Alabama RB T.J. Yeldon to declare for NFL Draft per report
By Peter Smith
Sources tell @ClowESPN that Amari Cooper and T.J. Yeldon plan to enter the NFL draft, joining Landon Collins: http://t.co/muOQRR13TS
— Alex Scarborough (@AlexS_ESPN) January 8, 2015
Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon will announce he is forgoing his final year of eligibility and declare for the 2015 NFL Draft. Yeldon is the next in line of the productive Crimson Tide running backs that has been producing since he was a freshman. While the hype of his freshman year has not quite matched the production, Yeldon does have some traits that will make him a desirable back in the draft.
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The 2015 class of running backs is extremely talented and will be incredibly competitive which makes the decision of Yeldon to look a little curious. However, Yeldon may have seen the writing on the wall and may lose touches were he to stay for another year. Derrick Henry had clearly become the feature back in their offense and they always have another young player coming.
Nevertheless, in both Bama’s offense and potentially in the NFL, Yeldon’s ability to block in pass protection and catch passes out of the backfield are valuable. Even though noticeably hampered with an injury in the Sugar Bowl, Yeldon was still called upon to stay in pass protect for quarterback Blake Sims, especially when the Tide needed to come back from a deficit. He also offers the advantages of being a big and powerful back, but there are questions as to how dynamic he can be at the next level as a ball carrier. Yeldon makes one of three members of the Tide reportedly declaring today along with wide reciver Amari Cooper and safety Landon Collins.