B/R NFL Draft 400: Top Fullbacks
Each spring, 256 players are drafted into the NFL and roughly another 100 are added as undrafted free agents. With close to 350 players joining the pros each year, it's tough to keep track of them.
Everyone knows who Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota and Amari Cooper are. But what about the rest of the class? At Bleacher Report, our aim is to thoroughly cover the draft unlike any other outlet, so we're not stopping with coverage of the top 32 picks or even the top 200 picks. We're covering the top 400 draft-eligible players, with a full scouting report on each one.
The top 400 players have been tracked, scouted, graded and ranked by myself and my scouting assistants, Marshal Miller and Dan Bazal. Together, we have viewed a minimum of three games per player (the same standard NFL teams use), and oftentimes, we've seen every play from a player over the last two years. That's led to the grades, rankings and scouting reports you see here.
Players are graded on strengths and weaknesses, with a pro-player comparison added that matches the player's style or fit in the pros. Position by position, the top 400 players are broken down for easy viewing before the final release of a top-400 big board before the draft.
In the case of a tie, players were ranked based on their overall grade.
The Grading Scale
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At the end of each scouting report, you'll see a final grade that falls somewhere between 4.00 and 9.00 on a unique grading scale. This scale comes from the teaching I received from Charley Casserly, Michael Lombardi and other former and current front-office personnel in the NFL. I've tweaked it this year to be more transparent, and the result is each player receiving a number grade as well as his ranking.
This applies to all positions.
| Grade | Label |
| 9.00 | Elite, No. 1 pick |
| 8.00-8.99 | All-Pro Potential |
| 7.50-7.99 | Pro Bowl Potential |
| 7.00-7.49 | Top-15-Player Potential |
| 6.50-6.99 | Rookie Impact/Future Starter |
| 6.00-6.49 | Rookie Impact/Future Starter |
| 5.50-5.99 | Future Starter |
| 5.10-5.49 | Quality Backup |
| 5.01-5.09 | Backup Caliber |
| 5.00 | Draftable Player Cutoff |
| 4.75-4.99 | Priority Free Agent |
| 4.50-4.74 | Camp Player |
| 4.00-4.49 | Not NFL Caliber |
6. Joey Iosefa, Hawaii
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| 40 | Height | Weight | 3-Cone |
| 5.02s | 6'0" | 247 lbs | 7.24s |
STRENGTHS
A between-the-tackles runner with a full head of steam and impressive play power, Joey Iosefa can make noise pushing the pile. A powerful runner with good ability to break tackles, Iosefa has value in short-yardage situations as a runner, blocker and receiver. He has soft, huge hands (10 ¼”) and brings the ball in well coming out of the backfield. He’s a downhill runner and receiver who offers upside on special teams.
WEAKNESSES
A big player with limited agility and speed, Iosefa doesn’t have the juice to reach athletic linebackers in space. He doesn’t explode into his blocks and likes to play with extended arms instead of ramming into defenders. As a runner and receiver, Iosefa was able to produce at Hawaii, but he didn't show the speed or agility to make defenders miss in the NFL.
PRO COMPARISON: Jed Collins, Dallas Cowboys
A solid runner between the tackles and a good blocker up the middle, Iosefa could be this draft’s version of Jed Collins and carve out a long NFL career.
2014 STATISTICS
| Rushing Attempts | Rushing Yards | Touchdowns |
| 151 | 617 | 8 |
FINAL GRADE: 4.75/9.00 (Priority Free Agent)
5. Larry Dixon, Army
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| 40 | Height | Weight | 3-Cone |
| - | 5'11" | 239 lbs | - |
STRENGTHS
A productive runner in a fullback’s body, Larry Dixon can make things happen with the ball in his hands. He has good vision in the open field and enough burst to pull away from first- and second-line defenders. He’s an athlete who shows soft hands and three-down ability coming out of the backfield. He’s athletic enough to contribute on special teams and is willing to move around and find his fit.
WEAKNESSES
Dixon isn’t a classic fullback with top-tier blocking skills or the power to push the pile between the tackles. He’s a fit for today’s NFL as a runner and blocker but won’t contribute much as a goal-line or short-yardage blocker. He has limited pop behind his pads and would much rather have the ball in his hands. Coming out of the Army offense, it’s safe to expect a transition for Dixon. Dixon is scheme-limited and has to prove himself as an NFL-style player.
PRO COMPARISON: Darrel Young, Washington
A plus-level athlete with good running and receiving skills, Dixon is a Darrel Young-type fullback with the ball in his hands.
2014 STATISTICS
| Rushing Attempts | Rushing Yards | Touchdowns |
| 190 | 1,102 | 9 |
FINAL GRADE: 4.80/9.00 (Priority Free Agent)
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4. Michael Burton, Rutgers
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| 40 | Height | Weight | 3-Cone |
| 4.74s | 5'11" | 242 lbs | 7.20s |
STRENGTHS
A combine player who impressed at the Medal of Honor Bowl, Michael Burton has the receiving skills to turn heads at fullback. On film, Burton flashes with soft hands and productive numbers as a receiver. He looks the ball in cleanly and can accelerate into his routes. He’s able to work coming out of the backfield or be motioned out wide before the snap. He signed at Rutgers as a running back and has the hands and feet to pick up yards in space. As a blocker, he’s a little undersized but wins with work ethic and good leverage.
WEAKNESSES
Burton doesn’t have the true size to be a between-the-tackles blocker at fullback and may get labeled more as an H-back. He doesn’t bring power behind his pads as a blocker and isn’t the throwback bulldozer to open up rushing lanes between the tackles. Burton still plays like a running back with fullback athleticism.
PRO COMPARISON: Anthony Sherman, Kansas City Chiefs
A solid pass-catcher and agile athlete in space, Burton, in a best-case scenario, will have a career like Anthony Sherman’s.
2014 STATISTICS
| Rushing Attempts | Rushing Yards | Touchdowns |
| 1 | 2 | 0 |
FINAL GRADE: 4.85/9.00 (Priority Free Agent)
3. Aaron Ripkowski, Oklahoma
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| 40 | Height | Weight | 3-Cone |
| 4.69s | 6'1" | 257 lbs | 7.59s |
STRENGTHS
A former walk-on with good athleticism, great size and great play strength, Aaron Ripkowski is a throwback. He’s an old-school fullback with power and violent blocking skills. Ripkowski has the speed and agility to get outside the tackle box and block on outside runs or upfield to take on linebackers at the second level. He’s athletic with flexibility, explosive legs and good base power. The Oklahoma offense asked him to play some tight end, and he showed good punch there despite having a shorter (6’1”) frame for in-line play. As a true lead blocker, Ripkowski has the tools to be elite.
WEAKNESSES
It’s a bit scary watching Ripkowski lower his head before making contact with defenders, and NFL coaches should clean that up. The term “hammerhead” applies here, and it’s not a good thing. Ripkowski has little experience as a receiver and doesn’t fit the new mold of fullback play. He’s limited to being a blocker—and while he’s a very good blocker, the need for one-dimensional fullbacks is small.
PRO COMPARISON: Kyle Juszczyk, Baltimore Ravens
A punisher at fullback, Ripkowski isn’t much of a runner or receiver, but like Kyle Juszczyk, he’s one heck of a blocker.
2014 STATISTICS
| Rushing Attempts | Rushing Yards | Touchdowns |
| 6 | 13 | 3 |
FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Priority Free Agent)
2. Connor Neighbors, LSU
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| 40 | Height | Weight | 3-Cone |
| - | 5'11" | 229 lbs | - |
STRENGTHS
An athlete with solid hands and good movement skills, Connor Neighbors has the versatility to make an impact early on. Neighbors is immediately intriguing because of his ability to make plays as a receiver out of the backfield. He looks the ball in well and sells routes on play action. Neighbors has enough juice to pick up yards after the catch and can work as an inside runner—especially on short-yardage or zone-blocked runs. Neighbors is a smart player who won’t struggle to pick up an NFL offense.
WEAKNESSES
Neighbors is an undersized fullback who won’t be loved by teams that want an interior blocker. His lack of size will make him more of a move blocker and not a heads-up isolation player. Neighbors won’t pop any pads and has to win as a blocker with hand placement and leverage. If he can learn to churn his feet through contact, he could improve greatly as a blocker.
PRO COMPARISON: Derrick Coleman, Seattle Seahawks
A smallish fullback with good hands and nice movement skills, Neighbors’ style and scheme fit match that of Derrick Coleman.
2014 STATISTICS
| Rushing Attempts | Rushing Yards | Touchdowns |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
FINAL GRADE: 5.00/9.00 (Priority Free Agent)
1. Jalston Fowler, Alabama
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| 40 | Height | Weight | 3-Cone |
| 4.94s | 5'11" | 254 lbs | 7.56s |
STRENGTHS
An old-school blocker who loves contact, Jalston Fowler can clear lanes in the run game and help as a receiver out of the backfield. Fowler is a good athlete for his size and the position, showing enough speed and burst to reach linebackers at the second level as a blocker. He came to Alabama as a running back and still has the ability to pick up yards between the tackles. Fowler does what he’s asked and does it with consistency. He has the vision and agility to find his target and rock him off his heels. Fowler can contribute as a blocker, runner, receiver and special teams performer. He is versatile, though, and ranks as one of our favorite players to watch on film.
WEAKNESSES
Fowler plays a position few teams use, making his chances to be drafted more limited. He has to learn to use his hands as a blocker to better secure and maintain contact. Fowler is a bit of a “jack of all trades, master of none” type player who is not an elite blocker, runner or receiver.
PRO COMPARISON: Bruce Miller, San Francisco 49ers
Aggressive, violent, athletic and versatile. That describes Fowler and his NFL comparison, Bruce Miller.
2014 STATISTICS
| Rushing Attempts | Rushing Yards | Touchdowns |
| 12 | 69 | 0 |
FINAL GRADE: 5.10/9.00 (Priority Backup)
Pro-day results via NFL.com unless otherwise noted.
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