Determined Runner Raheim Sanders Mocked First Round

Arkansas running back (RB) Raheim “Rocket” Sanders is one of the most determined runners I’ve seen. In fact, I would list this as his top trait.

When I was with the Jets, one of Bill Parcells’ critical factors of scouting was “Is football important to him?”

Clearly, when you watch Sanders run on game film, the answer is a resounding yes.

He runs with purpose, and that’s a trait the greats have had. You can actually see on film he wants to score every time he touches the ball by the way he runs.

Defenses better bring their “A” game when attempting to bring him down. Arm tacklers need not apply for the job of stopping him due to the fact his favorite hobby is breaking tackles.

What constitutes a first-round running back?

Back when I was growing up, running backs were coveted in the three yards and a cloud of dust league I watched back then. It was common to see running backs go high in the draft.

That was then – – and this is now.

The NFL these days is about two things, passing and stopping the pass, which has caused the value of running backs to decrease. That’s why we saw RB Breece Hall and RB Kenneth Walker III not go until the second round of the draft in 2022.

Why and how RBs Bijan Robinson (ATL) and Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) went first-round this past draft, I’ll never know.

When scouting potential first-round backs, they need to have something extra, that coveted second gear and home run speed to go the distance.

Does Sanders have these two attributes?

No question, he has some real get-up-and-go. Sanders explodes into the second level of a defense (where the linebackers lineup pre-snap) like he was shot out of a cannon, hence his nickname.

It’s not every play if he hits a wall of tacklers, but it’s common.

As for the home-run hitting speed, he sure has the speed to hit triples, to put it in baseball terms.

Late first round (25-32) is where Sanders is sitting on my board for the time being. I really like him. I didn’t like how he got bottled up against LSU (12 carries for 46 yards), but the rest of the time, I did.

Playmaker

Why do I like him?

That word right there – – playmaker.

Sanders selflessly slams it into defenders as many times as he’s asked, but look out because every now and again he will find a crease or simply bust out of a tackle and run to daylight.

He brings star power to an offense. It’s his vibe. He’s got “that something special.” It’s spray painted all over his game film and it was enough to make a 4:32 highlight tape last season. That’s good enough for me. The name “Garrison Hearst,” (No. 55 all-time RB yardage leader) went through my mind while watching Sanders despite the fact Sanders has more height and weight.

#5 Raheim Sanders 6-foot-2, 237 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 37.5% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of August 10, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Game film reviewed (2022): South Carolina, Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Alabama, Ole Miss, and LSU (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 rushing stats: 222 carries for 1,443 yards (6.5-yard avg.), 76-long, 10 TD

2022 receiving stats: 28 receptions for 271 yards (9.7-yard avg.), 73-long, 2 TD

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Lean and muscular framed shifty explosive battering ram with good hands. Tremendous short-area acceleration. Nothing wasted. Nifty wiggly runner. More disciplined than instinctive in finding holes. Violent. Great second-effort runner. Fights for every yard. Gets into the second level a lot. Big play capability. Good, but not great long-distance speed. More effective bouncing it outside than purely winning the edges. Not a fumbler. Willing and selfless blocker for blitz pickup and downfield. Good catch radius and is just as hard to bring down in space. Three fumbles total last season. Moves the meter.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Back-to-back big seasons?

2. Stays healthy?

3. Consistency in rushing totals game-by-game?

4. Receiving production increase?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.