Can this explosive back rebound from a major setback?
Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks was in the midst of a true breakout season as a redshirt sophomore until a torn anterior cruciate ligament derailed everything in November of 2023.
Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, Brooks still is positioned among the top backs in the class, and he should find a willing suitor as early as Day 2. After redshirting as a true freshman in ’21, he went on to see just 32 touches over seven games the next season while playing behind eventual NFL draft picks Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson.
In his 11 appearances last year, Brooks showed off his receiving chops and found the end zone 11 total times on his way to a team-high 1,139 rushing yards and a Second-Team All-Big 12 selection.
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 216 pounds
40 time: 4.45 seconds (unofficial)
Table: RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas (2021-23)
| Year |
School |
Class |
Gm |
Att |
Yds |
Avg |
TD |
Rec |
Yds |
TD |
| 2021 |
Texas |
Fr |
4 |
21 |
143 |
6.8 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
0 |
| *2022 |
Texas |
rFr |
7 |
30 |
197 |
6.6 |
5 |
2 |
37 |
1 |
| *2023 |
Texas |
rSo |
11 |
187 |
1,139 |
6.1 |
10 |
25 |
286 |
1 |
| Totals |
22 |
238 |
1,479 |
6.2 |
16 |
28 |
335 |
2 |
*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)
**player gained extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 pandemic
Pros
- Loose hips make for nifty stacking in the open field — capable of stringing together several moves in rapid succession
- Unique blend of plus speed and size
- More of a burner but plays with plenty of speed as a glider to complement excellent short-area burst — instant access to a new gear in the first few yards
- Excellent contact balance to bounce off would-be tacklers
- Decisiveness as a one-cut back makes him extremely appealing for zone-blocking systems but also has experience in gap-based schemes
- Dangerous in the screen game — catches errant passes, shows patience for blocks to develop, and weaves through traffic as the play unfolds
- Very little mileage on his odometer but was notably productive in his lone season as a starter (eight games) — averaged more than 6.0 yards per carry in all three seasons
- Has the size and functional strength to improve in pass pro
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Cons
- Coming off a torn ACL suffered in November, so he will effectively be redshirted in 2024 — will the injury rob him of some explosiveness in the long run? Does his style open him up for a greater injury probability?
- Plays smaller than he measures, which stands out on tape — struggles to drive through contact and consistently doesn’t play behind his pads
- In 2023, 71.6% of his runs came from shotgun in a talent-laden offense that paved big holes for him — just how effective will he be in the NFL when creases are smaller, defenders are faster, and fewer snaps come from the ‘gun
- Being picky, he could improve his willingness to take what the defense gives him
- Limited blocking skills and will be tasked with significantly improving technique in the pros
Fantasy football outlook
Presuming he recovers A-OK from knee reconstruction, Brooks has the tools needed to matter for fantasy purposes even if he garners a small workload. He’s not exactly a home run threat, but the former Longhorn has proven he’s good for a chunk play nearly each time he touches the ball.
Given the injury situation, trying to figure out where he winds up is a low-accuracy guessing game. He should be a reserve in Year 1 who is eased into late-season action once the knee can be trusted again, and then his employer will likely give Brooks a shot to earn a starting spot in 2025. Dynasty leaguers should bump him up their rankings a few notches, and 2024 single-league drafters can treat Brooks as merely a late-round curiosity.
