Could Sanders add some physicality and speed to the Giants’ running game?
The New York Giants are in a pretty good place at running back. Tyrone Tracy is the likely starter going forward after seizing on his opportunity as a rookie, while Devin Singletary, is a steady veteran who’s useful in most situations.
But what the Giants are lacking in their backfield is size and power. Tracy is their biggest listed back at 211 pounds, but he doesn’t run like a power back. If the Giants want to run an explosive offense that attacks vertically, they might want to find a power back who can force the defense to choose between stacking the box or defending the pass.
Enter Reheim Sanders from South Carolina. The 6-foot, 230-pound Sanders started his career at Arkansas and garnered All-SEC honors as a freshman and sophomore at Arkansas. Despite his size and punishing running style, Sanders has rare speed in the open field and a knack for generating gains — which led to him gaining the nickname “Rocket”
Could Sanders inject some rocket fuel into the Giants’ offense?
Prospect: Raheim Sanders
Games Watched:
Red Flags: Knee (2023)
Measurables
Height: 6-foot (estimated)
Weight: 230 pounds (estimated)
Strengths
Best traits
- Size
- Speed
- Play strength
- Contact Balance
- Vision
- Receiving game play
Sanders is a big, strong, and surprisingly fast running back prospect. Sanders is 6-foot, 230 pounds with obvious power in his upper and lower halves. And while he looks like a traditional lumbering power back, he earns his nickname “Rocket” when he can square his pads and get a couple steps downhill.
Sanders has impressive long speed for a big back and is a threat to generate big plays any time he touches the ball and finds a bit of space. He’s rarely caught from behind and can simply run away from most linebackers and many safeties. Of course, Sanders also has plenty of power to serve as a short-yardage or power back. He’s willing to run behind his pads and has the competitive toughness to grind out the tough yards. He has the vision to find and follow his blockers, as well as the contact balance to disregard incidental contact and arm tackles.
He’s able to push the pile at the line of scrimmage as well as punish second- and third-level defenders. South Carolina also used him almost like a fullback on occasion and had him lead block for quarterback and receiver runs.
Sanders is also an asset in the passing game. He wasn’t asked to run a diverse route tree but executed the routes he was asked to run well. He’s a “hands” catcher who frames the ball well and securely tucks it away before turning upfield. Sanders is also a capable pass protector.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Quickness and agility
- Cutback ability
Sanders is a linear athlete, which will limit his scheme fit and could make him a feast or famine player at the next level.
He doesn’t have much in the way in quickness or agility as an athlete. Sanders isn’t a particularly explosive runner, and not only does that mean he needs a runway to hit his considerable top speed, he doesn’t have great change of direction ability. He is easily brought down if his feet stop because his initial running lane is clogged or due to offensive play design.
Additionally, Sanders can be a bit too eager to cut back in search of the space to make a big play, as opposed to taking what the defense gives him.
Projection
Sanders projects best as a rotational running back in a downhill offense. His draft stock could vary wildly from team to team, depending on the offensive scheme. Some teams could view him as a Day 2 prospect, while others could see him as an undrafted free agent.
While there’s no guarantee that he’ll reach their heights, there’s a certain amount of Derrick Henry or Brandon Jacobs in Sanders’ game. He’s a powerful downhill runner with shocking speed in the open field, but he needs to get north-south soonest. That said, he’s able to generate explosive plays when he gets some space with which to work.
Sanders will need to land in an offense that uses a downhill running game to reach his ceiling. He doesn’t need to exclusively run between the tackles, and he has upside on the perimeter. However, he’ll need to be used in wheel routes or toss plays that get him the ball in-stride, as opposed to taking handoffs and running laterally.
Does he fit the Giants?
Yes
Final Word:
Late Day 2, early Day 3 value
