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RB Kenneth Gainwell, PHI (1 Viewer)

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Memphis redshirt sophomore RB Kenneth Gainwell has officially declared for the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Gainwell (5'11/190) opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, as multiple family members tested positive for the virus. In late-August it was reported that the redshirt sophomore would turn pro, but it wasn't official until he made his announcement Monday morning. Gainwell was outstanding in 2019, as he helped lead the Tigers to an American Athletic Conference title by rushing for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was also an effective pass-catcher, reeling in 51 passes for another 610 yards and three touchdowns. Even with his not playing in 2020, Gainwell should be a Day 2 selection this spring. 

SOURCE: Kenneth Gainwell on Twitter

Jan 18, 2021, 12:20 PM ET

 
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Multiple outlets are reporting that Memphis redshirt sophomore RB Kenneth Gainwell will opt out of the season and declare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Earlier on Sunday, it was reported that star LSU WR Ja'Marr Chase would be opting out. Gainwell (5'11/190) looks to likewise be bowing out of the coming college season before it has gotten off the ground. The explosive speedster only has one real year of film for evaluators to dissect, but it was an electric one. Gainwell rushed for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns last fall. He also put in a 51-610-3 receiving line. The Athletic's Dane Brugler ranks the Memphis standout as his No. 4 draft-eligible back for next spring. Gainwell probably won't have enough juice to push into Round 1 -- especially given the general devaluation of running backs by the NFL -- but he'll very much be in range for a Day 2 selection assuming a clean evaluation process.

SOURCE: Daily Memphian

Aug 30, 2020, 6:08 PM ET

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Speaking with Fran Duffy on the 'Journey to the Draft' podcast, The Athletic's Ben Fennell compared Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell to Philadelphia Eagles RB Miles Sanders.

Fennell sees shades of Sanders in Gainwell's ability to work as a weapon both as a traditional ball-carrier and a pass-catcher. Sanders wasn't the only comp tossed out in this episode of the podcast, either. Dane Brugler, who like Fennell writes for The Athletic, forwarded a Devin Singletary comparison due to the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Gainwell's instincts for the game, while Duffy tossed out Aaron Jones and Kareem Hunt. Duffy went on to note that he expects Gainwell to have a "really easy transition to the NFL" due to his versatility and elusiveness. Gainwell, who opted out of the 2020 college season at the end of August, is a potential Day 2 selection for next spring's draft.

SOURCE: Journey to the Draft

Sep 9, 2020, 12:07 PM ET

 
Top Three Running Backs in the NFL Draft

Excerpt:

3. Kenneth Gainwell

The final running back of the top three running backs in the NFL draft is Kenneth Gainwell. Gainwell isn’t as well-known as the running backs listed above because he played for a smaller school in Memphis. Make no mistake, even though he went to a smaller school, he is an outrageously good player.

Gainwell did opt out of this past season, so he has only played one full college season, but he made the most out of it. In that season, he had 1,459 rushing yards, 610 receiving yards, and 16 total touchdowns. Gainwell was an electric playmaker. Like Etienne, Gainwell can easily be compared to the NFL’s top receiving backs, but a better comparison for Gainwell is Tarik Cohen.

Gainwell is on the smaller side, but he has many other skills that make up for it. He is so quick, he is explosive, has good vision, and can make defenders look foolish. Also, as seen in the statistics, Gainwell is also a very good receiving threat. With that in mind, many times throughout his career he was uncoverable.

Gainwell has all the traits and skills that are desired by general managers. He is a dangerous weapon and can reach his full potential, with a coach that is an offensive genius.  A versatile, athletic player is one that can’t be forgotten about. Therefore, though he might not be taken in the second round, teams have to seriously consider the idea of taking him in the third round.

 
Gainwell is one of my favorite players in this draft, but I don't think I could justify taking him ahead of Javonte Williams.
Same here. I thought Gainwell looked electric in his game highlights, but he's apparently too small and doesn't run well enough between the tackles to be a three-down back in the NFL, two complaints you don't hear about Williams.

 
Gainwell is one of my favorite players in this draft, but I don't think I could justify taking him ahead of Javonte Williams.


Same here. I thought Gainwell looked electric in his game highlights, but he's apparently too small and doesn't run well enough between the tackles to be a three-down back in the NFL, two complaints you don't hear about Williams.
The article was written by a high school student, so take that for what it's worth.

 
The article was written by a high school student, so take that for what it's worth.
I had missed that.  Thanks.  To be fair, he wrote a pretty good article, and while I disagree with his ranking of Gainwell ahead of Williams, I have seen worse reaches written by professional journalists.

 
I also have Javonte Williams ranked ahead of Kenneth Gainwell; however, a lot of places have Gainwell ranked as the 4th, 5th or 6th ranked 2021 RB draft prospect, so it seems like he is well regarded by the draft pundits.

 
Same here. I thought Gainwell looked electric in his game highlights, but he's apparently too small and doesn't run well enough between the tackles to be a three-down back in the NFL, two complaints you don't hear about Williams.
This just screams David Johnson again though doesn't it? Not so great between the tackles, explosive in space, fantastic pass catcher. Just using another guy from the same school, that's the difference between Antonio Gibson and him. Gibson was a grinder, with the 3 down skillset. His ceiling is much higher.

Gainwell looks to be an athlete playing in open space, more than a RB. Not a bad thing, but it does add some caution to his projection for me. Plus the 190 pounds thing is a concern. Kind of a plus version of James White.

 
Gibson was a grinder, with the 3 down skillset.
Gibson wasn't a grinder until he got to the pros. He was a guy that didn't even get that many touches at Memphis because Gainwell was the designated grinder in 2019. This doesn't comport with the history of the two. People forget Gainwell started over Gibson. Gibson was drafted on Day 2 by the WFT and people thought it was a reach due to the fact that he'd never gotten many touches and WFT planned on playing him at running back, which wasn't even his natural position. He had to learn to run between the tackles this year, and he's still a work in progress. Not sure where this comes from.

You're right, though, about one thing. Gibson's ceiling is higher, or at least seems to be. He's got more mass behind him and can be a three-down back. But this year's early-down workhorse role was the aberration for Gibson given his collegiate career.

 
Gibson wasn't a grinder until he got to the pros. He was a guy that didn't even get that many touches at Memphis because Gainwell was the designated grinder in 2019. This doesn't comport with the history of the two. People forget Gainwell started over Gibson. Gibson was drafted on Day 2 by the WFT and people thought it was a reach due to the fact that he'd never gotten many touches and WFT planned on playing him at running back, which wasn't even his natural position. He had to learn to run between the tackles this year, and he's still a work in progress. Not sure where this comes from.

You're right, though, about one thing. Gibson's ceiling is higher, or at least seems to be. He's got more mass behind him and can be a three-down back. But this year's early-down workhorse role was the aberration for Gibson given his collegiate career.
Gibson was the guy who didn’t get carries because Gainwell was their preferred ball carrier. I know he’s small but in the right spot he could be electric. Somewhere that uses him like GB has used Aaron Jones. 

 
Gibson was the guy who didn’t get carries because Gainwell was their preferred ball carrier. I know he’s small but in the right spot he could be electric. Somewhere that uses him like GB has used Aaron Jones. 
Yep. Exactly. Now that may mean that Memphis was running a system more conducive to having a smaller back be their every down back, and I think that's part of it, but Gainwell was preferred over Gibson. (There was something I read along the way about Memphis's scheme that would attest to the smaller back thing being true, I just can't find it.)

 
Yep. Exactly. Now that may mean that Memphis was running a system more conducive to having a smaller back be their every down back, and I think that's part of it, but Gainwell was preferred over Gibson. (There was something I read along the way about Memphis's scheme that would attest to the smaller back thing being true, I just can't find it.)
Right they also chose Henderson over Gibson though it’s still odd because Gibson isnt a plodder, he’s explosive. 

 
Right they also chose Henderson over Gibson though it’s still odd because Gibson isnt a plodder, he’s explosive. 
Yeah, he's a really good back that's still learning and raw, and WFT should be patting themselves on the back for the pick. It'll be something else when he gets involved in their passing game, which he strangely wasn't this year aside from one or two games tops.

 
Dane Brugler of The Athletic recently described Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell as a "versatile rushing/receiving threat with instinctive playmaking skills." 

Gainwell (5'11/190), who opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, is ranked fourth on Brugler's list of the top running backs in this draft class. And with NFL teams placing a higher priority on versatility in the backfield, Gainwell is an intriguing prospect. "He proved himself as a productive pass-catcher in college, but his blocking leaves a lot to be desired," Brugler wrote in his analysis. "Overall, Gainwell lacks ideal size and body power, which leads to durability and usage concerns, but he is a versatile rushing/receiving threat with instinctive playmaking skills, projecting as a scheme-versatile offensive weapon." Multiple draft analysts view Gainwell as a potential Day 2 selection in this spring's draft. 

SOURCE: The Athletic 

Feb 22, 2021, 3:32 PM ET

 
Tigers Football Insider: Gainwell receives high praise from prominent NFL scout

The 2021 NFL Draft is nearly two months away, and former Memphis running back Kenneth Gainwell could hear his name called early.

As scouts are getting deeper and deeper into their evaluation of prospects, one prominent one had high praise for Gainwell on Twitter.

The NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had this to say after breaking down some of Gainwell’s film: “Sign me up for Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell! Vision, burst and contact balance. He can line up in slot or out wide too. True three down value.”

It’s high praise from one of the sports’ most respected scouts. In 2019, Gainwell rushed for 1,459 yards while adding 610 receiving yards.

He finished with 16 total touchdowns while helping lead the Tigers to an AAC Championship. Gainwell opted out of the 2020 season but is still regarded as a Top 50 prospect by most.

Expect him to be off the board no later than Round Three.

 
He looks alright to me, but not special.  Last year I thought Antonio Gibson popped off the screen when I watched his college highlights.

 
2021 NFL draft: Can 165-pound Tutu Atwell thrive among the big boys?

Excerpt:

84. Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell

5-foot-11, 195 pounds

Yahoo Sports draft grade: 5.77 — potential starter

TL;DR scouting report: Highly productive, undersized and inexperienced weapon out of the backfield who can also boost a passing game

Games watched: Ole Miss (2019), South Alabama (2019), Tulane (2019), Penn State (2019)

The skinny: A 3-star Rivals recruit (after playing QB in high school), Gainwell committed to the Tigers initially as a receiver but played the first four games of his freshman season at running back — even rushing for a 72-yard TD vs. Georgia State — before redshirting. (The Tigers featured Patrick Taylor, Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard in the backfield that year). In 2019, he became Memphis’ leading rusher, even keeping Washington Football Team 2020 third-rounder Antonio Gibson at receiver more often. Gainwell gained 2,069 yards from scrimmage (1,459 rushing, 610 receiving) and scored 16 TDs (13 rushing, three receiving), earning AAC Rookie of the Year honors and named first-team all-conference. He opted out of the 2020 season and declared early for the 2021 draft.

Upside: Outstanding production in small sample size. Big-play machine — registered 23 plays of 20-plus yards in 2019, tied for third in the country that season behind LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase (29) and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and tied with Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden Jr. Had a gain of at least 25 or more yards in 12 of 14 games that season.

Really nice initial burst, light feet and change-of-direction skill. Has a knack for making the first defender miss. Subtle cuts in tight quarters make him a tricky tackle. Slashing running style to work back against the grain — always looking for a back door to escape from.

Took snaps as “Wildcat” QB (was a run-first QB in high school), lined up in the slot and out wide and was featured in the backfield. Some NFL teams have kicked around the idea of moving him to slot receiver.

Talented pass catcher who grabs the ball in stride and can run a diverse route tree for a back. Surprisingly effective in pass protection — scans the front well and typically finds the leaks he needs to plug. Check out this whopper of a shoulder chip Gainwell gives Penn State’s Micah Parsons in the 2019 bowl game:

(click on the link to see the video)

Tough and determined. Runs hard and scraps for every extra inch. Against Ole Miss, Gainwell turns what could have been a 3-yard gain into a 10-yarder and a first down, slipping past one tackle and breaking two more:

(click on the link to see the video)

Handled heavy workload in 2019 — averaged more than 20 touches per game. Plenty of tread left on his tires — only 292 career touches and he preserved his body in 2020. Good ball security, too — zero lost fumbles in his career (did put two balls on the ground that Memphis recovered).

Ate up a solid Tulane defense in 2019 on 18 rushes, 104 yards, TD; nine catches, 203, two scores — becoming the first player since 1997 to surpass 100 yards rushing yards and 200 receiving in a game.

Downside: Inexperienced. Gainwell has only 723 college snaps in 18 games. One-year starter — it will be close to 20 months since his last game when he next takes the field. Effectiveness waned down the stretch in 2019. Might never be a volume back in the NFL. Hardly used on special teams — unclear if he even has return potential.

Good but hardly game-breaking long speed — won’t outrun DBs. Lean frame that might not have much more room for added body armor. Played with admirable fearlessness but might need to better protect himself to ensure a longer career. Like Tarik Cohen early in his NFL career, Gainwell must avoid contact better. Has a slot receiver’s build.

Pacing as a runner could be better — sometimes presses the hole too fast or doesn’t wait for blocks to develop. Not overly creative in open spaces.

Typically displayed good, reliable hands but also guilty of a few ugly drops in 2019. Effective at chip blocking and unafraid of contact but could do a better job squaring up — NFL defenders will adjust to his high shoulders.

Best-suited destination: Gainwell would be ideal in a zone-blocking system as a runner and used heavily as a receiver. It’s not that he can’t run inside, but for self-preservation purposes, giving him a measured workload and not asking him to ram it inside 10-12 times a game feels like the best plan. He also could work out of the slot and be effective on trick plays. A team such as the New York Jets or New England Patriots that need to generate yards any way they can would do well by considering Gainwell.

Did you know: One of Gainwell’s brothers, Kory, joined the Tigers football team prior to the 2020 season. Another brother, Curtis Jr., suffered a stroke while weightlifting as he tried to be a walk-on at Southern Mississippi. The stroke has led to multiple brain surgeries and ended Curtis’ football career.

Player comp: Similar prospect to 2019 seventh-rounder Myles Gaskin but with more upside as a receiver.

Expected draft range: Top-100 pick

 
Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell ran the 40-yard dash in an unofficial 4.42 seconds during Friday's pro day.

Not only did Gainwell show off his wheels on Friday -- the latest in an extending line of superbly athletic Memphis backs -- but he also showed off respectable strength with 21 reps on the bench press. As for how Gainwell is being viewed, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah is particularly enamored with the 5-foot-11, 201-pounder's vision, burst and balance, while The Athletic's Dane Brugler ranks Gainwell as his No. 4 running back prospect in this class. You can reasonably expect Gainwell to be drafted at some point on Day 2 next month, unless a team really, truly falls in love and pushes him to a surprise first-round selection.

SOURCE: Travis May on Twitter

Mar 19, 2021, 12:23 PM ET

 
If he can run a 4.3 or lower, then I'm in. Otherwise, I've seen better versions of this guy fail in the NFL. He might have value in PPR leagues if he goes to the right offense. Imagine this guy going to Buffalo who lacks a real "slasher" on a screen or quick slant.

He's a weapon. Not really a runner. Very poor man's Deandre Swift seems like a good barometer at the moment.

 
If he can run a 4.3 or lower, then I'm in. Otherwise, I've seen better versions of this guy fail in the NFL. He might have value in PPR leagues if he goes to the right offense. Imagine this guy going to Buffalo who lacks a real "slasher" on a screen or quick slant.

He's a weapon. Not really a runner. Very poor man's Deandre Swift seems like a good barometer at the moment.
😮  Those are pretty high expectations (<4.3)!  Gainwell clocked in at a very respectable 4.42. To put that into perspective, Travis Etienne checked in just a couple of ticks faster, at 4.40.  

 
If he can run a 4.3 or lower, then I'm in. Otherwise, I've seen better versions of this guy fail in the NFL. He might have value in PPR leagues if he goes to the right offense. Imagine this guy going to Buffalo who lacks a real "slasher" on a screen or quick slant.

He's a weapon. Not really a runner. Very poor man's Deandre Swift seems like a good barometer at the moment.
That would be Chris Johnson speed.

As for the comp, he's a lot bigger than Swift at 5'11". Swift is 5'8". He should be able to carry more weight than Swift, too, depending on frame. Not sure that's the comp you're looking for. It's weird. Every year we hear about size and all that. He should be plenty big enough at 200 lbs. to carry a bit of a load in the pros. Is he going to be a twenty-five touch per game kind of guy? No. But he should get his 15-18 if a coach really wants. Talent + Opportunity = Rocketship!

I'm in on Gainwell in the later first round.

 
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Yeah I think his pass catching gets him taken on day 2. Clearing 200 lbs also helps him. 

 
He should go on Day 2, middle of Round 3 at the latest.
I think so as well, unless a bunch of NFL teams are just super caught up with thinking a player who opted out and missed a year is to risky I just can't see him not being a day two pick.

For me right now I got a big 3 and then a top two tier right behind them. Gainwell is half of that top tier right behind the big 3 for me.....of course post-NFL draft this take means very little.

 
I learned today that he weighed in at 201 at his proday. I had him in my notes at 184, don't ask me where I got that. But I don't see his proday numbers anywhere above, maybe I missed it. But here they are:

Height: 5-foot-10 3/4
Weight: 201 pounds
40-yard-dash: 4.42 seconds
Bench press: 21 

This has some good highlights:
https://www.draftsharks.com/article/dynasty-prospect-scouting-report--kenneth-gainwell

At basically 5'11" that is still probably too light for me, but he does seem elite in every other aspect. I am definitely bumping him up a little.

As for the talk about him holding off Gibson at Memphis, I think that is wildly misplaced. It is the Washington Football Team that decided to turn him into a RB with limited usage in college. That story can neither be used to endorse Gainwell nor can it be used to downgrade Gibson. He played WR in college and was used sparingly at RB. It's not like we're going to hold it *against* Gainwell that he did so well in 2019, but it shouldn't be because the guy nobody believed could play RB in the NFL all the sudden is doing so at an elite level. It doesn't hurt though.

I read Gainwell lost 4 family members to COVID which factored into his opt out. I imagine NFL teams will give him a pass on this. I would hope.

 
I learned today that he weighed in at 201 at his proday. I had him in my notes at 184, don't ask me where I got that. But I don't see his proday numbers anywhere above, maybe I missed it. But here they are:

Height: 5-foot-10 3/4
Weight: 201 pounds
40-yard-dash: 4.42 seconds
Bench press: 21 

This has some good highlights:
https://www.draftsharks.com/article/dynasty-prospect-scouting-report--kenneth-gainwell

At basically 5'11" that is still probably too light for me, but he does seem elite in every other aspect. I am definitely bumping him up a little.

As for the talk about him holding off Gibson at Memphis, I think that is wildly misplaced. It is the Washington Football Team that decided to turn him into a RB with limited usage in college. That story can neither be used to endorse Gainwell nor can it be used to downgrade Gibson. He played WR in college and was used sparingly at RB. It's not like we're going to hold it *against* Gainwell that he did so well in 2019, but it shouldn't be because the guy nobody believed could play RB in the NFL all the sudden is doing so at an elite level. It doesn't hurt though.

I read Gainwell lost 4 family members to COVID which factored into his opt out. I imagine NFL teams will give him a pass on this. I would hope.
I prefer Michael Carter over Gainwell.  Both are smallish, but I believe Carter is the better runner and Gainwell the better receiver, but Carter runs good routes also and catches the ball well.  I just see Carter's vision as the tiebreaker and that I think Gainwell has a higher chance at a 5 to 7 touch guy with a few receptions.  While that may help in PPR leagues, it's not something I want to spend a 1st on at the end of the first round.

 
I prefer Michael Carter over Gainwell.  Both are smallish, but I believe Carter is the better runner and Gainwell the better receiver, but Carter runs good routes also and catches the ball well.  I just see Carter's vision as the tiebreaker and that I think Gainwell has a higher chance at a 5 to 7 touch guy with a few receptions.  While that may help in PPR leagues, it's not something I want to spend a 1st on at the end of the first round.
I'm probably coming around on Carter. I think he is elite aside from the size. That might be ok. Basically the same with Gainwell. NFL draft is going to shake the rest of this out. I'm trying not to overanalyze this, but I am trying to do just a little bit of final due dilligence before going off the grid for a couple weeks, and in the same way you alluded to elsewhere. Which is to reexamine my own biases and opinions on a few of these guys. I've basically bumped Carter and Gainwell (and Pitts). A few others have bumped down but I'm about to close the doors and turn out the lights. It doesn't belong here but FWIW I am 100% with you on the WR6 stuff.

 
With the 81 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select...Kenneth Gainwell, Running Back, Memphis. 

-He is going to be one of the best backs coming out in the Draft, he has as good a chance as anyone drafted 2-3-4 spots ahead of him. He can catch and that makes him more interesting IMO and more versatile for different offenses. 

51 catches for 600+ yds in 2019, 2,000+ combined yds and 16 TDs, if he had opted to play in 2020 we might be talking about him like the 2nd or 3rd RB off the board. He is a complete steal, whoever gets him. 

 
With the 81 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select...Kenneth Gainwell, Running Back, Memphis. 

-He is going to be one of the best backs coming out in the Draft, he has as good a chance as anyone drafted 2-3-4 spots ahead of him. He can catch and that makes him more interesting IMO and more versatile for different offenses. 

51 catches for 600+ yds in 2019, 2,000+ combined yds and 16 TDs, if he had opted to play in 2020 we might be talking about him like the 2nd or 3rd RB off the board. He is a complete steal, whoever gets him. 
I like Gainwell, but I’m not convinced he’s a good enough runner, especially between the tackles.  He is viable in PPR leagues, but aren’t you worried about how much work he will get?  I know I am.

 
I like Gainwell, but I’m not convinced he’s a good enough runner, especially between the tackles.  He is viable in PPR leagues, but aren’t you worried about how much work he will get?  I know I am.
Agreed.  I worry he's one of these guys that gets 4-5 catches a game, and 1-2 carries.  He'll give you some good PPR games.  If you're non-PPR, you're trying to pick and choose when he's going to hit.  I don't love those situations.  

 
With the 81 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select...Kenneth Gainwell, Running Back, Memphis. 

-He is going to be one of the best backs coming out in the Draft, he has as good a chance as anyone drafted 2-3-4 spots ahead of him. He can catch and that makes him more interesting IMO and more versatile for different offenses. 

51 catches for 600+ yds in 2019, 2,000+ combined yds and 16 TDs, if he had opted to play in 2020 we might be talking about him like the 2nd or 3rd RB off the board. He is a complete steal, whoever gets him. 
Not a knock on Gainwell but the RBs that are projected to go ahead of him (Harris, Etienne, Williams and possibly Carter) are all good in the receiving game as well.

 
I like Gainwell, but I’m not convinced he’s a good enough runner, especially between the tackles.  He is viable in PPR leagues, but aren’t you worried about how much work he will get?  I know I am.
Who is work load dependent on? That could be the deciding facto but i respect your POV and opinion JonnyU, much appreciated. 

 
Who is work load dependent on? That could be the deciding facto but i respect your POV and opinion JonnyU, much appreciated. 
I hope I'm not sleeping on Gainwell.  I loved him about 3 months ago, but have since convinced myself he will be a 3rd down back, with very few carries, but very good in the receiving game.  I've warmed up to Carter more because I think he's a better runner with better vision and is also a good route runner.  Please talk me out of this before it's too late :)

 
Eagles selected Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell with the No. 150 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Gainwell (5’8/201) was a three-star recruit (initially as a receiver) and two-year contributor in Memphis’ backfield featuring Antonio Gibson, Darrell Henderson, and Tony Pollard. Because of his size and the competition within the depth chart, 20% of his 2019 snaps came at receiver or as a wild cat. He had a 51-610-3 receiving line as a redshirt freshman that season, adding 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns on 219 carries (6.3 YPC). That would be the last of his college career because of a COVID-19 opt out. Overall, Gainwell took advantage of the Tigers’ spread attack and non-Power 5 schedule, but his forgettable athleticism (4.47 forty and 7.26 three cone) for a 201-pound back likely gives him a passing-down projection at the next level. His closest comparables are receiving backs Nyheim Hines and DeAndre Washington. Philadelphia will likely look to use him as it did with Darren Sproles on both offense and special teams.

May 1, 2021, 2:08 PM ET

 
Gainwell could make an immediate impact as a 3rd down back. He catches like a WR, back shoulder, 7 route, and on flat routes gets upfield without slowing down. He gained 10 pounds during the 2020 opt-out season, and still ran in the 4.4s at pro-day. He was a high school quarterback, with only 1 full season at RB in college. With the extra weight, he might get better at breaking tackles, which was one of his supposed weaknesses. The experts say he decent at pass protection. I wish Miami had drafted him for his big play ability.

 

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