With The First Pick
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5 2020 NFL Draft prospects who could be surprise first round picks

By Cory Kinnan

DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: Neville Gallimore #90 of the Oklahoma Sooners wears the Golden Hat trophy after defeating the Texas Longhorns 34-27 during the 2019 AT&T Red River Showdown at Cotton Bowl on October 12, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: Neville Gallimore #90 of the Oklahoma Sooners wears the Golden Hat trophy after defeating the Texas Longhorns 34-27 during the 2019 AT&T Red River Showdown at Cotton Bowl on October 12, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 15: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second quarter during The AdvoCare Showdown at AT&T Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 15: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second quarter during The AdvoCare Showdown at AT&T Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

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J.K. Dobbins RB

Ohio State Buckeyes Football
Ohio State Buckeyes Football /

Scouting Report

While his junior has shown much more flash and promise than his sophomore year, at the end of the day, J.K. Dobbins still plays running back; NFL teams are hesitant to take a position of such low priority in today’s NFL and invest a first round pick into them. However, as Dobbins continues to play well, this could be a year where we see two or three running backs go in the first round.

While D’Andre Swift is the best back in this class, and teams will fall in love with the speed of Travis Etienne, Dobbins may be the best balance of speed, strength, and agility of any of the backs in this class. The Ohio State junior currently ranks as the second running back on this writer’s big board, below just Swift.

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Even with splitting carries with Mike Weber and having a down year (compared to his elite freshman season in 2017), Dobbins still rushed for 1,000 yards last year. This year he has already surpassed those numbers as he looks like a future bellcow back at the next level for the Buckeyes; Dobbins has already rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns while also catching 14 passes for two additional scores.

While the running back position has become the least likely one to get drafted in the first round, Dobbins could give a team a Maurice Jones-Drew type runner from day-one.

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