know all too well. Getting South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette with the 32nd overall pick in the first round was a good call, as Legette is a home run play waiting to happen. But don’t underestimate the addition of Texas running back Jonathon Brooks with the 46th overall pick in the second round.

Canales, who spent last season as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator and was therefore in charge of Rachaad White’s place in that offense (only Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers had more carries last season than White’s 299, and White also had 69 catches on 78 targets in 2023), has no issue leaning heavily on one back — as long as that back is the right back.

“Our system calls for a back that can be used, of course, just in a traditional way, hand it to him,” Canales said after Brooks was selected. “Then, how can we get this player in space? Being able to get him in perimeter screens and checkdowns. We got a really cool empty package where we use the backs, flex them out to get matchups, things like that.”

“He’s a bigger back, he’s got range. There’s so much that he brings from a versatility standpoint, that’s probably the biggest thing that stood out and then just vision, patience, contact balance, acceleration, like he’s got it all, he’s the best back in this class.”

Brooks lined up outside on 4% of his snaps in 2023, and in the slot 1% of the time. He had no targets in 2023 outside of the backfield. But Canales’ point about Taylor and perimeter screens rings true. He was dynamic from the backfield to gain serious yards after catch with quick passes. This 73-yard gain against TCU proves the theory.

Carolina Panthers select Texas RB Jonathon Brooks with the 46th overall pick. Grade: B+

Texas’ Jonathon Brooks gives the Panthers a three-down back, and a true offensive weapon.

Fanbases of positionally needy teams tend to rend their garments when those teams take running backs early in a draft, but Texas’ Jonathon Brooks is no ordinary back, and he is the top player at his position on my board. His combination of size, speed, scheme-transcendent running style, and production gives the Panthers the every-down back they need. Brooks is an explosive play waiting to happen, and the Panthers need that desperately, wherever it comes from.

Jonathon Brooks was a four-star recruit out of Hallettsville High School in Hallettsville, Texas, and he chose the Longhorns after wanting to attend Texas A&M, but the coaching staff there reportedly thought he was too small, so that was that. Brooks had limited opportunities in his first two collegiate seasons, but that changed in 2023, when he rushed 187 times for 1,135 yards and 10 touchdowns. Brooks had 16 runs of 15 yards or more and he forced 63 missed tackles on those 187 carries, which is a pretty good summary of his playing personality.

Now, Brooks isn’t a pure power runner at 6′ 0⅜” and 216 pounds; he’s more versatile than that. But I do wonder if he’ll be downgraded by some NFL teams because he doesn’t have a pure headbanging style on the field.

PLUSES

— Can win in gap and inside zone concepts, but Brooks is an expert outside zone runner with quick vision and reaction to gaps, and the speed and acceleration to pick up extra yards outside.

— Vision and acceleration extends to the second and third levels, where he’ll change directions in a flash to get out of traffic from linebackers and safeties.

— Has the patience when needed to wait for blocks to develop, and then, it’s off to the races.

— 732 of his 1,135 rushing yards in 2023 came after contact; his 6′ 0⅜”, 216 pound frame shows up as a positive to a point in power situations.

— Brings an impressive arsenal of jukes and jump cuts, especially when running inside.

— Has some juice and YAC potential as a receiver out of the backfield, and the athletic traits to extend that to the slot.

MINUSES

— Most of Brooks’ yards after contact are created through speed and wiggle and defenders ankle-tackling him on the way to paydirt; he’s not a Derrick Henry-type bulldozer.

— Brooks’ NFL team will want to talk to him about better pass-blocking pretty quickly. He’ll bounce off blocks when he needs to engage.

— More smooth and gliding than aggressive and powerful.

— Brooks isn’t going to win a lot of scrums where he comes out of the other end of a dogpile at full speed.

Maybe you’d like a back of Brooks’ size to understand a bit more how to use that size to overwhelm defenders. On the other hand, guys this size with his juice to and through the open field don’t grow on trees. Any NFL team leading with outside zone as the fulcrum of its run game would be quite happy with what Brooks brings to the table.