FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in March. Here’s a look at Georgia running back Kendall Milton.
2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Kendall Milton
Kendall Milton (RB – Georgia)
6’2″ – 220 lbs.
Background:
Kendall Milton was a five-star recruit whose production was relatively limited over his first two seasons (457 total yards) before posting 85-592-8 (7.0) behind Kenny McIntosh and Daijun Edwards in 2022. Went 121-790-14 (6.5) this past year while sharing touches with Edwards.
Positives:
One of the biggest running backs in the draft. Escalating production over the past two years. Pretty smooth accelerator and a relatively flexible athlete overall. Shows above-average patience as a runner and can navigate through congestion better than anticipated. Knows how to change his pace to allow blocks to materialize. Easily runs through arm tackles. Knows what kind of player he is and lowers his shoulder into contact to finish with authority, grinding down opponents throughout the game. Tends to fall forward at the end of his runs and shows good toughness and competitiveness to fight for additional yardage after contact. The team used him in a lot of short-yardage/goal-line situations. He has the strength and decisiveness to convert in those situations. Ball security has been solid with just three career fumbles on over 300 total touches. Has been an effective pass protector over a limited sample and has the frame/strength for that role.
Negatives:
Has sustained a couple of injuries which limited his playing time earlier in his career. Durability could be a concern for some teams, especially considering his relatively low workload. Can run high at times, subjecting his lower body to punishment; injuries sustained so far in his career have been lower-body ones. Overall speed and burst are closer to adequate. Can struggle to win the edge consistently on outside rushing attempts. Not the quickest or most sudden back; there’s some clear gather to his cuts. Almost no integration into the passing game as a receiver with only 11 career catches.
Summary:
A big, pretty smooth back who shows above-average patience and finishes his runs well but who never really established himself as a lead back in school. Speed, explosiveness and quickness are closer to adequate. While Georgia included a relatively high rate of zone concepts in their run game he might benefit from moving to a gap/power scheme, which would see him pound the ball between the tackles instead of executing so many outside concepts. While he has the size and strength to take on rushers in blitz pickup, his lack of experience in the passing game might relegate him to a committee role, most likely as a short-yardage/goal-line back.
Projection: Round 6
More 2024 NFL Draft Prospects
Running Backs
- Trey Benson (RB – Florida State)
- MarShawn Lloyd (RB – USC)
- Braelon Allen (RB – Wisconsin)
- Ray Davis (RB – Kentucky)
- Audric Estimé (RB – Notre Dame)
- Will Shipley (RB – Clemson)
- Blake Corum (RB – Michigan)
- Bucky Irving (RB – Oregon)
- Jonathon Brooks (RB – Texas)
- Jaylen Wright (RB – Tennessee)
- Kimani Vidal (RB – Troy)
- Rasheen Ali (RB – Marshall)
- Cody Schrader (RB – Missouri)
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