Washington Redskins 2017 Draft Profiles: Kareem Hunt, RB

Kareem Hunt, RB

School: Toledo | Conference: Mid-American
College Experience: Senior | Age: 21
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 208 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 3rd or 4th Round
NFL Comparison: Frank Gore

College Statistics

Player Overview

Kareem Hunt is currently being viewed as one of the best values in the draft. Hunt has outstanding balance, strength, and vision. He runs with patience and likes to finish runs by lowering his shoulder into defenders. He also is a good enough receiver to be a threat in the passing game and is a willing blocker giving him lead back potential. Hunt doesn’t have any particularly elite traits he just does the little things right. In his senior season, he became Toledo’s all-time leading rusher. He had an excellent performance at the Senior Bowl and was one of the standouts there. In a very deep running back class when weighing the pro’s and con’s of Hunt’s game he may very well be the best value “buy” in the mid rounds.

Strengths

• Runs with superb balance and has great feet that never stop moving.
• Shifty. Has great awareness and understanding of angles and space knows how to navigate in tight quarters to gain yardage.
• Great vision and patience. He is willing to let blocks develop and can spot escape routes if things don’t go according to plan.
• Has a nice array of elusive moves including a good jump cut, spin, and stiff arm.
• Good pass catcher out of the backfield.
• Protects the football. 1 fumble in his whole career which he recovered.

Weaknesses

• Doesn’t have much of a 2nd gear in terms of acceleration not sure he will get many home runs in the NFL.
• Pass protection needs work. He needs to engage straight up rather than going for partials.

Let’s see his work:

How He Would Fit On The Redskins

Hunt has starter potential at the next level. He doesn’t have elite athleticism or physical traits but he is durable, determined, focused, and is the type of back that if given 20+ carries a game will win against defenses by wearing them down. For a Redskin running back to consistently get that number of carries, the Redskins will have to be more competitive in games and maintain the lead. If the team makes a significant investment in the defense either in free agency and/or the draft I can see the argument for taking a talented back like Hunt who will need around that number of carries a game to be most effective.

I don’t want to belittle Hunt’s athletic traits too much though he is a very talented runner who’s skill set would probably be arguably an immediate upgrade over all of our backs specific to how he understands and moves in space. His elusiveness, balance, and ability to not go down on first contact is also something to be coveted in a back that doesn’t have elite speed. On the Redskins Hunt could challenge for the starting role and win.