Name: Michael Warren II
Position: RB
College: Cincinnati
Classification: Junior
Height: 5 ft 11 in
Weight: 222 lbs
Michael Warren, an underrated prospect out of Cincinnati, has declared to enter this running back heavy draft. While the class is talented, I don’t think that will make him fall by any means. We will take a look at some film and break down the stats to show the ability and potential this prospect has at the next level. Let’s dive in!
Breaking Down the Stats
Some things that I like to consider when evaluating what a running back can do at the next level is the usage in college and the consistency of that usage. As you can see with the table above, Warren had encouragingly heavy usage in his sophomore and junior seasons. More often than not, the running backs in the NFL have at least one season of workhorse usage in college. In 2019, Warren ranked 10th in total rushing attempts among all other FBS backs with 261 attempts. Those attempts placed him at 10th in rushing touchdowns among that same list. Warren is clearly not a tier 1 or tier 2 running back in this class. His per carry stats are lackluster compared to the other backs that saw a similar workload. With that being said, Warren can easily be a change of pace back in the right offense. If he does that, he will easily return value at his selected ADP. Although he was not a huge focus in the passing game, he saw significant work for a team that only pass the ball on 39.96% of the time. The Bearcats, in 2019, had a run/pass ratio of 60.04/39.96 which makes me more confident in Warren’s ability in the NFL. Being trusted with the duties of lead back on a team that runs the ball 60% of the time says something about his abilities.
Film Breakdown
Separating running backs to provide consistent and accurate analysis is tough. I try my best to narrow down a couple of traits to each running back. For Warren, however, his traits popped out right away and continued to evolve through the more film I watched.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN4wPtLqymw[/embedyt]
In the first two clips in the video above, I knew what Warren brought to the table… pass blocking and balance. In the first play, you can see Warren’s confidence in picking up the edge blitz. Although the quarterback does get sacked, Warren did his job in picking up the blitz to keep the play progressing. Throughout the video, there are many plays where Warren picks up solid blocks in which you can see the confidence that he has in the backfield.
Although that is a very important trait in order to be a quality back at the next level, I think the next trait is his biggest benefactor. In the second clip, as well as many others, he has tremendous balance in the run. With that balance, he is able to keep moving forward, turning nothing into a positive game. Throughout the rest of the video, and in any other film clip you watch of Warren, you notice how quick of a runner he is. Being 222 pounds, having quick feet, and having tremendous balance, I think Warren will make a great late-round value pick. He could sneak into becoming a middle-round pick depending on landing spot. Warren may not have the best combine numbers, but take that doesn’t mean as much to me. The film shows more than a couple of tests, and the film is great. Always remember, not all of the best fantasy players come from big-named schools.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! You can find me on twitter @kacer_lukas and do NOT be afraid to reach out with any questions or players you want me to write about next.
