Tulane RB Tyjae Spears is the most overlooked prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft operating again class is loaded. It options one of many higher backfield prospects we’ve seen in current reminiscence in Texas’ Brian Robinson. Behind him contains prospects from the primary three rounds in Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs, UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet and Texas A&M’s Devon Achane, amongst others. The least mentioned of that group although, and one of many extra underrated prospects on this class, is Tulane again Tyjae Spears. Not going to a Energy-5 college like everybody listed above actually hurts the hype round him. However he has greater than proven all through his profession that he has the expertise to grow to be a beginning NFL operating again.

What makes Tyjae Spears a future beginning again within the NFL?

Spears is a playmaking operating again who’s able to taking each carry to the home. He has the required elusiveness to take action as he encompasses a sturdy minimize transfer in addition to a sidestep which permits him to dodge a number of defenders in the identical run. Spears will not be gradual out of his cuts, which permits him to pair them collectively briefly succession. He has breakaway pace in his arsenal, and he is ready to run away from defenders at each stage. He has the required quickness to beat gamers to the sting after which instantly flip it up the sphere for a piece play. Spears reveals off an excellent burst when he hits the opening permitting him to beat second and third-level defenders to the spot.

Spears has good imaginative and prescient which permits him to see the sting open on inside runs or diagnose a operating lane on the within when the other gap is the designed run hole. There are a number of situations during which a run is known as for both the A or B hole on one facet and Spears ended up taking it to the B or C hole on the other facet due to his imaginative and prescient. He’s fast to diagnose openings and has a pure really feel for when holes are going to open up.

Spears is greater than prepared to observe his blockers and keep affected person behind them reasonably than operating with one pace from begin to end and blowing proper by them. He’s adept at placing his hand on their again when there’s a pulling tight finish or guard which permits him to run the play with a greater tempo and preserve his imaginative and prescient all through.

He does an excellent job of getting his toes up and ahead on breakaway runs to keep away from being tripped up from behind.

Spears’ capabilities with the ball in his fingers makes him a risk within the receiving recreation. When throwing him a fast swing to get him in house, he has the required traits to choose up chunks within the passing recreation.

Spears has good contact steadiness as a runner, and he routinely is ready to bounce off of tackles with out dropping his middle of gravity and is ready to get proper again as much as his high pace. He runs with a flexible higher physique which permits him to contort his higher half to keep away from contact while sustaining his play pace.

What may maintain again Tyjae Spears within the NFL?

The one time his imaginative and prescient slipped is when he would drive runs to the within on third or fourth down briefly yardage. On a number of examples of these performs, Spears is following his blockers, however there are openings that he may’ve hit elsewhere.

Spears’ lack of energy makes it tough for him to persistently fall ahead as a runner when stood up or when a number of gamers are bringing him down.

From a ball safety standpoint, Spears must work on a couple of issues. There are situations during which the ball can journey low down the facet of his physique reasonably than preserving it up and tight. Spears additionally not often ever moved the ball to his exterior hand, routinely preserving it on the within nearer to defenders.

Spears is an upright runner as he doesn’t get an excessive amount of bend in his knees. This makes it simpler for defenders to achieve leverage on him and chop him down.

As a move blocker, he struggles to take care of the block all through the play. He’ll arise the defender on the first level of contact. However then nearly all of the time they may be capable of get free to both facet after the primary level of contact.

As a route runner, Spears is missing. He has no refined side of his recreation there and he struggles to run Texas and different comparable routes. On screens, Spears must run them with just a little little bit of a greater tempo as he does present them a bit too shortly at occasions. He had the occasional focus drop however for probably the most half he was capable of make fantastic fingers catches.

What are others saying about Tulane RB Tyjae Spears?

“Spears missed many of the 2020 season with an ACL damage (together with a meniscus tear) that required surgical procedure, however he returned to type with greater than 2,300 dashing yards over his closing two seasons at 6.99 yards per carry. He topped out at 20.1 mph on the GPS at Senior Bowl and ran with nice explosion and sudden change of path within the open subject throughout his closing two years at Tulane.

His damage historical past isn’t irrelevant, and it stays to be seen if Spears can deal with a professional workload between the tackles. However within the open subject, he will probably be a weapon on the subsequent stage.”
— Nick Baumgardner The Athletic

Tulane RB Tyjae Spears highlights

Relative Athletic Rating for Tyjae Spears

Spears is at the moment projected to go someplace on Day 2 within the second or third rounds. He’s prone to go sooner or later within the third spherical however a workforce falling in love together with his athleticism and large play means actually can’t be dominated out. Spears projected greatest for a zone blocking scheme however can run in a person scheme as nicely.