2024 NFL Combine preview: 5 running backs the Detroit Lions should watch

Identifying which running backs the Detroit Lions should be keeping an eye on during the 2024 NFL Combine.

The 2024 NFL Combine officially kicks off on Sunday, February 25, but we won’t see the prospects in action until the on-field drills are televised on Thursday, February 29. Our coverage of this year’s event is underway, as we will be publishing a series of articles previewing each position group and taking you right up to the televised coverage.

So far, we have already previewed which quarterback prospects the Detroit Lions should be scouting, and in this article, we take a look at a handful of running backs that should be on general manager Brad Holmes’ radar.

Team need

The Lions opened the season with four running backs and a fullback on the active roster, but after injuries to Jason Cabinda and Zonovan Knight, the Lions were forced to adjust. They tried a few more RB4s for special teams purposes, but nothing clicked and the Lions ended the season with just three running backs on the active roster.

Currently, the Lions have Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery locked into co-starter roles, Craig Reynolds and Knight (who alternated RB3 and RB4 duties) are exclusive rights free agents, meaning they’ll likely return, and practice squaders Jermar Jefferson and Jake Funk signed futures deals.

While they will likely retain nearly their entire 2023 unit, the Lions are always in the business of upgrading their depth, so it’s possible the Lions could grab yet another running back if the opportunity presents itself.

What to watch for

For running backs, the Lions tend to prefer traits like balance, explosiveness, reaction timing, and passing game contributions. So when watching, keep an eye on their balance through the hips, how they get in and out of their breaks, how quickly they accelerate through cuts, ball location on passing drills, and how natural they are at catching the ball.

Here’s an example of Gibbs in the “Duce Staley drill” from last year’s combine. Notice the elite quickness with his feet, with zero wasted movement, all while maintaining perfect balance. This is teach tape for how to execute this drill.

With the Lions in a good spot with their running backs room, I am suggesting Detroit fans focus on Day 3 or UDFA running back prospects that fit the mold for what the team is looking for. Those preferences include familiarity with gap-blocking schemes (the Lions use both gap and zone, but colleges do not use gap as much) and pass-blocking skills.

Kimani Vidal, Troy (5-foot-8, 215 pounds)

Vidal led the NCAA with 1,661 rushing yards in 2023, with 1056 of them coming after contact, including 19 runs of 15+ yards, and 14 touchdowns. He is comfortable running behind both gap and zone blocking schemes and is just one of two players in college football (Michigan’s Blake Corum the other) to have at least 100 carries in gap blocking scheme each of the last two years.

In the passing game, Vidal’s pass blocking chops are among the best in this class and he earned a 79.3 pass blocking grade from PFF this past season, the highest grade amongst the running backs invited to the combine. He also caught 18 of his 22 targets and turned that into 200 receiving yards.

He’s a decisive runner who gets downhill in a hurry and often plays bigger than his size. He has solid contact balance, protects the ball when delivering stiff arms, and has easy hands in the passing game. Overall, Vidal is a solid RB3 with balance to his game and the upside to warrant a larger role with time.

Cody Schrader, Missouri (5-foot-8 ¹⁄₄, 207 pounds)

Schrader quietly led the SEC in rushing yards with 1,611, trailing only Vidal for the NCAA lead. He accumulated 851 yards after contact, with 18 runs of 15+ yards, and saw about a third of his carries (92) in a gap blocking scheme. As a receiver, he went 21 of 25 for 192 receiving yards but could improve his pass protection, according to PFF, who gave him a 52.9 pass blocking grade in 2023.

Schrader has quick acceleration in and out of his blocking gaps and is tough to tackle when he gets downhill. He has shown nice timing with his cutbacks, doesn’t shy away from contact, and has some power in goal-line situations. He lacks breakaway speed and will get caught hesitating in the backfield when setting up blocks, but there’s a nice balance to his overall game.

Dylan Laube, New Hampshire (5-foot-10, 210 pounds)

Laube saw more production on the ground in 2022 than in 2023, but his contributions through the air more than made up for it. In 2023, Laube was targeted 88 times in the passing game and hauled in 68 receptions for 708 yards. His 65.2 pass protection grade from PFF illustrates all the makings of a third-down back with gadget ability and kick returner range.

With the ball in his hands, he has quite a bit of speed and doesn’t need to throttle down when making cuts or adjusting to passes. He gives off plenty of Danny Woodhead vibes, and it’s rumored that some teams are viewing him as a slot receiver.

Jawhar Jordan, Louisville (5-foot-10, 185 pounds)

If you look at Jordan’s stat line at Louisville—1,123 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns, 15 rushes of 15+ yards, and 21 receptions for 246 receiving yards—it looks solid and in line with a prospect with NFL aspirations. But when you dig a little deeper into his potential, you uncover several intangibles that NFL teams covet in late-round prospects.

At his size, Jordan is ideally more of a complementary back at the next level, but he has speed to burn and is an explosive play waiting to happen. He also has low tread on his tires—only 420 combined career touches—and is a very solid pass protector when put in the right situations. His 57.2 pass blocking grade from PFF is certainly underwhelming, but when you look at PFF’s “true pass sets”—situations where they exclude “plays with less than 4 rushers, play action, screens, short dropbacks, and time-to-throws under 2 seconds”—his pass block grade jumps up to 86.3, which is the third best among combine players.

Dillon Johnson, Washington (6-foot-0, 218 pounds)

After spending three years at Mississippi State, Johnson transferred to Washington in 2023 and earned a starting role. Despite nursing injuries throughout the season, he still managed to rush for 1,189 yards, including 699 yards after contact, 15 rushes of 15+ yards, and 16 touchdowns. Washington ran a lot of gap concepts with Johnson, leading to him having the second most gap blocking rushing attempts (129) in this draft class. In the passing game, he caught 24 of 25 receptions for 190 yards and has caught 172 of his 188 targets over his career. He also had a positive 68.3 pass blocking grade from PFF.

Overall, Johnson is a downhill run with power at the point of contact, can slip through traffic, and demonstrates a high level of intelligence in situational work. He does run a bit tall, lacks breakaway speed, and has some injuries to consider, but there’s upside to his game.