By: Will Baptist

The running back position has seen a drastic change over the years, and they are required to be more complete backs now. Catching the ball out of the backfield, and having a good enough route tree to line up in the slot is a major aspect of being an every-down back.

Alvin Kamara is arguably the best example of that in the NFL right now. He has the strength and size to run it up the middle throughout the game, while having the quickness and route running ability to run numerous different routes, and stay on the field on third down.

Kamara was drafted in 2017, and already has 4 Pro Bowls under his belt. We have yet to see a running back with the unique size and quickness comparable to Kamara since he entered the league, but it seems there is one on the horizon.

Travis Etienne, a first-round pick out of Clemson, is the best comparison we have seen to Kamara. Etienne is poised for a big rookie season on the Jaguars, especially since his quarterback will be his former college teammate, Trevor Lawrence. They already have familiarity with each other and know the strengths and weaknesses of each other’s game.

Similarities in Styles

Etienne and Kamara are the exact same size, at 5’10 and 215 pounds. They play very similar styles, with their patience and explosiveness. Etienne is physical and able to run between the tackles, but has the straight line speed to score on any play.

Etienne is extremely difficult to bring down, and it normally takes at least two defenders to do so. He was able to run a wide array of routes during his final two seasons at Clemson, and showed that he has the ability do that consistently at the next level. He improved as a pass blocker throughout his career as well, which bodes will for his ability to stay on the field on the third down moving forward. Kamara also showed flashes in college of how great of a pass catcher he could be during his tenure in Tennessee.

Urban Meyer will unleash that aspect of Etienne’s game, and it would not be shocking to see him catch 60-70 passes as a rookie. He is the complete package, and his strength and size are reminiscent of Kamara as a college back. Their quickness jumps out on tape and their ability to move in and out of cuts is staggering.

One major difference is Kamara ran a 4.56 40-yard dash, while Etienne ran a 4.32 40-yard dash. That speed is going to translate immediately at the next level, and as long as Etienne can hold his own as a pass blocker, he will be on the field a ton as a rookie. They have other backs in place in Jacksonville, so he will not have to shoulder the load, which gives time to learn and grow.

The biggest similarity between them is the strength and ability to bounce of defenders. They both understand leverage and how to use their size to break tackles on every play. This will be a nightmare for opposing defensive backs when they are put on an island on a swing pass, and try to bring down Etienne. He is in prime position to be Offensive Rookie of the Year, just as Kamara was in 2017.

Similarities in Statistics

Etienne shattered the record books during his 4-year career at Clemson. He holds the ACC career record for rushing yards (4,952), total touchdowns (78) and total points (468). Etienne had the luxury of being on one of most the prolific teams in the NCAA all four years. When he stepped on campus as a freshman, it was evident he was the premiere back on the team, while totaling 766 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, along with 7.2 yards per carry as a true freshman.

This was only the beginning for Etienne, as he went on to rush for for consecutive 1600+ yard seasons with at least 23 total touchdowns as a sophomore and junior. His junior season, Clemson began to use him as a pass catcher and expand on how he can contribute out of the backfield. He had 37 catches, 432 yards and four touchdowns through the air, showing that he can be an every down back. It was clear how special he was and his yards per carry never dipped below 7.2 his first three seasons.

Every player’s statistics and production should have an asterisks by it for the 2020 season, considering the global pandemic was in full force. Etienne is no exception, and this forced him to play only 12 games, as opposed to the 15 games that he played the two seasons prior. His rushing stats took a dip , but he exploded as a receiver and showed his full capabilities. He hauled in 48 catches, 588 receiving yards, two touchdowns and 12.3 yards per catch.

Kamara had very similar production as a receiver during his time in Tennessee. He was primarily used at a pass catcher, but still dominated on the ground. In his two years at Tennessee, he totaled 1,294 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, 6.2 yards per carry, while catching 74 passes, 683 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. All this production occurred in a 24-game span, and it was clear Kamara was a diamond in the rough, and if he totaled the same amount of games as Etienne did in college, their statistics could be identical.

The similarities between Etienne and Kamara are uncanny, but being drafted into the right organization plays a major role in how successful the player can be. Kamara was drafted into the perfect situation, with no lofty expectations as a third rounder, and going to one of the most genius offensive minds in Sean Payton, and future Hall of Fame quarterback, Drew Brees. Etienne is going to a first time NFL head coach, Urban Meyer, and an organization that does not have much of a history of winning. For the Jaguars sake, hopefully Etienne paired with Lawrence can provide them with hope for the future, because their talent is undeniable.

The post How does Travis Etienne compare to Alvin Kamara? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

The 2017 NFL Draft class brought one of the most potently talented running back groups to the NFL, and honestly it may be the best ever with the way things have developed.  Just to list the primary ones, we have:

• Christian McCaffrey
• Alvin Kamara
• Dalvin Cook
• Joe Mixon
• Aaron Jones
• Chris Carson
• Kareem Hunt
• Austin Ekeler
• Leonard Fournette
• James Conner
• Tarik Cohen

The list continues on for a while after that too, like Marlon Mack, Wayne Gallman, Matt Breida, and Corey Clement.  However in this article we will only be looking at two of these backs for comparison, Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints and Christian McCaffrey of the Carolina Panthers.  

The primary focus of this piece will to be delve into these two players, and their ability to create an elusiveness of sorts on the field.  They both do it in different ways, hence why it will be broken into two different sections, one for each player.

Alvin Kamara ”“ New Orleans Saints

Alvin Kamara’s elusiveness is all about being “slippery” per say, using his core strength and center of balance to break off tackles and keep them away from the ball.  His extremely high level of balance is another key factor, as it allows him to take defenders and pull them off just by running, shedding them is likely the best word for it. 

As you can see, his core balance and ability to plant himself allows him to stop and let the defender slide before running the opposite direction to pull him off.  These types of plays have been pretty consistent throughout Kamara’s career, which is why he is so elusive.  If you cannot keep your hands on him long enough to make a tackle, then its practically like not being able to touch him at all.  His elusiveness is purely based on being able to get tacklers off him without exerting too much force, this allows him to break off huge chunks of yards at a time even after contact.

Christian McCaffrey ”“ Carolina Panthers

The elusiveness of Christian McCaffrey is a little more subtle, however relatively in the same ballpark of effectiveness.  Where Kamara lacks in stutter steps and juke moves, McCaffrey dominates in them.  Since CMC is heavily targeted in screen passes, his ability to avoid contact all together is his strength.  

This is kind of why he has injury issues however, as when he does take heavy contact he may be forced to break stride, which can cause him to get hurt trying to force something that is not there.  However it prevents the direct contact injuries that someone like Derrick Henry may get just from blunt force of defenders being taken on.  

Conclusion

To date, both of these backs are considered to be some of the best in the league undoubtedly.  With that said, Alvin Kamara has only missed four full games in his career so far, compared to Christian McCaffrey missing 13 (all last year, however).  Both of these players have their own strengths and are probably two of the top elusiveness-based backs to grace the field.  Banking on the fact that Kamara has had fewer injuries, or at least less severe ones, his elusiveness prevails as he is able to take on contact and prevent any issues from arising.

The post Is Christian McCaffrey or Alvin Kamara more elusive? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

Alvin Kamara in his first season after the large extension he received had an absolute monster of a year, half of the time even carrying the unit to wins.  With Michael Thomas out most of last season and a declining Drew Brees, he had to do the most work he has ever had to do so far in his young career.  His balance, shiftiness, and pure agility are something to behold and something we have never seen outside him to date. 

In this article, I will be going over three reasons as to why Kamara should end up with the OPOY award in 2021, as well as why these reasons connect to him winning this prestigious award.

Lack of Receiving Weapons

One of the most notable things in Kamara’s elite 2020 campaign was the lack of receiving weapons Brees had to throw to.  Now with even more of them gone, such as Jared Cook, Emmanuel Sanders, and to an extent Josh Hill, they have even less in that department.  This means the primary two playmakers in Alvin and Michael will have to take the brunt of the work, as the other options are:

• Adam Trautman (TE) ”“ Solid second year TE who had a decent season as the third tight end on the roster last year.  However needs to develop, and really prove he can take the leap to being a starting tight end.
• Tre’Quan Smith (WR) ”“ 2018 third round pick who has not turned out to be what he was hyped up as.  Solid hands and good route running, but physicality and speed leave quite a bit to be desired.  Good WR3 or so. 
• Deonte Harris (WR/KR) ”“ UDFA two years ago who has proved to be an exceptionally elite kick returner, and occasionally good in end arounds/WR misdirection.  However should not play every down or majority of them due to slight frame
• Marquez Callaway (WR) ”“ UDFA last offseason, has proved his worth so far but also needs to take the next step.

This lack of a true starting WR2 leads Kamara to a role where he will rush and play screens a ton.

New Quarterback Play

Granted, Brees dumped the ball off to Kamara last year a ton, and I mean a ton.  But with either Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill likely starting, both of which will need to let their playmakers do the work.  What does that mean?  More touches for Kamara, likely more than he has received in prior years as well.

This new quarterback play also means if Kamara can break off big chunks of yards like we have seen him do before, he will likely get his number called if the passing game cannot get things going like they should.

Continued Development 

Something we cannot forget is that Alvin is only 25 years old, 26 by the start of the season.  He has not even really hit his “prime age” as a player yet (normally 26-29) and is already an elite back in the league.  Throughout the offseason he will have the chance to go through camps again and training unlike last season which should put him even further up the ladder.

Kamara has also shown improvement each year he has played, going from a shared role behind Mark Ingram, to a primary in a dual back committee, to a full time starter who is mainly considered top three at the position.  Even last year we saw him break/tie the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns in a game (six, most since 91 years ago).  If this growth continues, we should definitely see an OPOY in the near future for Alvin.

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