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Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB
School: LSU | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Junior | Age: 20
Height / Weight: 5-8 / 209 lbs
Projected Draft Status: Rounds 3-5
NFL Comparison: Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons
College Statistics
Player Overview
Clyde Edwards-Helaire came on strong (like many other Tigers in 2019) in his final season at LSU. Previously before 2019, he was primarily a return specialist and not a feature back, only having 12 touches (2017) and 157 (2018) touches, respectively. Once he received his opportunity in 2019, he showcased his versatility on the field, which in turn earned him the 2019 team MVP award, team captain, and unanimous All-SEC First Team honors (Coaches and Associated Press).
Good
- Has receiver’s hands/exceptional route-runner,
- Impressive vision/Lane Creator,
- Great in open space/Difficult to tackle,
- Agility and Quickness is very good,
- Runs within his frame and under his pads/Has power behind him as a runner
Questions/Concerns
- Long speed, but more importantly, will the speed he has translate well to the NFL? Though I believe he can pop off big runs, I am currently not sure if he can take them the distance.
- Though his frame naturally allows him to run with some power, how will he fare head in one on one situations at or near the line of scrimmage?
- Rarely seen in pass-protection, how can he handle that responsibility as a professional?
How he would fit on the Redskins
Although Washington is hoping to mold Stanford running back Bryce Love into this specific role, I believe Edwards-Helaire is the perfect replacement for Chris Thompson. He is already prepared to come into the NFL as a versatile, three-down running back. As a result, he would be able to spell Derrius Guice or Adrian Peterson at any moment, and is capable of lining up in the backfield or as a wideout because of his route-running abilities. Clyde’s fit with Washington would be fine because his vision and pre-snap reads allows his creativity to mirror Adrian Peterson’s as it relates to creating running lanes for himself.
Film Session here (RB, #22):