As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Tank Bigsby.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles 
2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Tank Bigsby (RB – Auburn)
6’0” – 213 lbs.
Background:
Given name is Cartavious. Was a four-star recruit who led the team in carries as a true freshman, finishing with 138-84-5 (6.0) over ten games and adding eleven catches. Became more of a traditional workhorse/feature back the following year, with a line of 223-1,099-10 (4.9) and 21-184-0 receiving. Went 179-970-10 (5.4) with 30-180-0 receiving last year before declaring for the draft.
Positives:
Three-year starter who carried the load in the SEC the past two years. Big, well-built back who looks the part, especially in the upper body. One-cut runner with enough speed to threaten the edge and who shows good burst to plant and get upfield when the hole is there. Gets defenders to overcommit to flowing laterally and is able to work back inside and find yardage. Makes solid cuts to find rushing lanes from the backfield, and vision is good enough to recognize opportunities to make something out of nothing. Agility is one of his major strengths; has excellent jump-cuts, is able to make defenders miss in the hole in one-on-one situations, and can be very hard to tackle in the open field. Finishes runs by lowering the shoulder and fighting for yards after contact; does a good job of falling forward at the end of his attempts. Has the size to potentially be effective in blitz pickup.
Negatives:
Output was a mix of huge games and forgettable ones. Runs a bit upright. Tendency is to bounce runs outside, leading to carries in which he gets tackled at the line or for a loss when two or three yards were available by barreling ahead. Has solid speed but might be more of a chunk player at the next level. Balance is closer to average; falls forward but doesn’t break a ton of tackles. Ball security was solid as a freshman and junior, but fumbled four times in 2021. Usage as a receiver was limited to simple swing passes. Pass protection leaves something to be desired, without consistent physicality or positioning.
Summary:
A well-built back who was productive at the highest level of college football, showing the ability to get to the edge in an offense which featured a lot of outside runs from the shotgun, with the elusiveness to make defenders look silly in one-on-one situations at the second level. Passing-game value was limited in school, both as a receiver and blocker, so as it currently stands, has the look of an early-down or committee back, particularly on a team that gives him chances to stretch the defense laterally and cut upfield when holes materialize.
Projection: Round 3
Other 2023 NFL Draft Running Back Prospects
- Devon Achane (RB – Texas A&M)
- Chase Brown (RB – Illinois)
- Zach Charbonnet (RB – UCLA)
- Zach Evans (RB – Mississippi)
- Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – Alabama)
- Roschon Johnson (RB – Texas)
- Kenny McIntosh (RB – Georgia)
- Kendre Miller (RB – TCU)
- Bijan Robinson (RB – Texas)
- Sean Tucker (RB – Syracuse)
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