Pierre Strong Jr. | South Dakota 5’11” 207 lbs. | 9/18/1999 (Age 22)
Pierre Strong Jr. was drafted with the 22nd pick of the fourth round by the New England Patriots, becoming the 10th running back and 127th overall player in the 2022 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
As a senior, Strong ran for 1,673 yards on 240 carries and 18 TDs. He added 22 receptions for 150 yards and he also threw for four TDs as a triple-threat back. He ran for over 4,500 yards as a four-year starter for the Jackrabbits with 40 total TDs. He caught 63 passes as well.
FILM
He consistently shows solid patience and vision, with homerun ability. He shows the ability to be a tough inside runner and more than just straight-line speed. He runs good routes and displays consistent hands.
ATHLETIC TESTING
Strong ran the fastest forty-yard dash at the combine this year at 4.37 seconds. He put up a 36” vertical and 10’4” broad jump. He scored a 9.34 Relative Athletic Score and should be considered one of the top two athletes at the position within the class, just a small notch below Breece Hall.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Average
Strong was selected with the 127th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Patriots.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Strong was one of my favorite rookie RBs coming into this draft, and I was hoping he would sneak into day 2. Going in the fourth round isn’t terrible as draft capital is concerned. There may be sneaky good upside with a Patriots team that has a strong commitment to the run game. It is obviously a crowded backfield, however, with Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson seemingly entrenched. There had been rumors earlier in the offseason about trading Harris, but that never happened. Strong will get a chance to compete, however, and it is well within the range of outcomes for him to rise to the top of the pecking order. I would expect this to keep him in the third round of most rookie drafts, with some owners reaching for him in the second. It is hard to see any redraft or best ball value at this time, and I am forced to lower my rankings for both Harris and Stevenson, the latter of which bums me out a bit.
Stay sharp out there and remember, you only have to be better than half your leaguemates on average to be a perennial playoff team. Let’s keep balling! Look for more of my articles soon.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me to chat about fantasy football on Twitter @Ship_Chaser and follow along with me on my journey as I chase six-figure paydays! #DFFArmy #FantasyFootball #AlwaysBeBuilding #NFL #NFLDraft #NFLTransactions #NFLTrades #AlwaysBeScouting
