2018 NFL Draft: Mid And Late Round Running Backs Part 2

Phillip Lindsay

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Phillip Lindsay is a quick, high effort runner with good vision and explosiveness that could be a late round gem for a team in need of a pass-catching running back in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Phillip Lindsay is an explosive running back with good lateral agility, burst, and top end speed. He does a good job of varying his speeds while running to make pursuit angles difficult, both to the sideline and in open field. His lateral agility is very impressive and allows him to make some nice cutbacks at the line of scrimmage as well as make defenders miss in open field.

He does a good job of finding lanes at the line of scrimmage and uses patience to allow things to open up in front of him. His exceptional acceleration complements his patience, ensuring that he can let his blocks set up and not take too long to the line of scrimmage.

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Lindsay runs hard and displays good effort, but his balance through contact is below average. He is frequently brought down by arm tackles and doesn’t have the size to power through contact for extra yards. Lindsay’s body control helps him to occasionally minimize contact and fall forward, but he isn’t going to break many tackles, especially at the NFL level.

Lindsay was a strong contributor in the passing game in Colorado. He catches the ball well and does his best work in space. He was utilized split out as a receiver, and his speed and agility helped him create mismatches against linebackers. He doesn’t have particularly strong hands, but he watches the ball in and doesn’t have many focus drops. Additionally, he puts in good effort and shows ability in pass protection, something that is surprising for someone his size.

Lindsay may never be able to bang the ball consistently between the tackles due to his small size, lack of power, and below average balance through contact, but he is very good in space and could find a role in the running game at the NFL level. As a receiver, Phillip Lindsay offers a skill set that could translate immediately. He still needs to do some work on his routes, but his athleticism suggests that he is fully capable of being an above-average route runner at the NFL level.

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About the Author

Sean Lanigan
I love fantasy football, fantasy baseball, music, books, video games, and all things nerd. I'm a big football fan and a bigger Detroit Lions fan. I was born in Michigan but have spent the vast majority of my life living in Viking and Packer country. If you are a Lions fan in Minnesota, hit me up, and let's watch some football.